No, but they'll say they are Irish American or German American or Polish American, etc. Or, they'll just identify as Irish or German or Polish, etc., even though they've never stepped outside the USA. They'll even give the whole rundown: half this, a quarter that, a quarter this, etc. I was raised to say American of Italian descent, but I don't care if someone else says Italian American.
Maybe people in other parts of the country don't identify that way? But, where I live in the NE, they always did (in my lifetime). We also kept up with the customs and traditions from "the old country" for generations, although we have slacked off now as most people today are a mixture of ethnic backgrounds.
So, I never understood all the uproar over the term African American. If you can't pinpoint the country because that information was taken from you, then refer to the continent. There's nothing wrong with saying European American, either.
The government shouldn't put us into boxes, but there's nothing wrong with honoring our ancestors in the way we identify ourselves.
Foreigners laugh at us, but who cares what they think.
Good post.