You foreigners is strange peoples

[Marm]

Sidetrack:

It's because of our origins. The country itself is not even 250 years old. We don't have a lot of history to lean on, and so we know, mostly, our roots and still tend to clign to them

Now When I'm asked that question (what nationality), it depends on who's asking. A fellow American, I'll list of my heritage, which is German, French, and Welsh about 200 years back on my Father's side (Both of my grandparents' grnadparents fought on oppposite sides of the Civil War). My mother's side can be traced back to the Mayflower. To a non-American (and that includes Canadians! :P), I'm an American. But due to the nature of the America's history there is almost always a traceable lineage back to some mother country that our families have emigrated from.

Most Europeans cannot trace their lineage back to a 'parent' country. Yes, quite a few can, but they know their family emigrated from somewhere else. Those original locations run out of traceable lineage at some point. Either nobody wrote stuff down, or the records were lost to the sands of time. I'm talking thousands of years. Eventually you just run out of data. Therefore, you're German, or English, or French, or wherever you're from.

We also associate with our lineage because it used to show what neighborhood you're from. When people moved here, they usually ended up in areas that were around their own native nationality. I can name the various, Polish, Croat, Slovakian, Puerto Rican, Etc neighborhoods here in town. "I'm from the East side of Cleveland". That alone puts you, usually, into a handful of nationalities.

The US is BIG. Very big. I dated a girl years ago who's father was English (Welsh to be specific), and while visiting with their family, I learned something. Europeans think 200 miles is a long drive and Americans think 200 years is a long time. While at dinner one night, in Cleveland, Ohio, her cousin asked if we could go see the grand canyon the next day.

Each region has their own accents and other customs. Ask a Virginian for a Pop, and they look at you funny. Up here in the Great Lakes region, if they say "soda" we all laugh at them. Out west, it's Coke apparently, even if you want a Pepsi. That's why we identify by state. Most states in the US are the size of most European countries. Hell, we went and BOUGHT a state that is 1/4 the size of Europe. And we have 49 others to go with it. Each state is so territorial, that when they made the nation's capital, it had to be NOT in a state in order to not upset another state. If the US splintered into 50 separate countries right now, at least a few of the new Nations would have economies big enough to join the G20 on their own. We had a Civil War completely on the right for states to govern themselves.

So yes, We do associate with our state. But part of that may be the naivety of the typical American who assumes that everybody else in the world knows where Ohio, Kentucky, or Idaho is.

And as to that naive American, I would assume that your answer to your nationality is from the fact you, historically, were forced there. Why associate with the mother country who tossed you out? Nope, you're Australian.

How Naive are we as Americans? Had a foreign exchange student live with us years ago that was from Austria. He hated, HATED, being asked repeatedly if he's seen a Kangaroo.

[Roxy]

Most states in the US are the size of most European countries. Hell, we went and BOUGHT a state that is 1/4 the size of Europe. And we have 49 others to go with it.

Putin says we only leased Alaska. He says the lease is almost up and we have to give it back.