European American

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<th style="background-color:#fee8ab;">Related ethnic groups</th>
<td style="background-color:#fff6d9;">Europeans</td>

A European American, or a Euro-American, is a person who resides in the United States and is either the descendant of European immigrants or from Europe him or herself.<ref>Ohio State University. Diversity Dictionary. 2006. September 4, 2006. [1]</ref> They are classified as White in the United States Census, 2000, along with Americans of Middle Eastern and North African ancestry.<ref>Greico, Elizabeth. US Census Bureau. 2001. September 4, 2006. [2]</ref>

[edit] Use

The term European American is more specific than White American in that these terms in their official usage include Americans of European, North African, and Middle Eastern ancestry. The term is used interchangeably with Caucasian American, White American, and sometimes Anglo American. <ref>Lee, Sandra S. Mountain, Joanna. Barbara, Koening A. The Meanings of Race in the New Genomics: Implications for Health Disparities Research. Yale University. 2001. October 26, 2006. [3]</ref>It should, however also be mentioned that the term "European Americans" is sometimes used as a synonym for White Americans in certain government publications such as the Fair Housing Act.<ref>The Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council. 2005. [4]</ref>According to the Texas Association of Museums, "European American" is preferred by some people over the terms White American, Caucasian American or Anglo<ref>Texas Association of Museums. 2003. September 4, 2006. [5]</ref>, a term commonly used in the southwestern US, because of that term collapses a number of distinct ethnicities under a single rubric with origins in England. The term also has a more neutral point of view than either White American or Caucasian American since both of these terms include a larger group of people than is acknowledged in Europe. Also, whereas White American and Caucasian American vary in the peoples they include and are politically charged, European American has a more stable definition and scope. According to a social scientist, the terms Caucasian American and Anglo are becoming less frequently used but European American has increased in use. <ref>Skirble, Rosanne. New Voice of America. 2001. September 4, 2006. [6]</ref> The term is used in organizations such as White Civil Rights<ref>White Civil Rights. September 4, 2006. [7]</ref>, European American Investment Group<ref>European American Investment Group. 2004. September 4,2006. [8]</ref> and Santa Clara University<ref>Santa Clara University. European American Resources. September 4, 2006. [9]</ref>

[edit] Origin

The term was coined in response to the increasing racial diversity of the United States, as well as in recognition of this demographic diversity moving more into the mainstream of the society in the latter half of the 20th century. As a linguistic concern, the term is often meant to discourage a dichotomous view of the racial landscape<ref>Sears, Bo. Resisting Defamatory Anti-White Language. National Vanguard. 2004. September 4, 2006.[10]</ref>, in which "Whites" are conceived as a separate non-cultural and raceless group<ref>Jay, Gregory. University of Wisconsin-Milwakee Who Invented White People? 1998. November 5, 2006.[11]</ref> from the rest of the racial groups, which have dual-name terms denoting ancestry, such as African Americans or Asian Americans.<ref>European American Issues Forum. European...American?[12]</ref> Margo Adair argues that the recognition of specific European American ancetries makes Americans aware that they come from a variety of different cultures.<ref>Adair, Margo. Challenging White Supremacy Workshop. 1990 November 5, 2006.[13]</ref> Use of the term also represents a shift from the socioethnic disunity among Americans of different European ancestry (e.g. Irish Americans, German Americans) partially caused by increasing numbers of non-European Americans, including the homogenization of culture and intermarriage that took place during the 20th century.<ref>European American Issues Forum. European...American?[14]</ref> Although it should be noted that one can be a European American and still belong to a specific ethnic group.

[edit] Culture

The European American Issues Forum argues that there is no such thing as a purely "American" culture. When people are socially pressured to identify as just American, they are really identifying with European American or European derived culture. It argues that the culture of the United States was derived from Europe, citing examples such as representative government, trial by jury, Anglo-Saxon Common Law, limits on the powers of those who govern, and particular sets of rights, like the right to bear arms and the rights of women. It argues that the foundations of European American culture trace back millenias into Europe while only tracing back 200 years in the US, so it is wrong for a European American to ever deny or not be proud of their European heritage.<ref>European American Issues Forum. European...American? 2006. November 6, 2006. [15]</ref>

[edit] Population

[edit] References

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[edit] See also

• White American
• Caucasian American
• Anglo
• Melting pot
• European-American Unity and Rights Organization