Some of my ancestors came from Italy, some from other places. I consider myself an American - PERIOD. And I probably know more about American history than you do, and I can build and shoot a flintlock rifle just like Daniel Boone, so maybe that makes me even more of an American than you are.
Americans of Italian background have taken more bull than any other European ehtnic group except perhaps the equally picked upon Poles. Nobody would dare to make jokes about blacks or hispanics or Asians in the major media or entertainment industry the way they joke about people of Italian ancestry.
In some cases this is deserved, as there are more than enough ignorant Americans of Italian extraction like one of the posters on this subject who refers to himself as a "WOP". The only WOP around here, to paraphrase a quote from "Glory" is him.
Equally annoying. I dislike all displays of ethnicity. And before you ask, no, I am not some 20th generation WASP. I have an ethnic backround myself. I just don't discuss it. Not that I'm ashamed, I just like being an American, period.