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It is common worldwide to identity heritage, community, history and culture through blood ties to an ethnic community. The Russians have over 170 ethnic groups including the Udi and the Tartar. New Zealand has the Maori, Ghana the Akan; Britain, Welch, Irish, and Scots. Greece, Turkey, China, Canada, India and other countries have native sub communities. This is an age-old custom, and a review of early American documents reveals it to be a common practice.

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Commonsense should prevail here. Listen, moron, if the word “African” is such an affront and limitation, then racism is the catalyst. Instead of fighting the cause for the so-called “limits on him,” why does Mr. Cain prefer to fight the word “African” as though being African is the reason for the offense?
I’m offended that Cain calls himself a “candidate for president.” Perhaps he should stop referring to himself as qualified to run.

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@BOB True,true.

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I agree with your comments. The following is how black people in the US identify themselves.
Self-identification: African-American 48%, Black 45%, both terms 7%. My question is why call oneself an African American when in both fact, and reality the overwhelming majority of black people in the US know almost nothing about Africa, it's cultures, languages, or traditions. Most black people have never been there, are not interested in going there, or really even care about the plight of African people. That's also why the majority of African peoples in African don't like black people in America.

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Does Mr. Cain take offense to Irish American? What about Italian American? Or Hispanic American? Or is he ashamed of his African American heritage? It appears Mr. Cain is pandering to the white Republican Party for support. He is showing Mr. and Mrs. Charley that he is distancing himself from African Americans and wants to be more like them. I'm surprised he hasn't straightened his hair and used a bleaching cream. I don't mind him having a different out look on the state of the country. I think it's healthy to discuss differing opinions. But when you have to shuffle and say yassuh to gain support from a certain group of people, you demean yourself. By the way, it's spelled ridiculous.

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Uh "ray", those groups don't refer to themselves either in public or on census...only blacks separate themselves as a specific 'type' of American.

And you can mock white people all you want, the simple FACT of the matter is that Obama wouldn't/couldn't be president without our vote, it is mathematically impossible...so you should be thanking us for "allowing" him to win.

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I completely agree with "Bob" on this. I am also "required" by society to call myself "African" American, before that was required to say "Black" and before that "Negro". Clearly society and all the stupid official forms for school, government, medical etc etc etc all keep renaming me and I'm supposed to....well just go with it. I have no choice. Everytime I fill out a form I have to check the label they require me to call myself and it is really annoying.

What African language do I speak? NONE! What country in Africa are my parents from? Hmmmmm dunno?! Genetically several as Africa did not have "countries" when they were "brought" here! I have European and Native American ancestry and so do almost all "African-Americans" so it is medically & historically incorrect to only call yourself one and not all the others that make up your genetic history! There are only few "brown-skinned" Americans whose direct mother & father have immigrated directly from an African country.

And it is confusing when I say that I am African American and people ask which country in Africa are my parents from so than I have to switch the answer to "black" and that has as much meaning as saying "white". What exactly is that?! A gene-pool combination of alot of people from a lot of places! So what is wrong with saying you are just American! Is it wrong from someone to say they are Brazilian, or Japanese or Italian?! That is where they are born. America is the country where I am born, it is where my parents and their parents and their parents were all born for over 6 generations! At what point do I get to be an AMERICAN!

Think about it all you who just go with whatever new trend society makes up for you before you just ascribe to whatever they say it means to be proud of your heritage. I love my country and and proud of the roles my relatives have had on this country in many different ways and in many different colors.

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Very well stated, Bob. Why would I want to be labeled as an Franco-Anglo-Irish-American. My people have been here a LONG time !!!! Ridiculous how people want to make issues out of non-issues. I think Mr. Cain is absolutely right in his stance.

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Bob. Shut up! You damn well know that you would call him African American if he wasn't affiliated with the GOP. He is a sad AFRICAN AMERICAN uncle tom piece of crap. If he grew up during slavery he would have rat out Harriet Tubman and get all the run-away slaves killed. African Americans fall in different categories. He is a person who has achieved professional success by not stepping on the toes of his white masters. He is careful not to ruffle any feathers to appear to be a good follower, never expressing any opinion about racial injustice so he does not appear threatening to whites in power. This man is delusional; he probably prays to God every night to transform him into a white man. I don’t disagree with black republicans, however, when one spits on history and tries to disassociate with his own race that is sad. African Americans are the most disconnected group and people like Cain are the reason why.

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