Race and ethnicity help to define character. United States is all about freedom. The freedom to express ourselves. In a business world race and ethnicity allow different races to gain benefits. This is a good question and truth is if it wasnt important the United States would not have so many issues. We would truly be equal if we could get past race an ethnicity.
That is a good question as President Roosevelt when first elected in the 1930's told the American people that they were American's and not some Italian-American, Iris-American or whatever European or other ethnicity claim that was very prevalent back then. This help to bind the American culture as Americans. It was not until Blacks started the African-American, then it became Mexican-American, Latino-American or Spanish-American hyphenation that his trend reappeared. If we are Americans then we need to be Americans and not some dual-nationality just as President Roosevelt stated close to 100 years ago.
Well it goes way back when the slavery was going on that is in the past and it should stay there. We shouldn't be focusing on the color of our skin thats should be furthest from our mind. What we should be worrying about is how to feed the starving children in the world.SAY NO TO RACISM
It's the same in every country. On one hand you have a group of people who feel threatened by immigrants diluting and eroding their historical roots. On the other hand you have a group of people in a foreign land trying to preserve their historical roots in an ever changing society. Who you are, what colour you are and where you come from are key links to the past and distant family. So for a lot of people its very important. :)
The president elect has said the same thing he will be the peoples President and not one ethnic groups president and he had all ethnic groups voting for him and he knew it he was called names etc. But he acted like he did not hear it that should tell a lot of us something and as far as groups,the Gov started that if you applied for a job you had to list your race and they added you did not have to answer that particular question so I would disagree with the fact that the black race started the African, how many blacks do you know that own a company large enough to care about race,either they are going to hire you or not large companies had that particular question on job applications,so if you can do the job does it matter your color?
I am not racial or prejudice in any way, shape nor form......BUT I want to point this out to everyone who cares to read this...it seems that the person asking this question may be a bit dellusional. Just because Obama won the Presidency, doesn't mean that the racial problems have been dissolved and overcame...FAR FROM IT!! There are STILL people in the U.S. Who are prejudice, racial, and proud of it. I live in Southern WV. There are PLENTY of people living around here who call our President the n-word (racial slur used to describe African-Americans). I have a bi-racial child, and when I was pregnant with him there were some boys (I was in High School) who cornered me in the stairwell and threatened to "cut my n-gg-r baby out of my belly"...they didn't even get in trouble for this! What a world we live in, huh? We have came a long way---but still FAR TO GO! I just didn't want anyone to think that this problem doesn't need to be attended to any longer. This will UNFORTUANETELY always be a problem and a barrier for some ignorant folks.
The only native people of the United States are the American Indian, which are not a single group but made up of many different groups. Everyone else in the United States besides the American Indians have ancestry from somewhere other that America. As such it is a statement of identity even though most are not pure blooded anything as most United States Citizens are a mix of many different races, cultures and countries. One dominant ethnicity is for some reason chosen but very few are all one ethnic race.
I can't speak for the rest of the world, but here in Alaska, there is a different breed of people. Most of the time there isn't a racial issue, except by the white people who are stereotyping the native community. They are use to seeing alcoholism in white people, and for some reason, when they see a native who has that same affliction, they make fun of them. I can't say that this is the case all the time, but there is most definitely a stereotype that happens all over the world. It isn't JUST in America that this happens. Hope this helps, good luck.
The importance is due to our heritage, family ancestry and history of our nation. I have studied my family ancestry and am a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution- DAR. We have ancestors who fought in that war. My ancestors were slave owners, (sorry!) We have a murder victim in my history as well as a murderer! Robert E Less is in my family line too. As well as president Zachary Taylor. Lots of interesting stuff to learn about your heritage and ancestors.
