I Am American

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all.”
“This is just as true of the man who puts “native” before the hyphen as of the man who puts German or Irish or English or French before the hyphen. Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance.”
--Teddy Roosevelt ca.1915

"He was talking about people showing allegiance to foreign nations during The Great War, people who were actually born in those foreign nations. What we have today are people who separate themselves from the rest of Americans based on a Continent that most have never set foot on. That is why I refuse to use the term..." -- Uncle Sam's Misguided Children

I am not African-American. I am American. I was born in Colorado, not Africa. I have never been to Africa, the Discovery Channel is as far as I have ever gotten. I am black. But I am not a Black American. I am still American. Black is my color. It is the race of my predecessors, whom, at some point, may have been from Africa. Yes, I have to check the box that says "African-American" or "Mixed," simply because those are my only options. There is no box that says American.
I was born in America. I was raised in America. I grew up seeking the American dream. I grew up believing in the American Dream, believing in America. And I will die believing in Her.
Yes, I check the "Mixed" box over the "African-American" box whenever possible. Given the texture of my hair, my eye color, my lighter skin, anyone can tell I am mixed, though don't ask with what. None of that is to say that I am ashamed to be a black man, or that I am racist against my race, or that I wish I were white, pandering to the white man, trying to gain the approval of white folk, all of which I have been accused of. And frankly, unless you are God or the one signing my paycheck, I don't give a damn about anyone's approval, regardless their color. It is simply to say that in terms of race, I am a mixed black man. But in terms of nationality, I am American and American only. The only African-Americans I know are those I have met who were actually born in Africa and came to the United States. THEY have an understandably serious issue with blacks in America referring to themselves as African-American. Their first question is, "What part of Africa are you from?" I pose another question: What about a white man, born in South Africa, who has come to the United States. Is he NOT African-American? Most black people I ask that question reply, "That doesn't count, his ancestors were Dutch." So, according to this logic, a white man, born in Africa, cannot call himself an African-American because of his genealogy in generations long past, but a black man, born in Anytown, United States, has every right to call himself African-American though he has never stepped foot outside America? In what universe is that NOT hypocritical? I do not call myself African-American because, in truth, I do not know my ancestry. I know I am mixed with a little here, a little there, but I have nothing connecting me to the continent of Africa. Yes, people, Africa is, in fact, a continent and not a country. I know, racially, the heritage and history of my people, but as for my direct line, I do not. But, I know what I need to know. I was born in Colorado, my father is a "strong silent type" good man who likes watching Modern Marvels and my mother home schooled me, and I am an American.
The second reason I refuse to use the term is in relation to Pres. Roosevelt's words. A hyphen denotes division. The former name is considered the primary and the latter name considered secondary. Unless you are a naturalized citizen or you hold dual citizenship, you are not "anything"-American. You are American. As a hyphen denotes some sort of division, I find it ironic how for hundreds of years, blacks fought, prayed, sang, marched, and died for total and complete inclusion.Yet, in the very own name we give ourselves, we divide, we demand separation. Why is that? Why do we demand separation and isolation when those before us fought for our total inclusion? Why do I "have" to be an African-American or even a Black American? After the fight and the struggle, why can I not simply be an American? Why do you not hear of White Americans and Yellow Americans and Brown Americans? Why must I, willingly, separate myself as a Black or African-American? I am not divided. I am not confused. I know full well where I come from. I was born on the soil of America, I will build my life upon it, I will teach my son to love it and protect it, and I will die upon it. There is no division or separation. The only thing that comes before my country is God himself.
Why is it that we seem to be the only ones demanding such a division? Blacks and Asians born in Britain do not demand to be called African-British and Asian-British. Ironically, take a British born black child and Asian child who live in the same town, they both have the same accent. An American born black child and white child raised on the same street have the same accent, dialect, vernacular. But one is divided and called African-American. Why do we pursue equality and an end to prejudice whilst purposely and blatantly separating and dividing ourselves? If nothing else, I would rather be called a black American. That, distasteful as it is, is at the very least, understandable.

But, above all, past all the dividers and labels, I am one thing and one thing only. I am American.