Is it me or do people use the word America and American too much for thier own good to represent the United States?

Well, it is The United States of America, so I don't see why calling it America would be a problem. And we are called Americans, not United Statesers or something.

I don't get it.

So we should be called..........?

Yankees....Rebels....Those Who Shall Remain Nameless.....

I already know you don't like talking to me, JMPD1, but I will just explain anyway as it is. It isn't just the way we describe ourselves in the country as Americans, it is the impression people get from other countries.

I understand your from New York ( city/state?) o.k., well I watched farenheit 9/11 again last night and noticed something peculiar. I saw Michael Moore across the street from the Saudi Arabian embassy and wondered why he was asking someone this question. "How much money does Saudi Arabia invest in America?", and the guy he was asking told him - so/so billion dollars - and I wondered if it was the only thing wrong he was ever onto.

I'm not just asking you, JMPD1, but anyone of course. ( yeah- o.k. you think I'm crazy - I'm burying that hatchet ).

What does he mean "America"? The nation was attacked, not North America by itself. As you can understand anything above the equator in territory is South America, continentally speaking, and from the border of Mexico/Cuba is the North American terrain. Easy enough, but is there some inconvenience to people beyond thier control in expression about where they come from? Not who they are alone?

What I don't understand is this, if people are so used to describing themselves as being Americans due to where they are from and not who they are - doesn't that carry a stereotype or stigma with it? Many people from other countries get the wrong impression sometimes, and I wonder if it is too late to turn it around.

To answer your question, JMPD1. Why do you have to say your American just because it's convenient?

Why don't you just say your from the United States?

For instance ( Hi, I'm Pete from the U.S. and I'm American ). Not ( Hi I'm Pete, I'm American ) - then the stranger either asks or walks away. The question, not that they have to ask - because it's almost imposing - What country are you from??

( Yeah, I'm American )(me holding out my hand to shake - *stranger walks away*)


( Was it something I said?? No, Pete, *note to self> it is what you didn't say*).

that was a good one, lilaburrows. i think Those Who Shall Remain Nameless would work just fine.


JMPD1- saying you are American implies that you are from either the north american continent or south american continent. america is NOT limited to the U.S., despite what some egotistical, overpatriotic "Americans" might think.

On the other hand, when the U.S. was first discovered by Europeans, it WAS named America, after a mapmaker named Amerigo Vespucci. Only once America started growing in size and having states, did it become known as the "United States of America". After all, when the country first was founded, there WEREN'T any states. There were colonies. 13 of them. Later on, they became known as states.

So I don't know WHAT we residents of the U.S. should call ourselves. "Yankees" would offend everybody below the Mason-Dixon line, and some of us analytical, anal people (myself included in that group, nobody need be offended) think that "American" just doesn't work, since there ARE, technically, other countries in America. It might be interesting to note though (pay attention, analytical types) that residents of the other countries in America CALL themselves residents of their particular country. People from Canada call themselves Canadian. People from Brazil call themselves Brazilian. And so on, and so forth.

So in summary, no, Americans really AREN'T wrong to call themselves that, but yes, another name WOULD be nice.


WOW. I think this is the longest post I've ever put up. Thank you all (y'all) for listening to a history speech by an 18 year old college student.

Can u discribe an American to me?

Becuase were all different races, differernt religons, we all dont speek the same languages. I mean we speek hillbilly,southern, northeren,spanish, italian, dutch,
new yorker,ebonics,ect ect ect.
Were a people of color with roots from all different parts of the world,
the framers of the constitution said it the best, they combined our cultures
under the title "We the People"....

if ur a leagle citizen of America no matter where u came from , where ur famly came from, you are no longer blak or white, spanish or german, Were Americans
now, United by our freedoms and ideals, the heartbreak we share together as a nation. were all brothers and sisters not only here in America , brothers and sisters united hand in hand across the world.

Well, there isn't another name, not to pressure anyone. It isn't what I intended.
What I mean still is that it creates a stereotype for people in this country for some potential terrorists to hate this place so much they take advantage of the "overpatriotic" and count everyone else into it. Of course I hear it on radio talkshows that same thing and still get the impression myself that they are o.k. saying they are American, and turn around an say the terrorists come the country freely/hate it at the same time.

Well??? Yeah, they hate it so much that they want to show up and kill themselves and others in the name of a god, and call it martyrdom. But, it was a territorial issue where this martyrdom comes from. Not, lets move to America and kill as many Americans as possible because of Americanization in our country.

I figured what was happening was territorial, and not to confuse the war on terror with a civil war was absolutely important.

I do think it is extremely important to stop calling it a war on terror period. It isn't war- it is a lack of awareness of potential terror caused by terrorists who are confused with citizens/civilians of this country. When our civil war was done and over with obviously. Why live in our past all over again through someone elses modernized way of taking civil war to a brand new height??

How long ago did people start using any other weapon besides plastique or a jetliner? To concept of leaving the sword on it's own and fight like a soldier is supposed to?? Like they wanted to kill themselves then?? They couldn't.

So, yeah, I'm American. Do you know where I am from though?? Where I live?Not how I live, or why, or if. There are terrorists who want us to say it's a war on terror, that is how they win the war. The moment you show them there is no terror to fight, you see the soldier behind the terrorist.

That is when they start putting the plastique/plane ticket down, and start asking me where I am from. Not that I am an American. Why I live, how, if, when.

So they want to fight a war? Or start one? Pick up a gun and be a soldier, not a coward. Declare war on terror because there is a terrorist to who can lose the war because of thier weakness for fighting, not killing themselves and others.

I will stand behind my country, but I won't compromise my continent with terror.

Support your troops.

Tell me this could be a media conspiracy though? Am I right?

I think i know what you mean (if i'm wrong i appologise i'm a bit st***d at the mo) because if somebody says to me i'm american i instantly think somebody from north american and not south. i don't really know why thats just what i think

What I tire of is Americans refering to Canada as "north" America, its C-A-N-A-D-A, I'm Canadian not north American, I don't even know what a north American looks like

I agree with this guy

In the past when I have met people from other countries, they would say (when talking about where they were from), "I'm French" or "I'm Cuban," or "I'm Canadian." I have never met anyone who described themselves as "American" who was not from The United States of America. That's just what we are called. I don't think it has anything to do with being geocentric or whatever. When I visitted Australia, people would say "Oh! You are American! What state are you from?" (And then they would invariably ask "Is that close to New York?") No one assumed we came from Quebec or Argentina or elsewhere.

Do people from Canada or Mexico or Venezuala really consider themselves "Americans" simply because they are on the North American continent?

Since we live in North America, we can call ourselves Americans, but so can people who live in Mexico, Argentina, or Brazil, because they live in Central America and South America.

Well....this is part of all the poltically correct BS that I hate. It's not that we call ourselves Americans, it's what most everybody calls us. When I'm in another country they don't say, "Are you from the US?" they say, "Are you American?".

Stixxman, I have never, ever heard an American call a Canadian a "north" American, just as I have never heard of a Mexican being called a "north" American. If you want to look at it along those lines then they would be too.

You need to get out more then, at least past the state line.

All over the Caribbean, Mexico, etc,....is not far enough over the state line for you??

Where you spend your vacations as an overindulged tourist does not make you worldly. Going to a place where if they don't treat you like royalty they don't get a tip doesn't count. And not ever reading Canandians being refered to as north americans is tantamount to admitting you don't read anything that doesn't directly relate to you so no Mexico and the Carribean does not count. Go there and live like they do not like how you do when your at home.

I will not go into my life's history with you, you can assume what you like.

You obviously have some sort of problem with me, so in the future, I won't make a reference to any posts that you make. Hopefully, that will solve this problem.

I will not fight the war on terror. I will fight the terror of war.

I've never heard of that...



No. You get the title of "American" if you are a citizen of the United States of America. Hence the reason why a Mexican isn't called an American or a Brazilian isn't called an American...

Kratos...Im curious about your picture on the bottom of your profile and the sayings that surround it...care to explain?

Part of the Steel Circle and the 2/7 is my Seven Deadly tag for being a protector of the group, the second deadly sin is Gluttony.



Poetic way to say the night is here, sent to me by a good friend.



cover art for Disturbed's new cd "ten thousand fists" and the quote under it is the beginning of the song on that cd "Land of Confusion"

Thats my sig, broken down.
-----------------------
on topic:

To be called an American, as I said you need to be a citizen of the country. Just as a guy from Germany is called a German... you don't go around calling them Euros just because their from Europe!

American means someone from the USA. In the same way Briton means someone from Great Britain.

On the other hand, a North American would be someone from the continent of North America in the same way a European would be someone from Europe.

A North American can be an American, a Canadian or a Mexican. However, a European cannot be a Briton 'cos we're not part of Europe!

And Kratos: you do realise that song was originally a hit for Genesis?

I just do not find it easy to hear people use the word when they are talking about the country. I think that it is some indirect way some terrorists get the idea about the weaknesses people have in this country. Not that we don't have attatchment to things, but I still think that is how they feel about us.

Why is it that Osama Bin Laden has no more videos of himself?? I can answer that. See I understand he was in the Afghan/Russian war and it was a terrible thing to happen and it had to happen. But it probably caused some kind of inner predjudice in him in a way that extends beyond his control. I see him like the way I see Charles Manson. Of course, Bin Laden has been known to kill people before.
But the "family" is way out of line with this prejudgement about Americans.
He can't show his face anymore for one reason and this is fear. Not terror.

Rather than cause terror himself, he would rather we all saw/thought of him as dead. The fear is real, and the terror is disapearing like he is. Into thin air.

I wouldn't want people like terrorists to know I was American due to the terror, but to see the soldier behind the terrorist and see the fear and war, there has to be some way of relief to that fear without prejudgment.

See, the first paragraph in this is what I mean. Exactly.

you got that right.



exactly. why few people do it, I DON'T know.

Thanks, now were getting somewhere.

That is EXACTLY what I was trying to say, but I was met with resistance. Thank you Essan, for doing a great job in explaining it.

And, just for the record, Mexican use 'Norte Americano" to refer to citizens of the United States of America.

Also, I am proud to refer to myself as an American. Anywhere in the world, at any time.


good journey

It annoys many people in Latin America that people in the United States claim the exclusive title of being "Americans." Some argue that the name is actually United States of America and with that there is entitlement, however, many gringos in Mexico insist on being called "North Americans" which is worst because Canadians and Mexicans are also North Americans. The problem is that if they did not call themselves Americans, how would they be known?

Yes, yes! Exactly my point! Thank very much! I have been trying to explain that to people in real life and now I have a solid arguement.

Believe me I avoid attaching the word American to anything I do. I'm Canadian through and through.

It was still about the threat of certain terrorists ( OBL ) that say that they aim to kill as many Americans as possible. It isn't to bring up a unopened can of worms or anything, but there has been no catastrophic major attack on Canadian/Mexican or South American territories. So I wonder what kind of prejudgement is actually happening with this opium ridden psycho we can't tell is dead or alive or not.

Ive read in a paper once ( tabloids sometimes hit the marks but I stress the word sometimes ) that OBL used to live in Chicago in the 80's with an over cranky bitchy girlfreind who used to make fun of him because of his not so functioning privates. So it starts with that if it did happen, but you have to see that he really feeds off of the unjustified way some take "Americanization" of other countries to a level that he is so angry about - you wonder when he's going to stop.

I'm just sick of it now. I hear alot of talk about the borders, especially Mexico ( since lately there was a recent threat of terrorists being imported there to cross the border to the U.S. to attack ). I feel/fear that is exactly the whole plan already is for the terrorists to take advantage of it the way the Al Quada wanted, due to the whole overpatriotic stance of some people. When I hear even so much as one thing when someone says American border, or to attack Americans, or (Amerca is a great nation ? -the United States is a nation- it is great and I am proud of being from here and to be American o.k.?), and you know this one from OBL "America the great Satan", IT JUST urks me. It breaks me up inside.

If there is a confusion between continent and country, it just has to be pointed out on a global scale that this prejudgement shouldn't carry on any more. It isn't so much about identifying ourselves as much as it is securing ourselves in a nation.
International and Intercontinental.

When you ask someone you first meet where they come from, do you ask what street they come from or what state they are from? Do you work from smallest to largest or largest to smallest? I think to be going from smallest to largest is being polite, and to go from largest ( Yes I am from North America and I live on a Main Street ) to smallest is hinting on something stereotypical.

Does anyone agree?

yep

^^^ The bit about him being upset over comments regarding his genitalia is an Urban Legend. Check out Snopes

I'm still unsure of what you are getting at here.
Are you saying that if someone asks me where I'm from I should state the street address?
"where are you from?"
"Uh, Main street."

Are you saying we should downplay our country of origin?
"where are you from?"
"Uh, North America."

Or maybe, we should change the name of the country, thereby confusing our enemies?
"where are you from?"
"Uh, Rosieland."
"Wait, aren't you American?"
"Nope. I'm a Rosielander."

I'm not trying to be a snot here, but perhaps you could state, in simple sentences, what it is you are trying to say, it would be easier to grasp.
I don't think I am a stupid man, but your style of writing confuses the hell out of me.


good journey

To begin with, terrorists don't ask questions. They just shoot straightforward out of religious and territorial context. It is the relationship to terrorist views that taking the understanding of how most Americans see themselves as identified as being from a country, when they look at this as though one doesn't see it that way in total complete patriotism. It isn't national or international patriotism that they shoot/aim for to either breakdown or ( to consider infedelity ) but continentilism/Intercontinentalism that is misunderstood by them.

This is what I mean by consipiracy. It is how they see that and try and turn it around on people who are used to continentalism not nationalism. Terrorists only see Americanism. They being that way, makes them cowards for not understanding that it isn't just religion alone in the context of "In God We Trust".
Declaring war is through direct awareness of clear and present danger.

God is not just about religion. So one can choose to be terrorist or to be a soldier in a valid war.

To suggest that people from the United States of America change what they refer to themselves as, is utterly ridiculous. They are proudly American, in the same way as I am proudly Canadian.

Interestingly enough however, while visiting Greece, some relatives referred to my brothers and myself as Americans. No, we corrected them, we are Canadians. Are you not from North America, they asked? Yes but that is our continent, not our country. We are Canadians.

While I am a North American, I am not American. I am Canadian.

(cue Molson's commercial )

Thank you, wise and all knowing Dotty...

Thank you. I just see the really hard edged- serious and terrifying side of this though, and I have these ways of looking at it as a conspiracy.

You are absolutely right (morally speaking - and I applaud you when you corrected your relatives). It is just about correcting people who very well deserve it on such a scale that they need to know what is truly happening on the terrorist point of view. They being terrorists themselves. I am just thinking this is what causes terrorism to a certain point . Alot of things cause terrorism, but out of a certain percentage, it is a prejugdice - or stereotype/stigma.

I don't know what to say really. It is like what someone said in a post here, that the U.S. one time was called 'America', and this was true. But to ressurect that to a point is what I think is utterly rediculous if your not from the country and you hate the U.S. with a passion. If someone was goint to ressurect the "title", they should have some respect if they weren't born here. See, there are those that automatically refer to people as Americans right off the bat, and it can be carried away so fast and unassuming that it leads to a negativity that is out of control. (My point again for the topic ).(Like I said, though, it's not to even hint on an unopened can of worms, just an observation.)

(Molson XXX! )

I wanted to add:

Stixxman, you have that isolationist attitude wedged in real tight don't you?



That is the funniest thing that I have ever heard...especially coming from someone from Yellowknife, NWT. (Yes I am making the same assumptions about you that you are making about Michelle)

To quote the Bard " What's in a name?"

PFlack, I am honestly confused about what you are trying to say. Do you really want to be a friend of the man who refuses to shake your hand and walks away because you say you are American.

If people find you and your fellow countrymen objectionable it is not because of your name but because (rightly or wrongly) of your country's international role.

Michelle... right back at you

ps. rumour has it Moosehead Lager is the best Canadian beer..

Hey daughter engage your brain, I lived all over the world, my dad was in the military, How many different countries have you lived in. If you read any of michelle's post you realize how one sided they are, which is an indication of her wordlyness. Moosehead is horse piss only winos and drunks drink it. And what part of Canada are you from?

PS you pretty much said the exact same thing as i did about being called north american as if we were part of America.

I may be wrong, but your grasp of grammar, spelling, and punctuation may be a good indication of your worldliness.


*waits for snide comeback*


"Yea, but amerika sux!!!!11..."

Engage my brain, indeed!

For the record, I don't judge people by race, creed, colour, or by where they live. My implied insult about living in the North West Terretories was to illicit a response from you and illustrate the silliness of making assumptions about a person based on where they live.

Also for the record, in all my dealings with Michelle , she is a lovely intelligent and well spoken lady.

I said "While I am a North American, I am not American. I am Canadian. " I have no problem at all in being called North American, because I am North American.

You are the one who said:

Since you are so very interested in where I live and my worldliness (as well as everybody else's due to your well travelled millitary life as a child), I live in Toronto. I lived out of country for a year and a half. I started travelling at 8 weeks of age. I spent numerous summers traveling overseas and into the states. I was also independant and self supportive prior to my 18th birthday.

I dont drink beer, period. Bombay Saphire Gin is my poison if you are ever interested in buying me a drink.

Dot

Worldliness? That is in the stature of intercontinentalism to a degree that is only attained by the most experienced of ones who consider themselves worldly.


What about the number 11? The number 10 is the number for completeness according to Pythagoras. ( Worldlyness? ).

America in part is not a continent or a country.

I don't want to be a friend of any man/woman who is American, who if anything as a stranger - has the prejudgment of me that I am from America. Since America is not officially a place I come from. I was born in the United States..........OF..........America.


I stress the word OF>

The understanding about 'saying' something pertains to how one as a terrorist is concerned with the U.S. as being a country whom considers it 'America' when it isn't America. It isn't America. It's of America. ( OF ).

I am from North America, ( how many times do I have to say this? ).

I am from North America, from the United States, from Massachusetts, from Main St. So I am not up for telling you what town/city I am from because of terrorists and in no way consider it all that smart to do that.

I am American. ( Like I said this was called America, this country, so people out there think so lowly of "us" in a way that were all sinking in some past that we can't help it. WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM. Do we?

I didn't think so.. What the-

Quote: "We wage a war to save civilization itself, we did not seek it, but we will prevail". - George W. Bush-

I didn't vote for George W. Bush, I didn't vote at all.

I thought maybe someone would understand.........

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!

The Pledge of Allegiance ....

I - me, an individual, a committee of one.

Pledge - dedicate all my worldly goods to give without self pity.

Allegiance - my love and devotion.

To the flag - our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. Where she waves, there is respect
because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job.

Of the United - that means we have all come together.

States - individual communities that have united into 50 great states. Fifty individual
communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united
to common purpose, and that's for love of country.

Of America ...

And to the Republic - republic is a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives
chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people and it's from the people to the
leaders, not from the leaders to the people.

For which it stands, one nation under God - The nation, meaning "so blessed by God"

Indivisible - incapable of being divided.

With liberty - which is freedom and the right of power to live one's own life without threats
or fears of some sort of retaliation.

And Justice - the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.

For all - which means, ladies and gentlemen, it's as much your country as it is mine.

NOTE: These words were spoken by the late Red Skelton on his television program
as he related the story of his teacher, Mr. Laswell, who felt his students had come to think of the Pledge of Allegiance as merely something to recite in class each day.

Where I stand as an American -

YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN

*I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some mid-level governmental functionary be they Democratic, Republican or non partisan!

*I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way, damn it!

*I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.

*I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac,in America, you should be able to do it in English.

I think fireworks should be legal on the 4th of July ... everywhere.

*I think that being a student doesn't give you any more enlightenment, than working at Blockbuster. In fact, if your parents are footing the bill to put your pansy butt through 4 years plus of college, you haven't begun to be enlightened.

*I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want.

*My heroes are John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and whoever cancels Jerry Springer and MTV.

*I don't hate the rich. I don't pity the poor.

*I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time arguing about it.

*I think global warming is a big lie. Where are all those experts now, when I'm freezing my butt off during these long winters and paying, paying, paying for heat?

*I've never owned a slave, nor was a slave. I didn't wander forty years in the desert after getting chased out of Egypt. I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks ... and neither have you! So, shut-the-bleep-up already.

*I think the cops have every right to shoot your sorry butt if you're running from them.

*I think anyone who enters your home uninvited in the middle of the night gives up any rights they may have had.

*I also think the cops have the right to pull your butt over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.

*I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.

*I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me crap or trying to guilt me into making "donations" to their cause. These people should be arrested.

*I believe that, it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two caring parents ... not necessarily one male and one female.

*I believe if she has her lips on your willie, it's sex, and this applies even if you are living in The White House.

*And I question what the heck is going on with gas prices ... again?

*If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.

Author Unknown

Thank you. Those are inspiring posts, and help me to take one step closer to Heaven. I mean to say that there is the fine line between un-American and anti-American that some people just do not see, nor identify with.

I'm not one of them.

-P.F.

Glad I could help!