To the Editor: Why this mania for hyphenated identities?

Ms. Roberts's interest in hyphenated cultural identity did not end there.

It is difficult to imagine a similar museum in Europe, where the hyphenated identities of Arab immigrants are far more troubled.

Many disparate communities are embraced in this single label, just as with other hyphenated American identities, like Hispanic or Latino.

On the surface, there was no obvious tension within the hyphenated identities of the dinner guests.

Workers with concurrent multiple careers adopt a "hyphenated" professional identity.

Many recent immigrants to England have assumed a solely British identity, while others have developed dual or hyphenated identities.

Saddam Hussein does not tolerate hyphenated identities.

Since the 1970's, multiculturalism helped nurture an unprecedented level of public tolerance of ethnic and racial differences and new respect for hyphenated identities.

How much should any group sacrifice for the sake of a hyphenated identity?