"The option of choosing among different ethnicities in their family background exists because the degree of discrimination and social distance attached to specific European backgrounds has diminished over time" (Water: 149)Often times, being an Irish American does not simply mean to belong to a Irish organization or marry other Irish people but rather be passed through family traditions or mass media images. European-origin individuals have the choice to admit to being ethnic if they wanted to. This in turn however, is not true for African or Asian Americans. "Who your ancestors are does affect your choice of spouse, where you live, what job you have, who your friends are, and what your chances are for success in American society"(Waters: 149) That is to say, white ethnics have a lot more choices and legroom than they believe. It is something that non white ethnics would have an hard time in understanding, for the treatment they are given as white Americans differ from those who are non
"The option of choosing among different ethnicities in their family background exists because the degree of discrimination and social distance attached to specific European backgrounds has diminished over time" (Water: 149)Often times, being an Irish American does not simply mean to belong to a Irish organization or marry other Irish people but rather be passed through family traditions or mass media images. European-origin individuals have the choice to admit to being ethnic if they wanted to. This in turn however, is not true for African or Asian Americans. "Who your ancestors are does affect your choice of spouse, where you live, what job you have, who your friends are, and what your chances are for success in American society"(Waters: 149) That is to say, white ethnics have a lot more choices and legroom than they believe. It is something that non white ethnics would have an hard time in understanding, for the treatment they are given as white Americans differ from those who are non