Quote:
Originally Posted by saltwn
The reason I thought it was a great quote is because I so wholeheartedly agree with it. My mother's people came here from Minorca (Menorca), Italy and Greece in 1768 to plant Indigo for a Scottish merchant. They were treated very cruelly and kept in servitude well over the contracted time. If it wasn't for the Spanish settlers in Cuba they may have starved physically and spiritually. Also a saint (in my book) of a Spanish priest stayed with them when he could easily have gone to a cushiony job elsewhere.
In 1777 with the Declaration already signed and the Revolution taking hold, the thirteen colonies sent an American consul to the southern border town of St. Augustine, Florida. It was to him these people petitioned regarding their treatment and literal slavery. After the American officials ruled on depositions and accepted the request, the petitioners walked through snake infested swamp carrying their children and what supplies they could to be allowed to camp outside the city gates. Most of their descendants have continued to live locally for all this time.
Not once have I heard any of this group of immigrants refer to themselves as Greek Americans, Italian Americans, or Minorcan Americans when speaking of the past or the present. We all call ourselves Americans and have since
1777.
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I would think not, since their first generation of immigrants came here in 1777. Yet, I would be amazed if the original immigrants would have referred to themselves as American. Their children I am sure would have had some issues with the country that was theirs, but that treated their parents so poorly, and with the fact (had this been today) that their parents were not, and could not, be American.
I agree that you are either American or you are not. But I can also understand where it would be hard to completely embrace a country that does not embrace you. Do you ever wonder why African Americans refer to themselves as such? I don't see anyone bothered that they don't consider themselves
only American. I have heard the term Mexican American thrown around everywhere, not only by Mexicans who are American, but by people who clearly wish to underline that they are not "fully American". So it's fine to stress the difference, as long as it is done against you and not by you.