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[CattyKid]

Wow, I had no idea that I had inspired an editorial.

I think that there is some GREAT conversation going on here, and am enjoying reading it.

[damam]

in my, albeit short lived, experience there is only three reasons to have dual citizenship:

1) as a conversation starter at pubs and coffee houses
2) to get into countries where the other one cant
3) to flee too in case of a draft

the second is the only reasonable one, and very few people actually have a need for it

[CattyKid]

QUOTE(damam @ Jan 8 2006, 03:20 PM)

in my, albeit short lived, experience there is only three reasons to have dual citizenship:

1) as a conversation starter at pubs and coffee houses
2) to get into countries where the other one cant
3) to flee too in case of a draft

the second is the only reasonable one, and very few people actually have a need for it

What if you have family in that country and visit often?  Wouldn't it be easier to simply maintain dual-citizenship than acquire a visa?

[damam]

QUOTE(CattyKid @ Jan 8 2006, 09:27 AM)

What if you have family in that country and visit often?  Wouldn't it be easier to simply maintain dual-citizenship than acquire a visa?

that would fall under point 2 - i just didnt explain it well enough.  Others that fall under that are people like journalists, international stock brokers, etc where being able to move between  borders very fast without having to worry about visa issues is very important to their job.

[alsybub]

QUOTE(lordvader129 @ Jan 6 2006, 06:58 AM)

my grandmother works with ESL students (english as a second language) so she meets alot of immigrants from africa, she says most of them are insulted that black americans call themselves african american when they know nothing (or next to nothi9ng) of african culture

many of the people risked their lives to get out of africa and become americans, then they see all these peopel pretending to be african, they just want to tell them to go to rwanda or somalia or whatever the current war zone is and see if they still want to be african

My old room mate was from Africa. We used to watch lots of films and one night we watched a film called Belly by Hype Williams. Right at the end Nas goes to Africa and is talking about it as home. At this point my roomy started shouting at the TV because he felt insulted by it for the same reasons.

I know this has nothing to do with my actual opinions but what you said reminded me of it.

This is a very interesting thread and I hope it stays that way.

[.i.n.s.u.l.t.s]

Yes, I must applaud CattyKid for such a great topic.  I am certainly not racist , never had a reason, and I also dont believe in race. For humans "race" is a social idea, there is nothing scientific or genetically that proves race to be as concrete as people make it seem. Race is an illusion but ethnicity isnt.  The mental hygiene is what determines how a person acts not the physical appearence. Being raised in NYC one of the most diverse cities if not the most diverse city in the world, Ive seen all kinds drug dealers , criminals , gangsters , and "low lifes" of all colors. Im just thankful that I come from a diverse family and was taught to judge the act and not the person. But I think for people that are racist , I think they may just be looking at things from one view therefore limiting their complete understandings of things. There is always an alternative view and I think that if we as people would stop being lazy and acutally researched things, stereotypes and racism wouldnt be so infamous. I have love for all humans. My .02 .

[PhatIrishBastard]

QUOTE(lordvader129 @ Jan 6 2006, 10:16 AM)

my point is th epeople who actually come here from africa dont like that people were born here call themselves african, but dont know anything about africa or the culture

I miss your point.

Pretty much every culture has the same stigma with their american counterparts.

Probably the most recognized is the Italian and Italian American cultural differences in regards to the mob.
Not to mention the Irish, most "real" Irish cant stand Bill O Reilley, Mr Irish America.

[gcskate27]

^no, you get the point... people in america, for the most part, are NOTHING like people from where they claim to be from, or at least no more so than any other person regardless of heritage... claiming otherwise is retarded...

people who are american/something else when it suits them are stupid... 'italian americans' and 'irish americans' are perfect examples: they act nothing like a typical person from said "motherland" yet will claim to be so when it suits them...

[lordvader129]

QUOTE(gcskate27 @ Jan 8 2006, 11:17 PM)

^no, you get the point... people in america, for the most part, are NOTHING like people from where they claim to be from, or at least no more so than any other person regardless of heritage... claiming otherwise is retarded...

people who are american/something else when it suits them are stupid... 'italian americans' and 'irish americans' are perfect examples: they act nothing like a typical person from said "motherland" yet will claim to be so when it suits them...

precisely, its true with all cultures, the example of africans just happened to be apt at the time

my family is from germany, but i dont call myself a german american, hell, even my grandmother who was actually born in germany just calls herself an american, she worked hard to get her citizenship and shes proud of it

[stiletto]

I agree that this is a great topic and there have been some really intelligent answers. While I would say that it is true that where we were raised and how we were raised in reference to culturally prevalent stereotypes and family values affects how we view others as we grow up the point is that once we acknowledge this we have the power to change. Make a choice that the legacy of racism stops with you.

[WhatsArules?]

I joke about "blacks" to "blacks" all the time, they dont give a shit, the people who do are the whites that are to afraid to talk to blacks.

[thewickedjester]

I myself am most certainly not racist, I think the very idea stupid. But if you want to know where most racism comes from its usually the dinner table. Kids are taught that its ok to be racist, with 2 of my good freinds as proof, I asked one of my freinds and he said it jsut came naturally because of what his dad always told him.

[CattyKid]

QUOTE(thewickedjester @ Jan 14 2006, 12:32 AM)

I myself am most certainly not racist, I think the very idea stupid. But if you want to know where most racism comes from its usually the dinner table. Kids are taught that its ok to be racist, with 2 of my good freinds as proof, I asked one of my freinds and he said it jsut came naturally because of what his dad always told him.

I think that sums it up.  If you are taught to be polite starting very early, and this is the way you are raised, it is very difficult to change.  It's the same for the bad things.  
In my mind, however, at some point intelligence should overcome some of the things you have been taught.  Beliefs on things, such as religion, views on politics, views on race, should not always remain the same from parents to children.  Children must evaluate what they see around them to uncover their own inner beliefs, not those that have been "forced" on them by their environment.

[thewickedjester]

Yes, I would like to think that in general most people would be able to dis-associate themselves from what their parents taught them as children, I hope that I have (and continue) to think on my own and I truly wish that upon the rest of society. But I honestly dont see it happening, because where there is ignorance there is racism.

[Chook]

Racism is brought on by a fear of change and something better than yourself.  It happens both ways and will probably always be with us.  Not just limited to race though, the irish guy showed us a condecending ageist arguement.