Ummmm. Seems like a little perspective is called for Hoosier.
Like you, Hoosier, I am not Black. I recognize that, because of the accident of birth that I am a white male of European descent, I will never really understand what it feels like to be Black. I can try, sincerely try, to have some understanding of it, but I'll never really have the experience of being Black in this society.
That said, take a look at all of the immigrant groups you mentioned: Irish and other Europeans, Cubans, Aisans, and the like. With the exception of some Europeans who may have come as indentured servants in the 17th and 18th centuries, and of some Chinese and other Oriental immigrants, all of the groups (and individuals) that you mentioned came here because they or their parents wanted to. It was a choice made in order to seek a better life. Amazing what that kind of attitude will do to one's desire to assimilate. (Although I think the popularity of Latin music and the like in current pop culture might contradict your assertion that all immigrant groups eschew their own cultures to be "as American as possible.")
Moreover, while many of these groups faced discrimination, and even laws intended to "keep them down," such discrimination was nothing compared to the discrimination against Blacks that was woven into the warp and woof of this country from before the Revolution.
Blacks, unlike these other immigrant groups, came here involuntarily. They came here as property and were sold as property for over two centuries. Even after slavery was abolished, law and culture worked together to keep blacks second class citizens. Remember literacy tests for voting?
Under these circumstances, is it really that surprising that some Blacks might be a little reluctant to imitate the more-WASPish ways of some of us Americans?
As for this comment:
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Many blacks seem to feel that being as "different" as possible is the way to go. Why, I ask, do so many blacks want to have extremes in hair styles, clothes, dance, and music?
I don't understand why many blacks, and their so-called leaders like Jesse Jackson, Sharpton, etc. think the way to progress is via more government handouts in housing, jobs, food, and education.
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These are what we call stereotypes, Hoosier. Practice, and you'll be able to recognize them pretty quickly.
BTW, seems to me you have a faulty premise here. Exactly how does one become "as 'American' as possible"? What exactly constitutes an American hair-style, or American clothes, dance or music? From your slam at the Democratic Party, I'm wondering if "American" means white, up-tight Republican. If that's the case, please save me from being an American!