Must be more of an American cultural thing, I think its nice that people want to hold on to their history, but they should know the language if they feel that strongly about it..
Same thing here in italy,there for example chinese that don't speak chinese but onlu italian and in some case the neapolitan.
Mario Balottelli is african but adopted by a northern,so when speak,you can hear the dialect.
For me if a person is born in italy,speak italian and was full integrated,this person is italian,this is called Ius Soli (right of the soil,is the right of anyone born in the territory of a state to nationality or citizenship.)
I'm also agree with Moe,a fifth or sixth generation italian is an american of italian descent,that all,or simple a white people.
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