See, you are a third generation, and I was born in China. That's the difference. Like you, my kids consider themselves only as Americans with Chinese heritage. For me, I am and will always be proud to be a Chinese American.
I am married to a woman who was born in the Philippines, she has dual citizenship, Canadian and US now. While she still watches Philippine television, speaks her native tongue Tagalog, amongst other Filipino's , and follows Philippine news and goes to Filipino concerts and shows, she still considers herself as an American first, who just happened to be born in the Philippines.
I remember the days when the United States was considered a melting pot and not a polyglot of multiculturalism.
I lived in Canada for over a decade. Canada is a great county. When I lived there I tried to be as Canadian as possible. I learned the heritage, culture and customs. I still follow Canadian news and politics even though I live in Southern California. But I moved back to the United States eventually, and my wife emigrated here. It wasn't that I didn't love Canada, because I did and still do, but and it's a major "but", I loved the USA more than I loved Canada.
When the Irish immigrants came to the US, they came for a better life, a brighter future and a more hopeful existence for themselves and their children. While they may have always in their heart wanted to go back to the Emerald Isle, they knew that was never meant to be. So they stuck it out, the persevered and they prospered. In spite of resistance by the English majority and facing obstacles such as "No Irish Need Apply", they made it. After all we Irish are known as pugnacious, stubborn and determined folks!

My ancestors eventually assimilated and became fully functioning members of US society and culture. We became firemen and policemen and politicians and eventually some even became US royalty eg. the Kennedy's. But more than that we became American's. Sure we were Irishmen, but Ireland was our distant past, America was our present hope and our bright future. While we loved Irish green, our hearts now glowed with red, white and blue.
But you do know the great thing about we Irish, we let everyone share a bit o' the blarney and become a wee Irishman or Irish Colleen every year on Saint Paddy's Day!
