Why is there so much sneering at Americans with European ancestry?

[BrBa]

I don’t understand! I identify with all my ancestors whether they came as religious refugees or early colonisers, were already indigenous to the region or brought in as slaves.

Yours
Swiss, German, Native American North, Central and South, Sephardic, Irish, South East African, Scottish, Acadian/French, and English

I haven’t RTFT but I think it’s because they will have a great great great great ancestor who was Irish/Italian/etc so then they call themselves Irish/Italian/etc! It is so bizarre and I think quite unique to Americans.

The UK PM came to him in Belfast. He didn't go to the PM in London.

I hadn't realized that. Thanks.

I also had no idea that Clinton was Irish.

Biden went to Belfast. Which is in the UK.

Regardless of the rights or wrongs.

He wasn't. That's my point. He created some Oirish roots, to get votes.

Bill Clinton has no Irish ancestry. Just another thing he lied about.

I wouldn't sneer, but I also don't "identify with my ancestors" so I suppose the concept seems unusual to me.

I don't think it's sneering as such just incredulity at people claiming heritage from distant ancestors. And yes Biden does this

Biden's almost certainly doing it for the sake of the large Irish vote back home, but I can't help agreeing about many others

I spend half my life in the US and for all its faults it's always seemed to me a heck of an achievement to have built what they have in roughly 250 years. For me that would be reason enough to be proud of just calling myself an American without the need to tack some other heritage onto it, but each to their own as ever

Out of interest, how often did they say they were 'english' rather than Irish or Scottish? I have never ever heard an American claim English heritage and I have heard hundreds claim to be Irish, which is statistically quite odd. And I think that's what bothers me about it - it really often feels like going on about being 'irish' for Americans is claiming a kind of victim status that really isn't justified by their own lived experience.

And the raging? Where is the raging ?

It tends to be WASPs who are proud of their English heritage, "coming over on the Mayflower", etc.

On a FB group it's the Americans and Canadians that announce themselves as Scots or even Ulster Scots based on ancestors

Myself and a close friend were lectured by a right wing American in his 30s about the slave trade and how "YOU" pointing at me, colonised the world etc was bizarre. My English friend sat next to me, asked why not her and he told her "you are African American". She has never been to Africa or America. It is a confusing way to think and live.

Gosh, if anyone is sneering here it is not the Americans...

You folks just love sneering at us, and I admit we give you a lot of material to work with. This does seem a bit thin on the ground.

Are you brave enough to sneer at people calling themselves African American? That might be a bit objectionable.

Funny thing is I rarely have heard Americans say they’re (insert country other than American) as much as some think they do or have said on this thread. It usually comes up when asked of their heritage or around specific holidays. It’s usually I’m from (insert location in the US, some will add more, others won’t unless asked more or it comes up if you’ve been friends for so long.

A lot of immigrants coming to the US had a really rough time, some losing their lives out of pure lies and distrust. There are many stories of the abuse they endured once in the US. The stories of those trials and tribulations are passed down through the generations and those are usually the groups who hold on to their heritage quite strongly out of respect to those who paved the way for them to be there and some are still around that remember those times.

I also have talked to other Brits who have said things that are similar to what Americans say in the States about their background/heritage. They say they’re British but they also say their heritage too.

Aside from (justifiably) sneering at Clinton, what other posts have been "sneering"? I really don't understand your take.

This has been really interesting. I hadn’t realised it was a form of shorthand ie I’m Irish means effectively of Irish heritage. It makes far more sense.

I'm not sure there's sneering, but if this is Biden-related, I'll cut him some slack.

I have an Irish grandmother, as in born in Ireland with Catholics all the way back to who knows when, but living in London (because - diaspora). So I'd readily say I have Irish descent and heritage (but others too). Not in a million years would I claim to be Irish though. When I see relatives in Ireland I don't try to pass. They know I am a mixed up spin-off with heritage from all over and two forenames that wouldn't seem out of place for someone of 1990 Irish vintage, but due to my mother's heritage I often get another Easter.

But I've got relatives who moved to the USA who are 'more Irish than the Irish' at times. It's what you sometimes do: leave the old country and enhance the heritage and back story.

Biden addressing the joint session in Dublin was a good thing. Let him be proud of a strand of his heritage. On a visit to the UK he might mention that his surname probably has Sussex roots, it's certainly English, but maybe he wouldn't.

I have never ever heard an American claim English heritage

I have, though admittedly not often; as with the Irish/Scottish thing it tends to be more common in some areas than others

That said, I also recall chatting with a guy who was most emphatic about his Irish roots, and asking him to point out his "home town" on a map ... only to watch him peering at Wales

I love it when some American whose great-great-great-great-great-great granny once visited Sligo for five minutes lectures me on some romanticised, Disneyfied, utterly cringeworthy view of Ireland and tells me how terrible we British are, and I can say, 'Yeah, I've actually got Irish citizenship.' Celt-splaining? Erin-splaining? Is there a word for it?

I have a slightly related question, hope someone can answer.

What would you call someone who's an immigrant to UK or US at 1 or 2 years old (with their parents), lived all their lives in UK or US and have UK or US citizenship?

Is the person British/American or x country-British/American? Or something else?

Is the person first gen, 2nd gen or 3rd gen?

I think it's reminiscent of the one drop rule too. I'm British. Nobody asks me more than that and I'd be fairly unlikely to mention it. But I guess to an American I'd probably be "African American" even though I am in no way American and only have 1 (black) Caribbean grandparent (and cousins)

Love the celt-splaining

Usually by someone who thinks Outlander is a docu drama

I attend Zoom meetings with about 500 Americans,on St Patrick’s day about half of them were wearing idiotic green outfits and had shamrocks by their names,Bizarre!

It says makes me think of that too, people describing themselves as fractions... like breeding animals 😐