ufoclub said:

"I'm Batman"

Genesia said:

wholeheartedly agree with u G

MuthaFunka said:

yeah i agree..i get asked this pretty much every day

To me, it's irrevelant.

what the hell is wrong with asking ?

this politcal correct crap is seriously bothering me
[Edited 9/12/08 18:41pm]

sweet said:

What, they ask you "Are you from Emeryville or Compton?" huh?

Nope. People get way too offended these days and they'll pull the race card on you.

.
[Edited 9/12/08 9:47am]

Dewrede said:

Nothing wrong with asking(unless you're trying to be a jerk, like Mutha said). It's just not a big deal to me.

I don't find it rude. If you ask me if I'm originally from the U.S., or where I was born? I wouldn't get offended at all.

I ask all the time. There are ways to ask things.

I'm fascinated by people and different cultures so I tend to ask.

I'm michael jackson-white, I want to seriously say that

I do it every day at work because if I see someone who looks like they might be the same nationality as me I can speak to them in my language which is farsi. I simply ask them what nationality are you. If they say Iranian or Persian we begin speaking farsi.

MarySharon said:

exactly.

I find it annoying because, to me, it doesn't matter. When I first moved to Chicago the conversations with people would go something like this:

Them: What are you?

Me: American.

Them: No, what are you, like where are you from?

Me: Iowa.

Them: But what are you? What's your background.

Me (exasperated): Fourth-generation Iowan.

I refuse to answer more than that because I think it's irrelevent in my particular situation--as in I'm your generic-looking white girl. It's not that interesting.


In terms of asking, I guess you could try the "Where are you from?" and then follow up with "Did you grow up there?" or "Where did you grow up?"

you should just ask
in my personal opinion if they take offense then their kinda being over sensitive.
i mean if your not saying it in an offensive way then people shouldn't have a problem with it

"What's, like, your ethnic heritage or background?" then offer your own answer first.

Today I was asked that question by a man who told me that he is Dominican, of a darker complexion than me....

Him: "Where are you from"

Me: "I was born and raised here (Boston, MA) and I am Puerto Rican"

Him: "No really, because forgive me I thought you were Indian, you don't look Puerto Rican"

Me: "So what does a Puerto Rican look like? Its an island with blended races."

Him: "No you look black or Indian, you are American, born here, why would you say you are from Puerto Rico?"

Me: "Puerto Ricans ARE Americans You are a Latino like me, I thought you were asking me about my ethnicity."

Him: "You don't speak Spanish (I do speak without a Spanish accent) you sound like a black, if you are a Rican then why do you say they are American then?"

Me: "because they are...."

Him: "I have family in PR"

Me: "OK"

I walk away disgusted....this is a prime example of WHY you don't ask about my ethnicity, and have a absolute nerve to speak to me as if you know more about who I am because you are trying to put me into a negative false stereotype about my people. People are really sooo ignorant about Ricans its ridiculous. At least he didn't claim I was a whore like most other Latinos do

Gimmesomehorns said:

as a matter of purely innocent conversation, i don't think it should be off-topic, either. people talk about having irish or italian or german ancestry as if it were just a simple, matter of fact conversation starter. i think that's how talking about our racial background should be in a perfect world. we should be able to talk about who we are and ask where other people came from and at the end of it be able to shrug and say "huh. that's interesting."

Anxiety said:

That's exactly how my conversations have gone.

Genesia said:

Since we're talking about North America, anyone who's clearly not Native isn't from this area. I think wording the question like that is too vague.

Genesia said:

You never know how people are going to react, even to innocently posed questions, so I think's usually better to err on the side of caution with this.

Dewrede said:

FYI, asking how to ask a question politely has nothing to do with "political correctness". It's manners.

DevotedPuppy said:

Hate to burst your bubble, but if you're white you're not Iowan. At all. Yuo're from the state of Iowa, but that's not the same thing.

meow85 said:

Touche! Iowa is even a Native American name/word. But I don't know where my European ancestors are from, I have no connection to them, so what else do I say?

i guess different people have different questions that make them bristle in mixed company.

for me, i don't like to talk about politics or religion unless i'm comfortable with the people and the environment in which i'm having the conversation. i think it's rude when people want to go into debate mode and they barely even know me and i haven't given any kind of consent to debating such topics.

i think the bottom line is that there are certain topics you should only bring up if you feel confident there is enough of a comfort zone to bring it up without creating awkward energy. if you have doubts, don't bring it up.

meow85 said:

Oh, goody - more PC nonsense.

Anxiety said:

Good advice.

Genesia said:

What the fuck are you talking about, PC nonsense? Are you going to try to tell me that this isn't the case?

meow85 said:

The idea that people who aren't descended from Native Americans, even though their families have been in this country for generations, aren't from here, is PC bullshit.

I was born in Wisconsin. That means I'm from Wisconsin. Am I supposed to say I'm from Germany because my great-great-great-great grandparents were born there? Or should I say I'm from England - because other great-great-great-great grandparents were born there? Or Ireland - because other great-great-great-great grandparents were born there?

The notion is just ridiculous.