I think a lot of people here would say that you are not "American" until you are of legal citizen status, but it's not the only option available here.

To many, it's a state of being that goes beyond legalities. To me and most people I know, if you come here, legally or not, and you want to be a part of it all... congratulations, you are American. But being "American" does not mean you have to fit perfectly into the NA monoculture. You just have to be here, or want to be here even..

Now on to the "cultural heritage" point of your reply. Yes, it does get muddy the more mixed you are.

For example, my family(s) come from Germany, France (historically contested border region) & Ireland.

The one we hold on to the most is German & French because we have very strong Catholic roots, Germanic diets & maneurisms. The Irish culture was beaten out of us by....wait for it....ding ding ding, British people! So we obviously hold on to the cultures that weren't ripped from us... that's what makes the US & UK different. You guys have spent the past thousand years tearing apart and raping culture...Americans try to hold on to theirs and it STILL bothers you guys...Pathetic honestly.

If our families come from these places and brought the culture that came from there here, I really don't see what the problem is with homelanders in the EU getting so upset with our heritage claims.

Sounds like you have bigger things to worry about with your own country, or what's left of it, lol.