I consider myself to be an American. When I’m in a geneological discussion I consider myself to ba an American of German decent.
That's nice. What does genealogy have to do with cultural ethnicity or religion?
What does cultural ethnicity or religion have to do with being an "American"?
If you are "of German descent", then, genealogically, you share an adjectival phrase with the Queen of England, with the King of Spain, with me and with Barack Obama.
Genealogist finds Obama's German roots
However, the adjectival phrase "of German descent" says absolutely squat about your cultural ethnicity.
If you have no remnant of the German culture of your ancestors, then you have no German cultural ethnicity. You are as "German" as a McDonald's Quarter Pounder. That's fine.
Unlike a Cajun or the Seminoles that were here in America long before your German ancestors ever left Germany, you have no surviving ancestral ethnic culture in your family. That's fine.
How does that make you more of an "American" or less of an "American" than Americans that DO still have ethnicity such as the band members of Beausoleil whose still have a surviving French cultural ethnicity even though their Acadian French ancestors came to Louisiana in 1755?
Your answer in regards to "genealogical discussion" totally avoids the issue about what is the friggin' deal about using "American" as a noun or an adjective when discussing the cultural ethnicity or religion of an American.
What makes the adjectival phrase "of German descent" superior to the adjective "German" when discussing, not genealogy, but the cultural ethnicity of an American?
American of German Descent
More Americans of German Descent
Things like tall American or fat American are simply a matter of common usage words that really don’t override the fact that one is American.
Well, there is the answer. In your book, an American that also has a cultural ethnicity has a defect that, in your book, "overrides the fact that one is American".
This is a painting depicting the "Irish Brigade" at the Sunken Road at Antietam.
"Irish" was their ethnicity and their adjective and you can tell that by their "Irish Brigade" battle flag.
"American" was their nationality and you can tell that because Old Glory is right next to their "Irish Brigade" battle flag.
Their "Irish" ethnicity did not "override the fact that they were Americans" and, just because your family lost their German cultural ethnicity long ago, that does not make you more "American" than they were.
Irish Brigade Memorial at Antietam