why do people forget the fact that unless your an indian, your family came from an immigrant?
460174
Americans don't question their right to live on stolen land.  Hmmm...do you think that's why we support Israel?  And we also conveniently forget that their ancestors had to struggle with language differences when they came over. And that many cities still have ethnic neighborhoods with signs/newspapers/etc in Polish or some other language besides English.  But we consider that a quaint reminder of our past, while we scorn people who have come over more recently, especially if they have darker skin.  Guess we should modify the Statue of Liberty, since we only accept the tired, poor, and hungry on a conditional basis, and we don't want too many of them!  Geez, you'd think we weren't one of the richest countries in the world!
246497
Well, you shouln't make the situation so general as in asians are the only ones who go through the situation.  I am from a tropical island (I'm hispanic) and I'm white, blonde and have blue eyes. Whenever I hang out with "white" people I get asked the same question.  And nobody believes me that I'm hispanic, and yes it's very annoying.\n\nAnswer:  A lot of people of different race/ cultures go through the same thing, why? Because a lot of society is very ignorant and feel most comfortable when they categorize things/people and situations.  Being different is at times scary/ uncomfortable for others.  Ignorance.
911494
people who are born in a specific country are citizens of that country because of a birthright..who cares if they are from parents of illegal immigrants.....the only reason these people are illegal immigrants is because of the stupidity of Customs & Immigration in the US....think back to how our countries were formed....from the dregs of society being banished to other lands...THAT is our first history....so be careful who you tarnish...he/she just might be a distant relative
376467
ya know that is kinda racist - everyone is somehow mixed with another group of peoples - such as my grand grandmother was a native amercain - and my great grandfather was a scott.  Doesn't really mean anything what "race" you are.. it doesn't affect your abilities or anything.."All people are created equal"
1038394
I thought my culture and heritage were dumb and didn't want to have anything to do with it. I said We're in the US now, forget that shiet but now, even though i hate those elders that believe they are wiser than you and everything and still does everything the oldschool way even though you have all this new technology that you can take advantage of I participate in those things because it has a little meaning. Be grateful for the creation of you and celebrate it. I know you probably hear things like this so much it has no meaning to it but it's true. It will probably take you a while to realize this. I still don't agree with what "my people" say and believe in but I participate because I am who I am and that is the blood that runs in me!
131897
Well, think about it for a second, what stops everyone from coming in and saying, "Hey I am part Indian, show me the money.”???  Sometimes it is easy to see that someone has a specific ethnic background locked inside their genetic makeup, and for others it is harder.  This of course is do to one parents genes being the more predominant, so this would be why they ask for verification.  Make sense??
242524
Indian immigrants? Are we speaking Indians from India? or Native American???? because Native American's ARE NOT immigrants. Anglo Saxon's are immigrants.\n\nP.S. How many Anglo Saxon's have you seen working in the fields picking lettuce in California? How many want to? I think we should all consider the jobs that the immigrants have, would any of you want them? No.......
120896
If I'm not white, they hate me. If I'm from another country they hate me. They don't seem to realize they were immigrants also.
67888
We Americans should be proud of the thought that so many people from so many different cultures want to come to our country.  People come here because we have such a wonderful country, and I think we should all realize that none of us started in America to begin with - our families all came here from all over the world.  If anything, shouldn't it be the Native Americans getting upset with us?
310409
I don't consider myself to be of Irish descent, although I probably have more Irish ancestors than a lot of people. (My region was settled mainly by Irish immigrants "back in the day.") Face it, people want to have some kind of ethnic heritage other than just generic American, whatever it may be. Hmmm, I don't really know, so I'll make an educated guess. Mexican? Nah, I don't look Mexican. Or Italian, for that matter. German? I think my name's too normal. Normal? Hey, it's probably from somewhere in the U.K. or Ireland! And didn't great aunt Mildred mention something about someone coming over from Dublin in 1902? Why, I bet...\n\nI'm probably overstating a little, but you get the point.
951068
So many people are so ignorant that they dont care anymore.  I think some people can't get over the past. Well, myself, wasn't alive when a lot of it(the past)happened.  Just because I have German heritage doesn't mean that I had anything to do with the death of Jews and neither does my ansestors.  C'mon people, get real and figure it out!  We are all human and the only difference between us is the color of our skin or hair, we all bleed red, we all cry and guess what, we're all American. The past is just that, the past.
358682
They simply refuse to assimilate into American culture. As a country of immigrants, we are all keenly aware of who we are, and where we came from. All said, the only flag I fly at my house is an AMERICAN flag! In other words, they have no respect for us, and it's time we return the sentiment! Look at it this way. When we start rounding them up for deportation, we'll know who's who and where they're going by the flags on their houses, cars, shirts, in their hands... just makes it easier for us! After all, you know how lazy we are!!
933500
I'm not so sure on what you're asking, but I think most people want to know about their culture, race, ancestry, etc. because they want to know where they come from.  They want a "sense of belonging" if you will; what and who they can connect to. You can read and learn about other cultures and find it just as interesting, but for them, you can't relate or associate with it,  I suppose. Or, maybe they are looking for something to be proud of; like being able to say, " I'm a descendant of great people who invented this, conquered that, journeyed here," etc. I can't remember who the person was that said this, but I think this quote explains a lot too:\n\n"A people without knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots."\n\nI don't even remember if those are the exact words, but anyhow,  the quote is basically saying that a race or even nationality without knowledge of their people cannot grow as people; hence, "a tree without roots" it ain't gonna grow none!\n\nI hope that my answer has helped you understand this perspective a bit more ;-)
239629
Imagine that you had to move to another country for work, health or whatever reason.  Would you like to be forced to live without your family?  It's already hard enough to give up everything you're familiar with, isn't it?  Adding family to the immigration equation only stabilizes the immigrant & therefore the community.  A person with a family is more likely to be a more productive (and happier) citizen.  (By the way, family members of immigrants have to obtain their visas & passports like any immigrant. . .no special status is granted to them.  They are just enabled to immigrate to the US easier.)
524705
I wonder if the original native Americans (Red Injuns as you called em) had a say in the matter when the whites from across the ocean invaded their country and all but exterminated them.\n\nYou, dear person are also a descendant of immigrants yourself, I'm sure, as are most of the white and black American folks replying to you, unless you are of Native American descent (which I am sure you would not be proud to proclaim, if you were). Even the guys who came over on the Mayfair, they initiated the unjustness by being the harbingers of terror that culminated in the annihilation of native Americans\n\nI wonder when the Caucasian will ever get over the white 'massa' superiority complex?\n\n\nAmerica has been drawing people from all over the world, right from the days of it's discovery as a land with the fabled pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Give it some more time, you'll end up with an exodus of people, as is happening among the immigrants from India which is gaining from the Brain Gain as opposed to the earlier brain drain.\n\nI remember when my cousin migrated to the US in the seventies, people had similar complaints about the Indians.\n\nTh reverse is happening now, a number of western countries have their top people insisting on an India stint, and the Indians, well they wanna come back to their roots.\n\nst
481685
What were you thinking when you asked that question?  Where did your family members come from?  WOW!
591114
My brother and I both grew up knowing from the start that we were adopted.  Yes we are biological brother and sister.  I don't feel that it affected me at all rather than the void of not knowing where I came from.  I think that I keep people at more of a distance now that I have been reunited with my birthfamily (due to alot of deceit and unanswered questions).