True true. I agree with and appreciate your analysis.Yeah, I see what you're saying. I guess we're somewhat unique in that respect. I live in a very diverse area and when I hear the term "white-washed" referring to a Chinese person it means they don't act like someone from China, or for an Indian person it means they don't act like they're from India. But you're right, when referring to a black person it has nothing to do with how African they are. It's about if they're acting like a "brotha", or a "homie", or a "gangsta", or a "nigga"; which ever term you prefer. It probably has to do with the fact that many of us didn't come here straight from Africa, and as Jan mentioned, many that did were brought over as slaves and deliberately conditioned to forget their culture and not pass it on. I can't even tell you how many generations removed I am from being African, let alone what part(s) of Africa my ancestors came from. And like many African-Canadians/Americans of similar Africa --> Caribbean --> North American heritage, I have white ancestors on both sides of my family. The bottom line is that for many if not most blacks in North America the term "Caribbean-American/Canadian" is a far more accurate description of our heritage than African, and for those that went African --> Slave-American, they had to create a whole new culture for themselves in a society where as recently as two generations ago they barely had any rights. So it's not surprising that only those who came here directly from Africa since the civil rights movement actually act African.
I also disagree with the idea that being "white-washed" or an "oreo" means you're not showing signs of your roots. Well, specifically with African American culture, it means.... you're not showing signs of African-American culture. Which aren't the roots(to the degree that I mean). I think that a lot of us Africans are considered such because we sometimes act different from our African American brethren--such as speaking proper English instead of Ebonics. I actually remember this black Canadian in 9th grade saying that I acted white as if it was a negative, and then later on saying something about how its okay because I'm African and just trying to make it in this country. Something like that.
I wonder what culture differences there are between African Americans and African Canadians. Or if it's simply the same as the difference between an American and a Canadian. EDIT: What is the cultural differences between Americans and Canadians? Ignoring guns and use of the word "caf".(And living in igloos...)
On a random note: I always feel someone is more in touch with their roots if they speak a language related. I know a lot of brown people who speak their relative Southeastern Language, a lot(well, most) of the asians I know from college are the same, and literally all of my hispanic friends at my college speak some degree of spanish and all but 2 love Salsa dancing and drag me with them sometimes. Also, I feel like all my Jewish friends are more in touch because of just the nature of being Jewish(if that makes any sense) and they teach me Hebrew words like "sh!tza". (and two of my good friends who were Jewish did this summer program visiting Israel) EDIT: Surprisingly, my parents didn't teach me my language/dialect ='(