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TheAngelOfWar
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TheAngelOfWar
206 posts
Nomad

I have lived in the U.S for years, I love America, but I will always be annoyed when you ask me what my race is and all immigrants have felt this way before. Why? Because you aren't really asking me what race I am (most of the time).

I. What is Race?
The U.N has defined three races. Note that the ( ) are general examples.
- Caucasoid (White, Europeans, Western Asians)
- Negroid (Black, Central Africans, Southern Africans)
- Mongoloid (Yellow, Eastern Asians, Pacific Islanders)
You do not select you race, race is genetic, race is hereditary, it is in your DNA, not your mindset.

II. What is Ethnicity?
A social group. What is a social group? A group that shares common cultural traits such as religion, attire, language, and etc.
You 'must' be brought up as a member of an ethnicity. Think Tarzan.

III. What is Ethnic Race?
Do not let the name Ethnic Race throw you off. Ethnic Race is really just a sub race. For example...
-The majority Ethnic Race in Japan are the Yamato Ethnic Race, which are Mongoloid.
-The majority Ethnic Race in England are the Anglo Saxons (English), which are Caucasoid.

Normally this is what you're actually asking when you ask "Where are you from" or "What race are you". It sounds really, really, really, annoying. I mean yeah, we get it, you know we're immigrants, you don't know where were from it's nothing worth being offended over but, after being asked this all the time and having the same people ask it because they forgot, it's pretty annoying. Being specific really helps, the conversation is much more open when you use the correct terms because it shows that you authentically want to learn something about them.

IV. What is Nationality?
Your nationality is determined by which nation you hold citizenship in. In some cases people may be able to hold duel citizenship.

V. I don't ask people about their [ethnicity, race, ethnic race, and nationality] because I feel like I will offend them.

That's okay, we immigrants understand and we sometimes pick up when you want to ask but are holding back.

Just do some research, I hope that by providing a resource in which you can look at to ask are you this or that helps.

Using the proper terms really helps open up the conversation.

VI. Stereotypes and Misconceptions
They are normally offensive when said outright but there is normally truth behind them.

Asians have small eyes.
- Asians are decedents of the Mongols (Hence the name Mongoloid), the Mongols lived in a snowy place, snow in daylight is extremely shiny and hurts the eyes. As a result Mongols evolved with double eye lids which makes the eye smaller.

Africans are black.
- This is true, Africans are black but only IF you are referring to African as the Race (Negroid) and not the people living in the continent. Africa is a big place and clearly has people from all over. Negroids are also native to many Southern Asian islands. So please use the term black with proper context to support that you mean black as in Negroid and not people from Africa.

No! I'm not [Nation]ese.
- Most of the time you actually are. For example...

- French is a nationality, ethnic race, and language. You may not be a French Citizen but you are genetically French.

- The Primary Chinese ethnic race is Han. Han native to China have Chinese nationality, speak Chinese (family of languages), and live in a Han Chinese culture.

You're color washed.
- No, you just weren't brought up in the same ethnicity. No matter what someone else says your DNA will not change, if you are genetically this or that then there is no changing it.

- It is important to note though that it may be the individual's way of reaching out to you and saying, "let me show you what 'our' people are like". It should be noted that people don't like letting go, sometimes seeing a member of their group be completely different is hurtful to them, it's like watching a family member leave your family and joining another one.

Hispanic is a race.
- Hispanic is not race (it did not pass through the U.N). The Hispanic ethnic race was born from the mixing of Mongoloid (Native Americans are Asians that came from the land bridge) and Caucasoid.

- It is important to note that the Hispanic ethnic race can also be further divided into other groups (Mexicans are not the same as Salvadorians) which is also true for many other Ethnic Races.

  • 11 Replies
TheAngelOfWar
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TheAngelOfWar
206 posts
Nomad

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm pretty sure Anglo Saxon might be off.

stinkyjim
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stinkyjim
470 posts
Shepherd

Doesn't matter what your race, religion, etc, is. Stay out. The grass isn't greener on the other side. It's nothing personal, nor is it a problem with your race, religion, etc.. You have nowhere left to go? Sorry, but our homeless shelters aren't exactly very welcoming, nor do they have the capacity to fit yet another family that contributes nothing to the country. You see our unemployment rate? That isn't something we have just because most of the citizens are too lazy to get jobs, it means that we have more people than jobs at the moment. How does you coming into the country, being unable to find a job, and forced into a homeless shelter help us?

TheAngelOfWar
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TheAngelOfWar
206 posts
Nomad

@stinkyjim

As a member of the first wave of my ethnic race to get here (No not the Middle East or Africa).

My brothers serve and have served in your Armed Forces, they have contributed to your society and we have (unlike others) caused no problem with our being here.

Do you honestly think over population is a problem? If every nation had it's own "Tokyo" we would be under populated. China is even building cities in the deserts now every year, are you telling me the United States is incapable of creating working facilities let alone cities?

Let me tell you about the immigration system.
You get into the country for free after a harsh selection (normally faster if you already have family members in the nation), then when you get here the Government pays for your rent once and gives you food stamps for less than a month. But you know what? We get jobs and we tough it out and when we first get here we can't even speak English.

So how are you going to tell me that it's not because there are lazy Americans when there are people who can't even speak English getting jobs (without the Governments help).

Now let me tell you something else. I will die walking down the wrong neighborhood. Hispanics will die walking down the wrong neighborhood, Blacks will die walking down the wrong neighborhood, Asians will die walking down the wrong neighborhood. Whens the last time you had that problem?

FishPreferred
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FishPreferred
3,171 posts
Duke

I. What is Race?
The U.N has defined three races. Note that the ( ) are general examples.
- Caucasoid (White, Europeans, Western Asians)
- Negroid (Black, Central Africans, Southern Africans)
- Mongoloid (Yellow, Eastern Asians, Pacific Islanders)
You do not select you race, race is genetic, race is hereditary, it is in your DNA, not your mindset.
What about Australoid?

- Asians are decedents of the Mongols (Hence the name Mongoloid), [...]
No. Mongoloid simply means "resembling the Mongols". They don't all come from that particular ethnic group.

[...] As a result Mongols evolved with double eye lids which makes the eye smaller.
Uh, no, they didn't. Like, at all.

- This is true, Africans are black but only IF you are referring to African as the Race (Negroid) and not the people living in the continent.
If something is of or related to the continent of Africa; it's African. Otherwise, it isn't and shouldn't be calld African. "African" is not synonymous with "Negroid".

- French is a nationality, ethnic race, and language. You may not be a French Citizen but you are genetically French.
If you are a French-born citizen of France with French as a first language raised in a French family, your actual parentage will not have any relevance to whether you are French. There is absolutely no such thing as "genetically French".

- The Primary Chinese ethnic race is Han. Han native to China have Chinese nationality, speak Chinese (family of languages), and live in a Han Chinese culture.
No, but there's a good probability that most do all or most of those things to some extent.

Doesn't matter what your race, religion, etc, is. Stay out.
Well said, and I agree entirely. The Americas are not equipped for human habitation. Please move your species elsewhere.

[...] nor do they have the capacity to fit yet another family that contributes nothing to the country.
Of course, because it's not like they'd have to deal with that sort of thing anyway, right?

Now let me tell you something else. I will die walking down the wrong neighborhood. Hispanics will die walking down the wrong neighborhood, Blacks will die walking down the wrong neighborhood, Asians will die walking down the wrong neighborhood. Whens the last time you had that problem?
Of him dying while out for a walk? Probably not since last year, I think. Now I, for one, have been dying mostly from skydiving accidents, which is weird because I was indoors both times those skydivers landed on my head, but admittedly I don't see how this relates to what he was saying.
SportShark
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SportShark
2,980 posts
Scribe

Asians have small eyes

They're just as "small" as anyone else's. Eyeballs are all pretty much the same size among people. So how does having more slanted eyelides make the eyeball smaller?

Africans are black.
- This is true, Africans are black but only IF you are referring to African as the Race (Negroid) and not the people living in the continent.

Yeah this is totally the color that "black" africans are:
http://piq.codeus.net/static/media/userpics/piq_19822_400x400.png

French is a nationality, ethnic race, and language. You may not be a French Citizen but you are genetically French.

What exactly is genetically French? Please explain. Hey I'm from America! Does that make me genetically American? I'm also from California. Does that make me genetically Californian? I'm also from near San Diego. Does that make me genetically San Diegoian?
HahiHa
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HahiHa
8,256 posts
Regent

Let us just reflect a minute and remember that in humans, there is no such thing as a race in the biological sense. Taking skin colour as an example; it may be hereditary in the short term, but historically it correlated mostly with latitude and less with actual ancestry.

In that context, asking someone about one's race is plain nonsense. What is meant is probably just your family's migratory background, anyway.

Koshionos
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Koshionos
881 posts
Jester

I have lived in the U.S for years, I love America, but I will always be annoyed when you ask me what my race is and all immigrants have felt this way before. Why?

@TheAngelOfWar

Truth be told, this stems from basic human curiosity, we (as humans) hear an accent and see traits from a nationality that are unfamiliar to us, we are naturally inclined to discover what it is. I am sure most don't mean to offend you, but curiosity is just basic human nature.

WHDH
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WHDH
168 posts
Shepherd

I have lived in the U.S for years, I love America, but I will always be annoyed when you ask me what my race is and all immigrants have felt this way before. Why?

Truth be told, this stems from basic human curiosity, we (as humans) hear an accent and see traits from a nationality that are unfamiliar to us, we are naturally inclined to discover what it is. I am sure most don't mean to offend you, but curiosity is just basic human nature.

Not just that, but it also can show who you are. You were raised in that culture, that specific culture which is not like any other one and since you were raised there it is a logical conclusion that you have more similarities with your own culture group than with some other culture group. Add to that this:

Han native to China have Chinese nationality, speak Chinese (family of languages), and live in a Han Chinese culture.

And you can see why do they ask you these questions.
TheAngelOfWar
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TheAngelOfWar
206 posts
Nomad

What about Australoid?

Humans are not native to Australia, humans as a whole that is. I believe that humans moved there very recently in terms of human history (and very very early in terms of history in general) and thus their genetic structure can still be traced back to Negroid or Caucasoid, I don't believe the Mongoloid ever had any actual settlements there.

No. Mongoloid simply means "resembling the Mongols". They don't all come from that particular ethnic group.

Well yes and no, all "Mongoloids" are all part Mongol. That is to my knowledge though.

If you are a French-born citizen of France with French as a first language raised in a French family, your actual parentage will not have any relevance to whether you are French. There is absolutely no such thing as "genetically French".

Not exactly...
Europeans are very much able to tell each other apart through distinct physical traits. French people look different from English people, Southern French look different from Northern French. Is there one French Ethnic Race? Not really, is there a Southern European Ethnic Race that have distinct features from the rest of the members in their group and live in France? Yes.

If something is of or related to the continent of Africa; it's African. Otherwise, it isn't and shouldn't be calld African. "African" is not synonymous with "Negroid".

Calling the Negroid "African" isn't scientific, it's why it's a nickname. I agree, African should only have one meaning, but it doesn't.

They're just as "small" as anyone else's. Eyeballs are all pretty much the same size among people. So how does having more slanted eyelides make the eyeball smaller?

No you don't understand, Mongoloids in general have double eyelids because of Mongol ancestry, double eye lids are 'meant' to make your eyes small because snow is shiny and hard to look at so you have to squint (in the day time). Double eyelids are of course not a trait exclusive to the Mongoloids.

Yeah this is totally the color that "black" africans are:

That img doesn't work. I assume you just showed us media of Caucasians who live in Africa. Black is a nickname for the Negroid. Negroid has been explained already as a race.

What exactly is genetically French? Please explain. Hey I'm from America! Does that make me genetically American? I'm also from California. Does that make me genetically Californian? I'm also from near San Diego. Does that make me genetically San Diegoian?

Read above. American is not an ethnic race. Korean is an ethnic race. An ethnic race does not have to be a nationality or vice versa.

Let us just reflect a minute and remember that in humans, there is no such thing as a race in the biological sense. Taking skin colour as an example; it may be hereditary in the short term, but historically it correlated mostly with latitude and less with actual ancestry.

Actually in the animal kingdoms; animals can be split into subgroups if they have a hereditary trait that gives them a distinct pattern, color, and etc from the rest of the species.
But hey, nothing wrong with that. Human is still human.

In that context, asking someone about one's race is plain nonsense. What is meant is probably just your family's migratory background, anyway.

You have no idea...

Truth be told, this stems from basic human curiosity, we (as humans) hear an accent and see traits from a nationality that are unfamiliar to us, we are naturally inclined to discover what it is. I am sure most don't mean to offend you, but curiosity is just basic human nature.

Not just that, but it also can show who you are. You were raised in that culture, that specific culture which is not like any other one and since you were raised there it is a logical conclusion that you have more similarities with your own culture group than with some other culture group. Add to that this:


"It sounds really, really, really, annoying. I mean yeah, we get it, you know we're immigrants, you don't know where were from it's nothing worth being offended over but, after being asked this all the time and having the same people ask it because they forgot, it's pretty annoying. Being specific really helps, the conversation is much more open when you use the correct terms because it shows that you authentically want to learn something about them."

No, but there's a good probability that most do all or most of those things to some extent.

Clearly I meant every single member of the Han.
FishPreferred
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FishPreferred
3,171 posts
Duke

Humans are not native to Australia, humans as a whole that is.
In the same sense that they aren't native to any continent other than Africa, yes.

Well yes and no, all "Mongoloids" are all part Mongol.
No. "Mongol" is an ethnic group. It can't be the origin of an entire race which would by necessity predate any ethnic group.

Not exactly...
Europeans are very much able to tell each other apart through distinct physical traits. French people look different from English people, Southern French look different from Northern French. Is there one French Ethnic Race? Not really, is there a Southern European Ethnic Race that have distinct features from the rest of the members in their group and live in France? Yes.
1 Your link explains nothing whatsoever. Please be more specific about what you're trying to bring to my attention here.
2 French is not an "ethnic race" as ancestry has no bearing upon whether a person is French.
3 Your explanation really just boils down to &quoteople from the same geographic region tend to have similar traits", which is a far cry from your original claim that French people are somehow genetically French.

No you don't understand, Mongoloids in general have double eyelids because of Mongol ancestry, double eye lids are 'meant' to make your eyes small because snow is shiny and hard to look at so you have to squint (in the day time). Double eyelids are of course not a trait exclusive to the Mongoloids.
1 Only some parts of Asia are perenially covered in snow. Some places haven't seen any since the last glacial period (which affected much more than Asia).
2 They do not have "double eyelids". Unless you're referring to this, there is no such thing, and if you are, you're still wrong but for much more obvious reasons.

That img doesn't work. I assume you just showed us media of Caucasians who live in Africa. Black is a nickname for the Negroid. Negroid has been explained already as a race.
It was a block of the colour #000000.

Korean is an ethnic race.
Unless all Korean culture is reserved exclusively for the first settlers of the region and their direct inbred descendents, there is no such race.

Actually in the animal kingdoms; animals can be split into subgroups if they have a hereditary trait that gives them a distinct pattern, color, and etc from the rest of the species.
Subspecies, breed, and strain. All surviving humans are of the same subspecies (the pretentiously named "Homo sapiens sapiens&quot, "breed" is not a proper biological term, and "strain" only applies to genetically identical groups of organisms.

Clearly I meant every single member of the Han.
In which case, you are wrong.
thebluerabbit
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thebluerabbit
5,340 posts
Farmer

did you just classify middle easterns as caucasians? are you sure about this?

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