[rootingforroots]

> they are proper italians.

The unification of Italy happened in the 1860s, the concept of "proper italian" is quite new, as well the concept of a single language for the Italian land.

> Just because your grandparents came from italy doesn't make you italian.

Italian consitution says otherwise.

> the best meatballs and pasta I've ever had was in Phoenix

The inclusion of tomatoes in italian cuisine is quite recent, many italians emigrated to americas before mainland italians adopted tomatoes.

> I dislike the "my family has italian roots so I can claim that I'm italian" thing.

You dislike it, and you wish to spend your precious time focused on what you dislike and trying to convince other people to dislike it.