My Flag

[namkcuR]

For those of you who don't know(probably all of you here), I am half-American, half-Turkish(my mother is a Turk). I've lived my whole life in the U.S., but I still feel strongly about recognizing my other half(I've been to Turkey six or seven times). For that reason, I can't very well look at one nationality and say that's who I am, because I am both. Same with flags. Anyway, I needed a creative outlet the other day, so I found both the American and Turkish flags online, and pasted them together. This is my flag. This is who I am. P.S. I apologize if this isn't the right place, but I just thought the idea of nationality fit in here.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Very nice!

I'm half American/I like to say at least half Irish

 

[U2democrat]

I'm Amercian through and through. My relatives were some of the first to colonize here. Before that they were Scots/Irish.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Go Hellas

Don't worry, Turkey is on my top 20 countries I would like to visit.

 

[namkcuR]

Go Hellas

Don't worry, Turkey is on my top 20 countries I would like to visit.

It's a beautiful country. Also, one of the only countries in that region that has some semblance of consistant sanity, thanks to the legacy of the great Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. You'll love it.

 

[sharky]

I had a great teacher who died about ten years ago in a freak accident. Anyway, he taught US Government and always went on about how he loved this country and told us stories about coming to the US from Italy when he was six years old. When he died, he had an Italian flag draped over the top third of his casket [where his head was], an American flag in the middle [where is heart was] and a University of Michigan flag on the bottom [where his legs were -- he ran track for U of M]. Anyway, just thought of that.

 

[verte76]

OMG, I am absolutely fascinated with Turkey. My avatar is a painting I did about a year ago called "Dream of Istanbul". I was terribly upset and hurt about the terrorist attacks in Istanbul so I did that painting in four days. If I ever make it back across that great big pond, my destination is Turkey!

 

[U2democrat]

Verte I was wondering how long it would be before you posted in this thread!!!!

 

[pianorocker]

It was only a few years ago that I realized that I am actually "half Slovak"....my maternal grandparents were both from completely Slovak families, and I actually found their records on ellisisland.org, all of which was extremely interesting to me. The other "half" is a mix of Scottish, Welsh, and English.



I really would like to visit some places in the Middle East, as well as Slovakia, someday. Beautiful...and interesting cultures too. =)

 

[anitram]

I like the way Mother Theresa put it: "By blood and origin I am Albanian. My citizenship is Indian. I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the whole world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the heart of Jesus."

My ethnicity is: 50% Croat, 25% Italian, 25% German. My nationality is Canadian.

 

[A_Wanderer]

I have my eyes on Central Asia, maybe follow the path of Alexander, but then Mongolia would be a definite, reading about Roy Chapman Andrews expedition it just blew my mind, the protoceratops it was all very cool. I do confess that this alias of mine matches well to my own wanderlust.

 

[pianorocker]

I like the way Mother Theresa put it: "By blood and origin I am Albanian. My citizenship is Indian. I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the whole world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the heart of Jesus."

My ethnicity is: 50% Croat, 25% Italian, 25% German. My nationality is Canadian.

Very eloquent....

 

[namkcuR]

By blood I am 50% American and 50% Turkish. My citizinship is U.S. I am a 20 year old atheist, male. My political leanings are that of an ultra-liberal.

Is that enough information?

 

[DaveC]

100% Irish by blood.

 

[verte76]

Verte I was wondering how long it would be before you posted in this thread!!!!

Yeah, at one point my "location" was Ayasofia Museum, Istanbul! I don't know how many people thought I was a Turk! For the record, I'm completely Scotch-Irish.

 

[verte76]

Yeah, at one point my "location" was Ayasofia Museum, Istanbul! I don't know how many people thought I was a Turk! For the record, I'm completely Scotch-Irish.

I forgot to say that my nationality is American!!

 

[LoveTown]

I'm mostly Irish, at least 90% by blood, I'm a tiny bit Scotish, Dutch and French as well. I may even have a little bit of Native American blood running through me. My nationality is American.

 

[nbcrusader]

Interesting how we use nationality interchangeably for heritage and citizenship.

IMHO, we have essentially lost track of what our citizenship means and its value.

 

[verte76]

Interesting how we use nationality interchangeably for heritage and citizenship.

IMHO, we have essentially lost track of what our citizenship means and its value.

I would say this depends on what your nationality and heritage are. If you are, like the starter of this thread, half-American and half-Turkish, half of you is a resident of a young country with a democratic heritage and not a heck of alot of tradition, and half of you is a part of an ancient culture going back eons that's got tons of tradition and folklore. That's quite a contrast to come to grips to.

 

[nbcrusader]

I would say this depends on what your nationality and heritage are. If you are, like the starter of this thread, half-American and half-Turkish, half of you is a resident of a young country with a democratic heritage and not a heck of alot of tradition, and half of you is a part of an ancient culture going back eons that's got tons of tradition and folklore. That's quite a contrast to come to grips to.

No. The individual has lived their entire life in the US. Genetically, we all have heritage from outside the US. I think it is interesting to learn the history of our families and the vestiges of traditions carried by our families from other countries. But this has nothing to do with citizenship and identification in our country of origin.

 

[verte76]

No. The individual has lived their entire life in the US. Genetically, we all have heritage from outside the US. I think it is interesting to learn the history of our families and the vestiges of traditions carried by our families from other countries. But this has nothing to do with citizenship and identification in our country of origin.

OK, you're right, I didn't understand your post. I'm muddled in the brains today. I'm glad I didn't have to work at the library today, it's one of those days on which I would have screwed up on the Dewey Decimal System and couldn't have even cleaned the damn shelves. I thought that only happened when U2 toured.

 

[anitram]

No. The individual has lived their entire life in the US. Genetically, we all have heritage from outside the US. I think it is interesting to learn the history of our families and the vestiges of traditions carried by our families from other countries. But this has nothing to do with citizenship and identification in our country of origin.

I work with plenty of people who have been born in Canada, but are very orthodox Jews and although their nationality is Canadian, they overwhelmingly identify with Israel, both due to cultural and religious reasons.

I tend to find that the sort of thing you suggest is often suggested by those who are not part of a small, tight knit ethnic minority and therefore have not been exposed to a completely different lifestyle and culture in their homes than at school or work. It is like living two lives in a way.

 

[verte76]

I work with plenty of people who have been born in Canada, but are very orthodox Jews and although their nationality is Canadian, they overwhelmingly identify with Israel, both due to cultural and religious reasons.

I tend to find that the sort of thing you suggest is often suggested by those who are not part of a small, tight knit ethnic minority and therefore have not been exposed to a completely different lifestyle and culture in their homes than at school or work. It is like living two lives in a way.

Yeah, it's strange, I grew up around Americans of Greek heritage. They were *both* Greek and American. They were members of a close knit community with its very own culture and institutions. That's how I was originally introduced to Greek food, which is still my favorite ethnic food. I still attend many functions of the local Greek community, and love it!

 

[Norse]

Hey, I have a few questions to the people from Turkey if it is ok...

How do you guys really feel about Ataturk? I have read some short bios and done some research. I know he really reformed and created modern day Turkey but do any of you (in particular those of the Muslim Faith) have any strong feelings about him?