"I don't consider myself a Native American," says a caller to a conservative radio show who may or may not be anything but a white man living in Alabama. "Instead, I'm fine with being called American Indian. In fact, I embrace it!"
Except...Native Americans really are NOT American Indians. Americans of Indian descent are American Indians.
Likewise, I'm Native American, because I was born in America.
African Americans may or may not be black Americans and black Americans may or may not be of African descent.
We need better terms.