Things you do that are "un-American."

Please note: For the purpose of this thread we are purposely ignoring the fact that the first English settlers were immigrants and most certainly brought their own culture and didn't assimilate to the culture they found when they arrived. 

I recently read an opinion piece about how today's immigrants don't assimilate into American culture like previous ones did.  I had to disagree.  Not that today's immigrants do assimilate, but with the statement that previous ones did.

In my family we carve pumpkins for Halloween, a tradition brought over from Ireland with immigrants. Admittedly the pumpkin part is American, probably because they were easier to do than turnips.

St. Patrick's day, totally not American.

How many people here have said "Mangia!" to their kids when sitting down to eat, forgetting that "Here in America we speak ENGLISH!"

In our house Christmas isn't Christmas without pfeffernusse and lebkuchen.

And while personally I am a turkey for Thanksgiving person, I do know of many families of Italian descent who make a lasagna as the main course.

Today we think nothing of these things, but a hundred plus years ago when Italian, German, and Irish immigrants were reviled and feared simple things like these would have been seen as proof that the immigrants were ruining American culture.

So tell me, what "un-American" things do you do, whether they be things passed down through your family or were introduced to by friends that you now embrace?

I liberally use Gesindheit , por favor and oy vey...

Or are they English yet...

Maybe we should view American culture as more of a salad than a melting pot!

I don't get the premise of this thread. By asking about "not American" things or foods do u also have to provide a definition of what could be considered "American"? Maybe I'm confused. I thought everything was American. 

All of those things are American and each new wave of immigration brings new customs and ideas. That's the beauty of it and it should be celebrated rather than obstructed.

annielou said:

I don't get the premise of this thread. By asking about "not American" things or foods do u also have to provide a definition of what could be considered "American"? Maybe I'm confused. I thought everything was American. 

This thread was inspired by one of those mass emails going around about how today's immigrants aren't assimilating and therefore don't want to be part of America. The writer obviously forgot that past immigrants also didn't fully assimilate, rather America itself assimilated to absorb the cultures that were joining this country.

sac said:

All of those things are American and each new wave of immigration brings new customs and ideas. That's the beauty of it and it should be celebrated rather than obstructed.

Exactly! I have learned so much from different immigration cultures and they always welcomed me and were happy to share. Growing up I would say the love of pasta, matzah, givelta fish. Working with engineers I would say learning about the fasting and prayer at Ramadan, Mexican food, Egyptian sweets. Definitely celebrated.

As an immigrant from India who doesn't do Yoga, drink "chai tea" or get "henna tattoos", I must be Un- American. 

mantram said:

As an immigrant from India who doesn't do Yoga, drink "chai tea" or get "henna tattoos", I must be Un- American. 

Hah! Don't worry about it. My friends and I do!

I've always thought we were more a bigchunky stew the a melting pot. Not homogeneous. But all in the same pot together. Some add peas, some add meat, some add carrots, onions, tomatoes... Each adds something which improves the overall flavor, but each is also distinct.

Let's see.

• Celebrate Oktoberfest
• My kids play soccer
• Stop for pedestrians in cross-walks
• Ride a bicycle for both recreation and transportation
• Say Gesundheit
• Eat Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Sushi, and many other 'ethnic' foods
• Pay my taxes without complaining
• Think universal healthcare should be a given
• Don't own a gun and would like more gun control
• there's more

Enjoy universal health care.

Not worry about crime.

Happily ride clean and efficient public transportation.

dave said:

Enjoy universal health care.

Not worry about crime.

Happily ride clean and efficient public transportation.

I wish!

I have a sister who lives in Canada now for the last forty plus years. She has learned to assimilate herself to the Candian culture. I know my Irish heritage mother and Norwegian heritage father learned to do the same. Both sets of Grandparents came to this country learned to do the same and that is how my dad and mom met. This to me is American. I, as a second generation from two different cultures, always felt 1/2 Norwegian and 1/2 Irish even when I went to England and listened to my English friends deride me for being a part of their colony. My thought was no, not my heritage. We came long after that nonsense. It wasn't until I traveled to Brazil. My son had married a Brazilian and I traveled with he and his wife through the countryside to her family members that I truly began to realize I am an American. I am a product of American culture.

I don't think we need concern ourselves with immigrants assimilating themselves into our culture. I think we do a great job of assimilating them into ours. They are new. So maybe it took a second generation American to fully understand how American I am, but it took the love of my Grandparents and parents to get me to this point. And their love of this country and perseverence of abuse and exposure of other immigrant cultures to get me to this point.

I summered in Norseville, NJ. With one block of Norwegians where the Grandpas all built their bungalows and outhouses and a clubhouse and a dock on the Raritan Canal. And a shared well where we would all go to to pump our water. So I had both the love of the old country and exposure to many immigrant cultures as did they.

In my mind today, like in sac's post, all of my experiences are American.

ParticleMan said:

I've always thought we were more a bigchunky stew the a melting pot. Not homogeneous. But all in the same pot together. Some add peas, some add meat, some add carrots, onions, tomatoes... Each adds something which improves the overall flavor, but each is also distinct.

I love this. Sooo American.   

oneofthegirls said:

ParticleMan said:

I've always thought we were more a bigchunky stew the a melting pot. Not homogeneous. But all in the same pot together. Some add peas, some add meat, some add carrots, onions, tomatoes... Each adds something which improves the overall flavor, but each is also distinct.

I love this. Sooo American.  "> 

I proudly ate "French Fries" (actually a Belgian invention) when it was considered unAmerican not to call them "Freedom Fries." I like to make rosette cookies at Christmas, which is Scandinavian. And I hate all the Hollywood Christmas carols -- give me an Olde World European Christmas every time.

And I DO do yoga, drink masala chai, and admire henna tattoos.

I think St. Patrick's Day is more American than it is Irish, actually, but I see the point. 

And yes, Chunky American Stew sounds about right to me.

I'm first generation American - so many of the foods and customs in my household were a combination of American and Caribbean influences. But everyone I knew had parents from somewhere else - so it was common to have eat at someone's house and have hamburgers stuffed with chilies and green peppers or noodles with ketchup or fried plantain with baked chicken.  

Christmas at my in-laws' home is always an international affair, usually incorporating a number of Puerto Rican dishes. Plaintains, rice and beans, a pork roast, pastelles ... But technically, Puerto Rico is part of America now, so how do we define their traditional dishes as anything other than American? That's a bit of a puzzle.

I have some disdain for that "green beans cooked in canned cream of mushroom soup" thing. Other than that, I'm unAmerican, though I do a lot of American things.

Work only long enough to pay my bills. Spend the rest of the time volunteering.

ridski said:

I have some disdain for that "green beans cooked in canned cream of mushroom soup" thing. Other than that, I'm unAmerican, though I do a lot of American things.

I will admit that I have never once in my life even tried green bean casserole. 

I haven't tried that stuff either. It always struck me as very... gloppy.

UnAmerican thing that I do - is acknowledge the two groups who made important contributions to this country and are NOT immigrants: native Americans and African-Americans.  Every time some one says "this is a country of immigrants/refugees"...I disagree.

Actually Native Americane WERE immigrants, they just go way back!

Scully said:

Actually Native Americane WERE immigrants, they just go way back!

Well, yeah. Technically EVERY country is a nation of immigrants, unless you're Tanzania.

PeggyC said:

I haven't tried that stuff either. It always struck me as very... gloppy.

It's a crime against green beans.

My niece requested it for Thanksgiving one year and I made it from scratch- no condensed soup.

spontaneous said:

ridski said:

I have some disdain for that "green beans cooked in canned cream of mushroom soup" thing. Other than that, I'm unAmerican, though I do a lot of American things.

I will admit that I have never once in my life even tried green bean casserole. 

I have been putting a line through my 7's since I was 12. 

So, what does it make me that I like that green bean casserole?

sac said:

So, what does it make me that I like that green bean casserole?

The more of those fried onions on top the better. I'll eat it on occasion if I can have about a 35% fried onion content.

A very American trait is showing disdain for others' tastes for things which we personally don't prefer. I try to be open-minded about things I don't like.