Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
No doubt, agree with what you say. If you are an American, you deserve to be called an American. I think though that for some reason, calling someone "black" is un=PC for some reasons, so people want the more "respectful" term of AA.
I agree that its stupid.
That makes sense, I'm white, but I've never had an AA friend or acquaintence offended by being referred to as black.
I do use the term black, but only as a descriptor when it is the most obvious or unambiguous way to describe someone, when a description is necessary. Such as you are at a baseball game and see a group of ten guys and nine are white, one is black, three have blonde hair, and one is a redhead, two are wearing green shirts, several have white shirts, some have black or yellow shirts, one person is shaved bald, another has lost most of his hair, and two have mullets, one is very short, several are taller, three are very overweight. If someone says "which one is Reggie?" It's easier to say "the black guy" than saying "the tall guy in the green shirt, with the shaved head". I don't mean anything negative by it (and certainly don't mean offense by it), simply a physical descriptor. If he was the only tall one, or the only one with a green shirt, I might describe him as "the tall guy" or just "the one in the green shirt". I rarely use the term African-American because it is awkward and most of my black friends don't refer to themselves/their friends and family that way. If a particular person tells me that is what they prefer, then I will try to use it with them if, for some reason, I need to refer to someone's race.
I hope that more young people feel the way the OP does. I have always tried to live a colorblind life, but the current backlash is bringing up the divisions again. I do understand that there are still, in every part of our society, racists. Some closeted, some open and obnoxious. Just as there are people who SEE racism when it is not there, or who "play the race card" when it suits their purpose. I believe these people (racists and race-baiters) are a minority and most Americans really just want to get along and be left alone to live their lives in peace.
there are historical and cultural differences between chinese-americans and japanese-americans but i wouldn't say japanese people arent asian.
No, but that's not the same thing.
A Jamaican or a Trinidadian in that context is NOT a "black American", which is what the poster that you responded to was saying. Yes, they ARE "black" if you are referring to race alone. But he wasn't.
Yes, we know that there is more to "America" than the USA, blah blah blah, tiresome old lame argument, but in real life in most of the world, the term "Americans" does usually refer to people from the United States. Nobody calls Brazilians or Nicaraguans "Americans" even though they live in South and Central America. The word is part of the name of our country, The United States of America. Does someone want to start calling us "United Staters" to be technically correct? Yeah, let me know how that works out.
What are quadroon and octaroon? At 37 years old, I've never heard those two terms.
Then again, I hadn't heard "high yellow" until about 3 years ago.
A quadroon is an old term for a person who is one-quarter black; obviously, an octoroon is therefore a term for a person who is one-eighth black. I have never heard the terms used in real life, only in books that are written or take place in the nineteenth century.
A Jamaican or a Trinidadian in that context is NOT a "black American", which is what the poster that you responded to was saying. Yes, they ARE "black" if you are referring to race alone. But he wasn't.
is the term american black really that popular ? maybe because i'm from the northeast that i never heard of it (we usually say african-american) ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
Yes, we know that there is more to "America" than the USA, blah blah blah, tiresome old lame argument, but in real life in most of the world, the term "Americans" does usually refer to people from the United States. Nobody calls Brazilians or Nicaraguans "Americans" even though they live in South and Central America. The word is part of the name of our country, The United States of America. Does someone want to start calling us "United Staters" to be technically correct? Yeah, let me know how that works out.
depends on context there is a poll in city-vs-city (i'm trying to find it) that asks about best american olympic host city and montreal and mexico city were among the choices.
As a black American, I absolutely despise when people call me "African-American". First of all, I was born in America (August 29, 1995, suburban Philadelphia), not Africa. Secondly, besides ancestral, I have no connection whatsoever to Africa. I have never stepped foot in Africa, nor do I plan to anytime in the near future as I am a broke college kid . Finally, some people make the argument that, by calling myself an "African-American", I am honoring my African heritage. Why should I only honor my African heritage? I am also part Native-American, Irish, and German.
Is anyone else getting tired of hearing "___-American"? Why can't we just call ourselves Americans? If you were born in this country, then I consider you to be an American.
P.S. When I traveled to Paris, France for study abroad last month, NOBODY there considered me "African-American". All of the French students considered me American, which was a GREAT feeling!
Being from Philly, do you question why people who live in South Philly called themselves "Italian Americans" even though they have never stepped foot outside of Pennsylvania?
Last month, were you baffled by all of the "Irish Americans" who were born and raised in Cleveland?
Mexican-Americans, Polish-American, Russian-American, Korean-American, etc.
Millions of people born and raised here in America identify with their ancestral/cultural heritage. How is that a problem?
Yes I do, in fact. If you were born in the United States, then you are an American. I hold this to be true.
i get offended when black (skill) labor call me "boss man" Im not a boss man, not their boss man and most of them are better than me. i like to be called by my name, that why its on my hardhat
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
. Finally, some people make the argument that, by calling myself an "African-American", I am honoring my African heritage. Why should I only honor my African heritage? I am also part Native-American, Irish, and German. 
