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21 June 2025

Stuff Americans say
Ancestry part 2

Stuff Americans say

Reddit post from r/ShitAmericansSay by u/Fenragus. Title: "I can tell you have zero clue what it's like to be an American. Our identity comes from our ancestry. End of discussion." Screenshot shows highlighted Reddit comment: "So what makes me, and millions of others who feel closely tied to our ancestral homelands, wrong? I can tell you have zero clue what it's like to be an American. Our identity comes from our ancestry. End of discussion." with -16 votes

Instagram comment thread. First comment (30w): "It's not gatekeeping to tell an American that having a great great grandparent from Ireland doesn't make them Irish. It is factual." Reply (30w): "you're so wrong and disrespectful. I'm sorry did you take a DNA test? can you even prove you are what you say? we literally have the dna results to prove it and you're invalidating it" Reply (30w): "I mean, I was born here. But I guess I have a 'certificate of irishness' too, wherever that is"

YouTube comments on video "Italians love talking about dinner while eating lunch". Comment (username blacked out, 2 days ago): "If you're from the US, you're not Italian. If you grew up in America, surrounded by Americans, inheriting their culture, then you're not Italian, and it doesn't matter if your great-great-grand uncle came from Sicily. You may..." (truncated). Highlighted reply (18 hours ago): "Italian blood still boils the same in America."

Reddit comment thread. First comment (Jocelyn-1973, 6h): "I once saw an 'Italian-American' on a travel show get upset because Italians use a bidet instead of mountains of toilet paper like they do in the US. If you are upset by Italian habits in Italy, I don't think you can call yourself Italian." Reply (olgaforog, 5h): "So in the US you can be called Italian, but in Italy you will always be known as the Americans."

Reddit post from r/AmericaBad (5h). Title: "Funny seeing people make fun of Americans saying they're Irish, then Irish/Brits go and support Palestine". Text: "The biggest thing on European reddit is laughing at Americans who claim to be Irish or Italian, only to turn around and claim to be from a 'Celtic nation' or support Palestine, a place that isn't their homeland. The Irish have been going bonkers recently about Palestine and it's ironic that they get to identify with one culture but Americans can't."

X/Twitter post (04.01.2025): "There appears to be some confusion around this topic, so allow me to clear it up. Irish Americans ARE Irish." with AI-generated image of American and Irish flags side by side on a green field. Reply: "Actually, I'd say we're MORE Irish than most natives."

Screenshot of news headline "Two prison officers held hostage at Swedish maximum security jail" with a reply comment (username redacted): "I don't understand why they cannot disclose the crimes of which the inmates were convicted??? I'm in the USA but Ancestry DNA states I'm 2% Swedish so I try to keep up with what's going on there" with DNA and sun emojis

Twitter thread. Original tweet (12:01 PM, 17 Apr 20): "I'm proud to say that my blood last name is 'Bambini' and although my @Ancestry dna gives me ZERO Italian dna on my Dad's side, I'll stick with being 1/4 Italian!" with boxing glove and pizza emojis. Reply (9h): "Thus is the most American thing I've read."

X/Twitter thread (usernames redacted). First tweet: "From what I understand the Irish people don't like Irish Americans calling themselves Irish. They see them as phonies who only like to party on St. Patrick's Day and claim to be Irish. As an Irish American, it stings a bit. But I can see their side." Reply: "It might sting but its not less true. You're no more 'Irish' than the rest of us. America is your home, your culture, your identity. The only thing you share with Ireland is some distant genetic material. Thats not enough to claim a nationality." Reply: "no one in Ireland gives a shit"

X/Twitter post (username blacked out, verified). Text: "Even though I'm Half British (8% Scottish, 3% Welsh, 2% English), i will not do such a thing swear allegiance to King Charles while watching the coronation, I'm a U.S. Citizen, so i'll mute or turn the tv during that part of the coronation" with UK, Scottish, Welsh, English, and US flag emojis

X/Twitter thread screenshot (small/compressed). Main tweet (28 May) shows photo of schoolchildren in green uniforms at an Irish school: "This is an elementary school in Ireland. Within a decade I guarantee the Gaelic language and culture will cease to exist." Multiple replies including "Im confused what exactly youre getting at...?" and "She doesn't understand that these kids learn Gaelic in school. She just sees black or brown kids and gets very upset for some mysterious reason that is totally not racist, I am sure." and discussion about whether immigrant children learn Gaelic in Ireland

Reddit comment from Porpoise555 (1 hour ago): "I'm the same genetics haha, half Italian, half Irish. My Italian side I have no patience and my Irish side is wild and likes to party. I generally get right down to business at a party. Luckily my Irish side is better with dealing with social situations and my Italian side is what keeps me responsible. So they balance out well."

Meme photo of an older bald man with glasses sitting in what appears to be a restaurant, wearing a white t-shirt that reads "FBI - FULL BLOODED ITALIAN" in Italian flag colours (green, white, red). Caption at top: "Tell me you're American without telling me you're American:"

YouTube/TikTok comment thread (username redacted). First comment (20m): "I'm 100% Irish American (dna tested) and I still had some mixed blood Irish girl say I wasn't Irish". Reply (19m): "I mean you're not Irish, nationality. Ethnically yea. Normally where the confusion comes up". Third comment: "Arguably American Irish are the real Irish and the ones that remained behind were British Subs and not the real Irish"

YouTube comment (username redacted, "pred 1 mesecem" - Slovenian/Croatian for "1 month ago"): "As a 4th generation Polish American (my ancestors were among the millions of immigrants you mentioned), I actually know very little about the history of my motherland, so thank you for this. Us Poles aren't given enough credit for how much crap we've pushed through. Now I know why I'm so dang stubborn and resilient. It's the Polish blood in me." Interface shows "15 ODGOVOROV"

Reddit post from r/changemyview (5 people here). Title: "CMV: Americans shouldn't call themselves Irish,..." JustFukk0ff (2h): "So what makes me, and millions of others who feel closely tied to our ancestral homelands, wrong? I can tell you have zero clue what it's like to be an American. Our identity comes from our ancestry. End of discussion. My dad's mother is 100% Portuguese. She has darker skin and she is from Portugal. My other grandparent is from England and his wife was from Ireland and is Irish. I'm considered Caucasian but I never got a sunburn in my life I'm 54 I can lay in the sun for 3-4 hours or more with no sunscreen and I won't burn I'll turn REALLY DARK BROWN. When I'm asked my nationality I'm Irish English and Portuguese. Because that is in my genes. My nationality is NOT AMERICAN. I don't even think 'American' is a nationality." TwatFaceDC OP (2h): "American is a nationality lmao! USA is a country that has citizens therefore yes American is a nationality. The definition of nationality directly from a dictionary will tell you that you are American. Also i don't know why race or skin color is being brought up because I never even mentioned race or skin tone. You are confusing nationality with ethnicity."

Reddit post from r/AncestryDNA. Title: "Irish Americans where is your Irish ance..." Separate-Comment-607 (5h): "I'm 100% Irish. Kerry, Mayo, Cork, and Kilkenny." World_Historian_3889 OP (4h): "Wow 100 percent Irish American? are you from the northeast?" Separate-Comment-607 (3h): "My parents are both from the Boston area. I was born in California as my father was a naval officer there at the time." World_Historian_3889 OP (3h): "Ah nice im from around Boston!"

Reddit comment thread in German-language interface (Punkte, antworten, Bewertung versteckt). The_German_ (2 Punkte, vor 2 Stunden): "Didn't you make a post asking for the flecktarn camo and it's desert version?" Reply (-1 Punkte, vor 2 Stunden) in German: "Wollte nur das Bild zeigen von den Soldaten. Mir gehts ums Bild und nicht wegen der Tarnung;D" The_German_ (1 Punkt): "Lol I'm German but I don't speak it. I can tell you're taking about the camouflage tho" Reply (0 Punkte): "Oh well I thought your an German cuz u name :D yes I'm talking about the Soldiers and not the Camouflage :)" The_German_ (1 Punkt): "Yes I am German. Don't speak it tho, not yet at least" Reply: "Why you ain't speak german? Are u currently in Germany?" The_German_: "German heritage, I live in Texas" Reply (vor 13 Minuten): ">I am German whew lad" The_German_ (vor 9 Minuten): "Lmao British?"

YouTube comment (username blacked out, 16 hours ago) replying to another user: "If he's of German descent then he's German. Being 'American' is not a real thing. So yes, blood does equal nationality. The real title of 'American' goes to the original indigenous inhabitants whose land got stolen from wh!te settlers. You should know this."

Reddit comment thread. bigtuffguyeh OP (5h, -5 votes): "I don't get hungover I have German roots actually feel great after a night of drinking". Fleshmaw (2h): "That is probably the dumbest thing I've ever read on the Internet."

Instagram post from @buzzfeedapop (verified). Shows article excerpt "7. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra" with red carpet photo of the couple (Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images) - Priyanka in black halter dress, Nick in blue suit with bow tie. Text: "Nick is German, English, Scottish, Irish, Italian, and French-Canadian while Priyanka is Indian. Earlier this year, the couple welcomed their first child, Malti, via surrogate."

TikTok/Instagram comment thread (usernames blacked out). First comment: "I know ancestry aint lying cause that 62% english in me fucking rolls at their humor". Reply: "ur not english. you dont get it. please leave us alone". Reply: "more english blood than half your population, dont be rude lol". "Hide replies" link at bottom

Social media comment (username blacked out). Text: "I have started to freckle as a black woman in my 40s. I was sooooo excited because my grandmother and great grandfather both had freckles, so now I get to look like them! Oddly enough....we found an Irish Ancestor too! Do I get to call myself black Irish now??! It's only 7% but I feel like it counts!!!"

Tags:US ancestry·SAS·USA