It is a uniquely American behavior for someone to tell you that they are Irish, Italian, Polish, German, French or some other nationality even though they were born in Illinois or Ohio.
This is not exclusive to folks of European descent. Most Americans who can trace their ancestry will tell you that they are Chinese, Indian Thai, Colombian, Mexican.
Black Americans have a harder time tracing these roots, although genetic testing has made this more accessible. According to 23 and me, the Blackness I inherited from my mother is mostly Nigerian – and the Scandinavian ancestry gave me more insight into how I managed to have blond children.
But if you’ve ever been to Italy and announced that you were Italian, you know that this makes no sense to people in other countries. To them, we are just Americans. Despite our exceptionalism, we seem to claim our roots more than any other country.
250 years have passed since we launched the American experiment and became the most prosperous country in the world. We still have a lot to learn, but it’s worth celebrating.
While we celebrate, let’s remember that non-indigenous Americans are all from Somewhere Else, whether we were kidnapped and enslaved or voluntarily came here to escape persecution or seek economic opportunity. Our success is built on the labor and wealth of many people who came from many places.
To quote Cher from Clueless, I’d like to remind you that “it does not say RSVP on the Statue of Liberty.”
And that’s what makes us great.
