> a) that you consider yourself to be in possession/authority over the definition of what it means to be American It means being from America, or having adopte

> a) that you consider yourself to be in possession/authority over the definition of what it means to be American It means being from America, or having adopted the country. You can't be an American just by liking the culture. > and b) you had some strange interest in me behaving exactly like you, instead of expressing cultural differences. Oh, yeah. That's it. Or, rather, in getting you to use terms that don't suggest racial identity when you don't mean it. > Try this instead: how about you be alright with African-Americans as both African and American, and not give so much of a shit about which cultures other Americans choose to embrace? No. That means that a non-black is either an African American if they embrace the culture - which isn't the way it sounds, or it's a racial/origin term and has nothing to do with culture. Neither is both useful and accurate. Also, Africa doesn't have one culture, even to the extent the USA does. Even if you use the term it's hopelessly inaccurate. Try one of these instead: "American who practices xyz-African culture" "American, recently descended from Africans" > You obviously can't see what a dick move it is to stand on a soapbox dictate the cultural identities of other people. I'm not saying you don't act like a resident of India. If you mean that, say it. > Otherwise, I'd have to imagine that you wouldn't do it. Unless you're a sociopath. So you're an asshole and/or a sociopath, but probably a shitty person either way. Hilarious. Go off the wall much? > Plenty of people are willing to acknowledge and embrace my Indian-ness; I don't feel invalidated by some bigoted troll. You didn't ask if he did, you freaked about his terminology. There was absolutely no suggestion that you are wrong in your interests. Also, "acknowledge my indian-ness". Ummm, yeah. Get over it. > Why are you unable to understand that this is not a question of what's written in my passport? Because you keep insisting on using broken terminology just to differentiate yourself. That language refers, largely, to what's on your passport. > It is astonishing that you can make the statement of yourself that you are culturally Indian -- so you apparently understand the concept of cultural identity -- but then turn-around and fail to grasp that, when other people say they are Indian-American, they are not making a statement about a field in their passport. He knows that, but he's pointing out they're doing it wrong. Use more accurate language instead of racist-backlash spin terms. > There are no facts in contention here, because you are making a straw man argument -- attacking my argument as though I were making statements about my nationality. Not at all. The argument is you're using the language incorrectly. That millions of others agree with you isn't a counter-argument. > I believe you are being intentionally obtuse by disregarding the fact that it is a statement about cultural identity, which apparently you are fully capable of understanding. We feel the same about you. You know that a more accurate phrase would be along the lines of "An Indian ex-pat who still practices the culture, but also practices USA culture" and you refuse to use it because you see it as denying you your racial heritage or some nonsense.