Why can’t we all just simply be “American”? This is a question that’s frequently asked when one has been curious about the practice of referring to some one by their ethnic / cultural heritage then adding American. It’s this social practice that has in a way made America a more open society for immigrants than any other society. It has become a place were one could continue practicing their own traditions while living in a new society.

Before attempting to defend this practice, it’s fair to first examine multiculturalism in other parts of the world. Western Europe in last 50 years has begun to embrace multiculturalism as a way to unite the continent in the aftermath of horrendous atrocities committed during World War II (like the Holocaust). Governments in Europe have now attempted to protect the rights of immigrants and ethnic minorities by enacting hate crime laws and criminalizing hate speech or speech that promotes inner community violence.

However ethnic communities are still constantly under attack by right-wing extremist groups, despite the efforts of law enforcement and the government. While hate crimes among minorities of European origin may not be so high, immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are constantly under attack.

Yet the ethnic-based violence in Europe is only minimal compared to other parts of the world. Race-riots have become too common in Third-World Democracies where ethnic majorities are in poverty while an ethnic minority holds economic power. Hate crimes in such nations are also high while the law chooses not to act.

Other nations however have attempted to brutally suppress other cultures while governments have contributed to pogroms. Such policies have led to some of the worst human rights violations of our time. These minorities have always been cast aside and labeled as “traitors of the state” by the government. It’s because of such actions that so many have immigrated to the United States.

When America was established as a nation, the principles of free speech and freedom of religion were radical ideas, yet it attracted millions of people who were fleeing religious or ethnic persecution (like the Catholic-Irish from British ruled Ireland or Jews from Russia). These people accepted their new American heritage yet preserved their traditions as well.

One thing that made the culture of America so unique is that new elements have been added to it over time. Cuisine, music, stories, and style from one culture could overtime be infused with the culture of America. There so many everyday words used in America that originated from another language.

Yet these people still wish to maintain their cultural heritage but still want to be recognized as Americans. For this reason it has become an acceptable practice for an individual to identify themselves by their heritage then add “American” to the end of it. This allows a person to be able to pass on their heritage while recognizing themselves as an American.

So while it may seem trivial to add an ethnic prefix to American to an immigrant or first generation individual it is a way to preserve their proud heritage and also identifying themselves as a proud American.