i as a us citizen could never be called a "swede"?

[homerandjethroswede]

i as a us citizen could never be called a "swede"?so says one poster here and different supposed europeans ive met online never in person

but how is it a dutch goverment website calls these people morracans? and i bet many are dutch too

so anyone other than white people are not excluded from retaining an idenity?.. so who is it saying these things real europeans or transplants?

it makes me disgusted !!

http://www.dutchuec.nl/kcgs/show/id=...contentid=4448

[bosse_s]

duh?!

This may be an issue, or maybe not at all. It is maybe a problem that we tend to call people "Swedes" only if they are born and raised in Sweden. People who come to Sweden as immigrants are never really totally included in our society this way. We do not (at least not in Sweden) see the value of being called a "Swede" in terms of integration into our society.

In the U.S, immigration is very much about becomming an "American". An immigrant to the U.S is practically forced to become an "American", as the nationality is a signigicant part of the immigration policy. In countries like Sweden and the Netherlands, the approach is different. To be "integrated" have never been about becomming of a new "nationality", eventhough you do get a new citizenship. I.e someone from Hungary may call himself "Hungarian" even if they have lived most of their life in say Sweden. Many of the immigration organization in Sweden have uphold subsidies from the government to be able to uphold traditions and their values as people from other countries. If people from Iraq want to call themselves Iraqis after comming to Sweden, it has not been an issue. But it might also have been a problem, in the long term integration of immigrants.

I think being disgusted is bad for you. This is a different approach, not based upon (as you indicate?) racist asumptions, but upon a different view upon "nationality" than typically American for example. I guess it is a mixture of both protectionism from us (i.e. Swedes for example), as well as a sort of liberal mindset that people may be or call themselves what they want, as it has not been the focus of immigration policy to change peoples feeling of nationality. Nationality is more of a legal status than a "mindset" in this context.

I can assure you one thing though, Cowshoe. In Sweden, you may call your self whatever you wont. Most people would not care to bother if you want to be a Marsian or Swede

[Didac]

I don't think Swedes would have anything against you calling yourself a Swede. A bit rare for a US citizen but it's up to you.

When talking about Swedish American, I saw one of the most famous on TV a couple of hours ago, Chief of US Supreme Court William H Rehnquist (Swedish American of the Year, 1993), swearing in George W Bush as US President.

I googled for Rehnquist and found this page under the supreme court site, about Swedish Americans. Nice speech:

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/public..._04-09-01.html

one amusing quote about the good Swedish railrood workers by one railroad builder James J. Hill "Give me Swedes, snuff and whiskey, and I'll build a railroad right through hell!"

[homerandjethroswede]

all these fench canadians in canada and theres no way you could say" you guys are not french" and yet i cant say im swedish america according to some weirdos in eu ,, why is that? and im not cowshoe

[bosse_s]

Sorry, for the name mix-up, homerand...

I can´t really understand what you are trying to say.

[homerandjethroswede]

simply a french candaians say they are french candians and eu people say ok ,and yet a french american or a swedish american cannot .. why? they hate america .. thats why!!

[bosse_s]

Well, all right dude. Whatever

[homerandjethroswede]

deserted board

[bosse_s]

in deed a deserted board... nothing like it used to be... that sucks

[sunsite]

I don't quite understand the original post really. But from the answer to it, I do kinda get it.
Anyways, as to calling one who is American a Swede, in Sweden, is over my head. But here in America, we members of the Swedish immigrant community [i.e. those whose parents or grandparents immigrated from Sweden to the USA] do call eachother Swedes quite often. But only in the sense that one has Swedish roots or heritage. We are quite happy to be called a Swede by anyone here. But sure, I couldn't ever see a Swedish peron in Sweden calling me a Swede. He might say I have Swedish heritage or am an American of Swedish descent.
It is true, American immigration USED to be about becoming American right away. My grandparents learned English rightaway, changed their Swedish sounding name to an American sounding name, and always had the US flag up on holidays. It was very important to do that in the old days. But now, I see many immigrants keep their language, and culture and ask Americans to respect that. Myself, I don't care what they do, they have anyright to do as they please, that is okay with me. I am American, but work to learn Swedish, read the Swedish newspaper I have sent over to me and Swedish books and visit Sweden when I can. So I am an American of Swedish heritage I think.
sunsite

[homerandjethroswede]

they wont learn english?,id say deport the illegals
stop a lot of immigration for a while and bring in people who want to learn english and im part american indian too leaning ,more to some conservatives yet the bush types seem bad i thinkbut good in some ways