The ANNOTICO Report

The Letter to the Editor that follows asks the question generically, Are we
Italian Americans or American Italians?

My reasoning is: We are Americans, and that is the NOUN. We have Italian
Ancestry and Heritage, which is the descriptive ADJECTIVE. That was the
Grammar I was taught.

Why then, Is the AIHA named the American Italian Historical Association,
and NOT the Italian American Historical Association?? And Yet the
associated Message Board is called H-ITAM, or History -ITalian AMerican??

Inquiring Minds want to know :)

The Times Herald
Letter to the Editor
Port Huron, MI
Wednesday, May 25, 2005

My hope is this letter will help with the growing problem in America, of a
cultural nature.

If the Times Herald and other Gannett newspapers, along with The Associated
Press and the rest of the press in this country would start putting America
first - i.e. American Italian, American African, American Iranian, American
German, American Irish, American Pakistani, etc. - perhaps we could call
ourselves Americans first, and indicate our lineage second.

Currently, it is the other way around. Even the American Indian is called a
"Native American."

I guess I don't understand why we aren't Americans, first. After all, "the
air in America is full of freedom and the flag is full of stars," as the
old song goes.

Why doesn't the media get on the ball in this regard?

GRACE FILION
Fort Gratiot, May 18