# Lying about your nationality/ethnicity etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 1, 2013, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059 "2013-02-01T19:27:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tonyfop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/85f322/32.png) [@tonyfop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonyfop)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/21 "2013-02-01T23:33:52Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > You realize that every time you do that, you are perpetuating tired stereotypes about Americans and throwing the rest of us under the bus, right? If every smart and sensitive traveller pretends to be Canadian, the only “Americans” people are going to see are the assholes. +1. In all of my travels I always identify as American so that I can fight the stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/22 "2013-02-01T23:56:32Z")
> [@TheCrow](#): > > I’ll get right to the point. Let’s say you meet someone new. He said he was from X country or of X origin. Thereafter, somehow you realized he was not from X country or of X origin, and asked him/her why he had lied to you about his ethnicity, home country etc. And, he said “I wanted to avoid the odium which my fellow countrymen had attracted. I know, my fellow country men are not nice and the majority of them make up a cancerous minority in your country. Plus, they are hated because of their religion. But I am not non-religious and don’t define myself as X ethnicity.” > > So, how would you react in this situation? Would you lose your love or respect for him/her? Would you get angry at him/her? I would consider why they lied more important than the fact that they lied. If it was too avoid persecution or because so many people have nasty perconceived notions about individuals of that country or ethnicity I would be tempted to give them a pass. Sometimes people have to lie a little to get by. If it was for a more nefarious purpose for example because they thought it would be easier for them to pick up sexual partners, I would probably lose all respect for him/her. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/23 "2013-02-02T00:00:40Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > But it IS vague in the sense that most people in the US (I’m guessing) will not conflate “Iranian” with “Persian.” > [@raindog](#): > > I would add that it’s not vague in Iran, but they’re _counting on it_ being vague in the US when they’re using it here. It only works because Americans, while so smart in some areas, are so abysmally ignorant about the rest of the world. Really, Iran=Persia is elementary knowledge for anyone with a minimal education in geography—which excludes Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/24 "2013-02-02T00:05:32Z")
> [@Mgalindo13](#): > > If you’ve just met someone and your asking such personal questions you shouldn’t expect 100% truthful answers. > > In my opinion, questions about ethnicity, religion, political views or sexual preferences when meeting someone is impolite. This depends on the setting of course… Oh, you should visit the Middle East sometime. I swear, you will find there the nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people in the world, bar none—but their concept of friendliness includes asking tons of uncomfortably personal questions when making the acquaintance of a stranger. To them, it’s normal, and we in our reticence come across as strangely uptight that way. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/25 "2013-02-02T00:07:42Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > You realize that every time you do that, you are perpetuating tired stereotypes about Americans and throwing the rest of us under the bus, right? If every smart and sensitive traveller pretends to be Canadian, the only “Americans” people are going to see are the assholes. Oh if it were only the smart sensitive American’s pretending to be Canadian WE would be a lot happier but trust me there’s a fair chunk of assholes who do it too. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/26 "2013-02-02T00:10:34Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > It only works because Americans, while so smart in some areas, are so abysmally ignorant about the rest of the world. Really, Iran=Persia is elementary knowledge for anyone with a minimal education in geography—which excludes Americans. I don’t doubt that at all. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/27 "2013-02-02T00:29:43Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > It only works because Americans, while so smart in some areas, are so abysmally ignorant about the rest of the world. Really, Iran=Persia is elementary knowledge for anyone with a minimal education in geography—which excludes Americans. Precisely. Isn’t that what I just said? \ Why yes, it was. 😉 I lived in the Middle East as a kid, and had family living there for about 20 years so I’ve visited many times as an adult, driven all over Syria/Egypt/Israel/Turkey and Greece, and I attended Turkish schools as a kid. My family still owns property in Turkey (Bodrum) and Israel (J’lem) so I visit the region every year or two. So it’s not like the Middle East/Mediterranean is an abstract notion to me, or someplace I once visited, or someplace I studied in uni. Be careful about who you are talking down to. Oh, and I am an American national although nobody else in my family is. ---
**Author:** ![Mgalindo13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mgalindo13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mgalindo13)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/28 "2013-02-02T00:29:52Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Oh, you should visit the Middle East sometime. I swear, you will find there the nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people in the world, bar none—but their concept of friendliness includes asking tons of uncomfortably personal questions when making the acquaintance of a stranger. To them, it’s normal, and we in our reticence come across as strangely uptight that way. Been there done that, but that’s why I say that people should be surprised if they don’t get truthful answers. If anyone asks me who I voted for in the last election, I always say Roseanne Barr. If you ask what church I go to it’s Scientology. And they shouldn’t be shocked if they get to know me and find out otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/29 "2013-02-02T00:50:00Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Precisely. Isn’t that what I just said? \ Why yes, it was. 😉 > > I lived in the Middle East as a kid, and had family living there for about 20 years so I’ve visited many times as an adult, driven all over Syria/Egypt/Israel/Turkey and Greece, and I attended Turkish schools as a kid. My family still owns property in Turkey (Bodrum) and Israel (J’lem) so I visit the region every year or two. > > So it’s not like the Middle East/Mediterranean is an abstract notion to me, or someplace I once visited, or someplace I studied in uni. > > Be careful about who you are talking down to. > > Oh, and I am an American national although nobody else in my family is. Whoa there. 😕 I wasn’t talking down to you. I was totally backing up what you said—which is why I led off with the quote from you. To express agreement with you. I’m another American who has traveled in the Middle East, learned the languages and culture and taken belly dance classes & everything. But Americans like us are the exception that proves the rule. What can be more exasperating than someone who argues vehemently at you while all you’re doing is agreeing with them? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/30 "2013-02-02T01:01:07Z")
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**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/31 "2013-02-02T01:06:32Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Whoa there. 😕 I wasn’t talking down to you. I was totally backing up what you said—which is why I led off with the quote from you. To express agreement with you. I’m another American who has traveled in the Middle East, learned the languages and culture and taken belly dance classes & everything. But Americans like us are the exception that proves the rule. > > What can be more exasperating than someone who argues vehemently at you while all you’re doing is agreeing with them? :smack: OK, friends? 🙂 The tone of your other post was a little derogatory, I thought, and I know there are several posters here from Israel and other points East of Iowa. Nava for one. Really, it’s not Americans’ fault that they (or we) are somewhat ignorant about what goes on outside of the US. I don’t know about schooling but from what I see, news is heavily slanted towards a US-centric view, something not common in other countries, I can totally see how a non- or casual-news subscriber could remain ignorant abou dynamics and goings-on in other countries. Hell, I know many people who are clueless about what goes on in THIS country. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/32 "2013-02-02T01:46:51Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Really, it’s not Americans’ fault that they (or we) are somewhat ignorant about what goes on outside of the US. Yes, it is. > [@chiroptera](#): > > I don’t know about schooling but from what I see, news is heavily slanted towards a US-centric view, something not common in other countries, I can totally see how a non- or casual-news subscriber could remain ignorant abou dynamics and goings-on in other countries. Hell, I know many people who are clueless about what goes on in THIS country. And that is the fault of deficient education standards in the US, coupled with a very insular view to curricula development, and a news complex geared more toward entertainment than news. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/33 "2013-02-02T04:42:32Z")
> [@Mgalindo13](#): > > If you’ve just met someone and your asking such personal questions you shouldn’t expect 100% truthful answers. > > In my opinion, questions about ethnicity, religion, political views or sexual preferences when meeting someone is impolite. This depends on the setting of course… if you were on a date, I would say that you should seek companionship elsewhere. “Such personal questions”? Probing inquiries about ethnicity, religion, politics, or sex are one thing, but it sounds like all the OP did was ask where the guy was from. That’s a perfectly natural and innocuous question. If you can’t even ask that, how on earth are you going to get to know anybody? I wouldn’t be mad at the guy for lying, particularly if he was just a casual acquaintance. The only people I roll my eyes at are Americans pretending to be Canadians, for the reasons others have mentioned above. ---
**Author:** ![Orca\_Eyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Orca\_Eyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orca_Eyes)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/34 "2013-02-03T01:13:39Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Oh, you should visit the Middle East sometime. I swear, you will find there the nicest, friendliest, most hospitable people in the world, bar none—but their concept of friendliness includes asking tons of uncomfortably personal questions when making the acquaintance of a stranger. To them, it’s normal, and we in our reticence come across as strangely uptight that way. I’m of Lebanese descent, and I’m Muslim, and I do ask a lot of personal questions to people. It can gets me into trouble. When I first moved to Newcastle from Sydney, I pretended that I was Greek because of the stigma attached to Lebanese people in Australia, especially Lebanese Muslims. People were still mad about the Cronulla riots. I remember it like yesterday…I claimed my name was Konstantinos, after a Greek man I used to know in Sydney. Then the kids found out I was Lebanese and my real name is Zaki.:smack: I got my computer privileges taken away for a whole week because I lied. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/35 "2013-02-03T01:16:00Z")
> [@TheCrow](#): > > I’ll get right to the point. Let’s say you meet someone new. He said he was from X country or of X origin. Thereafter, somehow you realized he was not from X country or of X origin, and asked him/her why he had lied to you about his ethnicity, home country etc. And, he said “I wanted to avoid the odium which my fellow countrymen had attracted. I know, my fellow country men are not nice and the majority of them make up a cancerous minority in your country. Plus, they are hated because of their religion. But I am not non-religious and don’t define myself as X ethnicity.” > > So, how would you react in this situation? Would you lose your love or respect for him/her? Would you get angry at him/her? My reaction: “OK duder, rock on with your bad self.” I really wouldn’t give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![Orca\_Eyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Orca\_Eyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orca_Eyes)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/36 "2013-02-03T01:25:41Z")
> [@Orca\_Eyes](#): > > I’m of Lebanese descent, and I’m Muslim, and I do ask a lot of personal questions to people. It can gets me into trouble. > > When I first moved to Newcastle from Sydney, I pretended that I was Greek because of the stigma attached to Lebanese people in Australia, especially Lebanese Muslims. People were still mad about the Cronulla riots. I remember it like yesterday…I claimed my name was Konstantinos, after a Greek man I used to know in Sydney. Then the kids found out I was Lebanese and my real name is Zaki.:smack: I got my computer privileges taken away for a whole week because I lied. My mistake…I pulled it out of a phonebook. But I’ve known several guys with that name. ---
**Author:** ![TheCrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@TheCrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCrow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/37 "2013-02-03T12:55:33Z")
Life is harsh man. Life is harsh. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/38 "2013-02-03T13:31:57Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Persian isn’t a vague term; it’s a synonym for Iranian. It’s the specific ethnicity of the Iranian people (although clearly some non-Persian people live in Iran, and some Persians live elsewhere). Someone who says that they’re Persian is telling you that they come from Iran without being vague at all. It is a very vague term and downright inaccurate not to mention not native.Iran has large minority of non Persians, like Azeris (fmr President Khatami was one) Balochis, Arabs, Hazaras etc. Technically only those from Fars province are “Persian”, so perhaps Persian is a minority in Iran after all. Of course in the US, after 1979 persons of Iranian descent use Persian. But that does not make the term synonymous or the specific ethnicity of Iranian peoples. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/39 "2013-02-03T14:32:58Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Cut him some slack. I for one have pretended to be, on occasion, Og help me, Canadian when overseas. It’s just easier sometimes. [[**Piper** adds “fanny pack with maple leaf” to his gift list for **Silenus** in the next Christmas exchange.] > [@even\_sven](#): > > If every smart and sensitive traveller pretends to be Canadian, the only “Americans” people are going to see are the assholes. I’m good with that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059/40 "2013-02-03T17:21:33Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > It is a very vague term and downright inaccurate not to mention not native.Iran has large minority of non Persians, like Azeris (fmr President Khatami was one) Balochis, Arabs, Hazaras etc. Technically only those from Fars province are “Persian”, so perhaps Persian is a minority in Iran after all. > > Of course in the US, after 1979 persons of Iranian descent use Persian. But that does not make the term synonymous or the specific ethnicity of Iranian peoples. True but overly technical ethnology for the context. The entire nation of Iran, with all its ethnicities, had borne the name _Persia_ prior to the 1930s. One may as well extend the logic to exclude the Azeris, Turkmens, and Khalaj from the nation of “Iran” because they’re Turkic instead of Aryan. (Modern Persian _Iran_ \< Middle Persian \*Eran \*\< Old Persian _Airyana_, literally meaning the land of Aryans. Which has nothing to do with crackpot Nazi theories that appropriated the name). I give Americans, and non-Iranians in general, a pass from knowing these details in depth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lying-about-your-nationality-ethnicity-etc/649059.md?page=3)