I'm not African, I'm AMERICAN

I've had the idea to write this specific blog entry for quite some time now but must say that it has been the most difficult one for me to approach. In truth, I have always been against the term African-American as it is applied to persons born in this country who just happen to be black. I have always identified myself as an American just as anyone who was born here should.

I want to start by strongly expressing that I am in no way ashamed of being black. It is funny how many black Americans (which is the term I prefer) get offended when one of their own decides to disown the African part of our American label. But to those who have those feelings the question I must ask is: How African are we (black) Americans and isn't it about time that we embrace our country instead of continuing to distance ourselves from it. Let me breakdown a few facts:

1) Our family backgrounds are multicultural

America is a country that was built on its cultural diversity and with that cultural diversity came some intermingaling. On my maternal side alone, it was discovered that my great-great grandmother was American Indian and Irish. My great-great grandfather was the son of a black man and a white woman (both whose true nationality has not been confirmed). From that information alone only a quarter of my great grandmother's blood was black and even still it has not been confirmed that it was African blood. The truth is I like every American is a mutt, an mixture of various cultures that came to this land whether by force or by choice.

2)What do we REALLY know about being African

The answer is NOTHING. Everything I (and most others) know about African culture has been learned second hand from books and television. In books, it is an absolutely beautiful continent with rich culture and land, beautiful animals and strong traditions but on TV it is also plagued with devastating problems including poverty, disease and civil war. And though these stories that we see and hear are of specific areas in mainly the troubled parts of the continent, it doesn't change the fact that these reports do solidify the differences in black American and black African beliefs and ways of life. A good example would be the 20/20 special report that ran just a few weeks ago on an emerging practice in Uganda regarding child sacrifice. I was astonished how this practice was becoming so wide spread and in a way accepted in that country not only by the witch doctors that were practicing it but also by the educated businessmen who were buying into it.

3) Would you go back to Africa to live...permanently?

I am sure that from the title of the blog and its contents you can easily guess my answer (UMMMM...NO!!!). I would love to visit specific countries in Africa and take in the culture there. And I would be very open to volunteering in the countries that need whatever assistance I could possibly provide. But I am an American and this is my home and regardless of any place I go to visit whether it be Africa, Asia or Europe in the end I want to get back to the comforts and familiarity of home. So for those black Americans who make an effort to better connect with their African roots by dressing in the garb and preparing the cuisine...the truth of the matter is that if you were told to live there permanently...you would go insane!!!

Ultimately what I am saying is...Yes "I'm black and I'm proud" but also "God bless America" (LOL) ;-)