"BLACK or AFRICAN AMERICAN" mainly a question...

1…111213141517»

Replies

  • QueenyLanae
    QueenyLanae Posts: 27 Member
    I always thought "ppl of colour" was more offensive.

    And technically, can you really call a "person of colour" an African-American since Americans don't spell color that way anyway?

    Sorry... just picking on you a bit.

    Funnily enough, even in Canada where we spell it "colour", black people are often referred to as "African Americans" even though they are usually neither African nor American.

    This is because they are of African descent and live/born in North America.
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    I prefer Mutant American, but that only works for mutants. Otherwise, Nubian King or Queen.
  • antizoni1
    antizoni1 Posts: 334
    I am Black....Blacker than the darkest alley that you are scared to go into, But you can call me Tony:bigsmile:
  • tasiamere
    tasiamere Posts: 233
    It always amazes me that people are still stuck on the race definition thing...smh but with that said I would rather just be called black. "People of Color" irritates me simply because in all actuality Black is void of color and white is all color. and I'm not from Africa, I'm just a normal homegrown American. We don't say European Americans so why specify Asian-American, African American, etc...It just sounds to me like a mechanism to provide a gateway and subconsciously say "Go back to where you came from" when being derogatory against anyone not deemed "white".

    Whole thing is pretty stupid to me but that could stem from the fact that I identify with many and see no real differences in "races".
  • tasiamere
    tasiamere Posts: 233
    I'll probably get flamed for saying so, but I think African American is a little bit of a stretch for most people that describe themselves using that term. Most are not connected to Africa in any substantive way and are culturally 100% American. If someone referred to me as a European American, I'd probably laugh. I mean, my culture is not European, it's thoroughly American. So we can cut that whole first descriptor out, I think. I might have the same skin tone as someone from Germany, but we are not culturally connected in my mind.

    Sometimes I get really radical and call people by their first names...

    Love it!
  • AnitaVolpato
    AnitaVolpato Posts: 204 Member
    I just say I am multiracial, black or African American. It really doesn't matter to me. I am such an strong individual and so different from the stereotypes of my "own" race and culture that what people call me doesn't matter as long as it's not derogatory. I am just me..

    I do get a kick out of people that try to deny that they have negro/black ancestry... black people are everywhere and speak all languages.. and come in various shades.. LOL

    e.g. The Dominican or Puerto Rican that is darker than me or anyone in my family with similar features telling me he has no negro ancestry.... YEAH RIGHT!!!
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    it is shameful that in the USA we have such a recent history of the treatment of minorities. there are minorities alive today who marched with Dr. King. those wounds will take a long time to heal. so i dont care what they want to be called. i will gladly use whatever term they want. and i can use different terms at different times when seen fit.

    so maybe in 100 or 200 years we can all call ourselves Americans.
  • glamouritz64
    glamouritz64 Posts: 85 Member
    I'm bi-racial (half white, half black), but I largely identify myself as "BLACK".

    "African American" seems a bit pretentious, and not at all accurate IMHO. There are "African Americans" who have white skin (South Africans? Hello??).

    Just my 2 cents.:glasses:
  • melb2003
    melb2003 Posts: 198
    bump
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    I remember a news article where people were asked how they would describe the man in the picture.

    Most said 'African American'. He was a British man of Jamaican descent.
  • Midnight_Sunshine
    Midnight_Sunshine Posts: 369 Member

    And then Asians, Why aren't they called Yellow people? Hmm..they mysteries of the world...



    Um.....You don't get out much, do you?
  • survivor1952
    survivor1952 Posts: 250 Member
    Good for you, I like your attitude. I am white, I don't call myself Caucasion. Isn't there a lot more important things to worry about than words?
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member

    Funnily enough, even in Canada where we spell it "colour", black people are often referred to as "African Americans" even though they are usually neither African nor American.

    THIS is what makes me crack up about the whole thing.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    I am Black....Blacker than the darkest alley that you are scared to go into, But you can call me Tony:bigsmile:

    You're dark, but you're no Wesley Snipes.

    I know I'm white, but I can say it because I learned it from Chappelle's show. :tongue:
  • Lone_Wolf70
    Lone_Wolf70 Posts: 2,820 Member
    I am so glad this thread is back

    *opens popcorn
  • Promqueen_74932
    Promqueen_74932 Posts: 203 Member
    I will never understand the statement "people of colour." I am an art major and black is not a color, it is a non-colour. Black is the result when no lightwaves are emitted or reflected. White is a color and White light is all the colors of the visible spectrum.

    By this statment I am White, Heinz 57, mixed, whatever you would like to call it. I have Indian, Irish, Black Dutch, German, and God only knows what else is in my blood line. Born and raise in Oklahoma, so I'm totally "country."

    I always ask what people reference themselves as. I don't mind be called white, country, hick, caucasian, etc. One of my black guy friends calls me "European" and we crack jokes. I wouldn't with some random person off the street though. I think it's all about preference and respect.

    Thanks for the topic!

    Sara
  • Promqueen_74932
    Promqueen_74932 Posts: 203 Member
    I remember a news article where people were asked how they would describe the man in the picture.

    Most said 'African American'. He was a British man of Jamaican descent.

    LOL! Oh wow!
  • DimpleQueen
    DimpleQueen Posts: 11
    That was very well said! Thank you for posting this
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    Okay... maybe I didn't. Post 500!

    Will the thread die... or carry on?

    We shall see.
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
    i dont know will we?
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    I knew it was you! HAHAHAHAHA!
  • rprussell2004
    rprussell2004 Posts: 870 Member
    What are we talking about, again?
  • erxkeel
    erxkeel Posts: 553 Member
    I don't refer to myself as "German American." Just American.
    FFS.
  • TinaDay1114
    TinaDay1114 Posts: 1,328 Member
    I applaud everyone for being able to express themselves here, and especially to the OP for posting the question. Any topics of race seem to be peppered with landmines no matter who you are, where you come from.

    I think the reason we all get so confused and hung up on the WORDS is that everything underneath it — all the nitty gritty of the race discussion — is so complex and emotional and (possibly) painful to someone. Most people, deep down, don't want to lob a grenade at anyone, even inadvertently. :blushing: And as a white girl from a not-so-diverse place, it's hard to know what terms / language / whatever to use in what situations. I don't wanna screw it up.

    I find myself just trying to approach everyone as a person ("a person's a person" like it says in Dr. Suess). I have a close friend who is like a brother to me, and he is married to a "white" girl. Because we have a long standing relationship, and I know I can ask him anything, he chuckles at all my questions about race over the years. When this kind of discussion is one-to-one with someone you know and care about, it's not as fraught with danger. :flowerforyou:

Categories