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When you segregate a group of people based on skin color...that's racism. Therefore I do find it a racist term. It's categorizing a group of people based on skin color and fits the definition.
I'm sure you could find people who can justify any term for any people any where. It's a sad fact of human nature. We categorize, we separate and segregate.
I'm sorry if I offended you, Towanda, I was simply expressing my opinion, as were you. I haven't pretended to know you. I was simply responding to your post.
Last edited by Minathebrat; 11-26-2008 at 03:18 PM..
Reason: can't spell
In My Opinion the Word Anglo is Very Very Common in New Mexico and to fight against being called that might make the person call you Worse because no one has any idea its not right or according to each ones opinion. I would think that Gringo or Redneck or wht trsh is Worse but its my opinion. el pintada kid
When you segregate a group of people based on skin color...that's racism. Therefore I do find it a racist term. It's categorizing a group of people based on skin color and fits the definition.
I'm sure you could find people who can justify any term for any people any where. It's a sad fact of human nature. We categorize, we separate and segregate.
I'm sorry if I offended you, Towanda, I was simply expressing my opinion, as were you. I haven't pretended to know you. I was simply responding to your post.
How can you avoid categorizing?
You find calling a Caucasian/white person an Anglo offensive, but how is that different from other groups being called African-American/black/Hispanic/Latino/Mexican/Mexican-American? Or Indian, Native American, et al..? They're all categories and classifications.
Of course, any of these terms can be made offensive (tone of voice, context), but to me, it's just a general term for white folks.
You find calling a Caucasian/white person an Anglo offensive, but how is that different from other groups being called African-American/black/Hispanic/Latino/Mexican/Mexican-American? Or Indian, Native American, et al..? They're all categories and classifications.
Of course, any of these terms can be made offensive (tone of voice, context), but to me, it's just a general term for white folks.
Really no big deal, IMHO.
It probably isn't offensive to call someone who has "Anglo-Saxon" ancestory an "Anglo" for short but it's very offensive to call all others that. It's like calling all "hispanic" people Mexicans, or anyone with Asian ancestors Chinese. And yes they would be offended. Just call people by the official term, or if you simply must refer to them by their ethnicity, then use their actual ethnicity.
You find calling a Caucasian/white person an Anglo offensive, but how is that different from other groups being called African-American/black/Hispanic/Latino/Mexican/Mexican-American? Or Indian, Native American, et al..? They're all categories and classifications.
Of course, any of these terms can be made offensive (tone of voice, context), but to me, it's just a general term for white folks.
Really no big deal, IMHO.
There is a whole lot of difference. Anglo Saxons are not the only Caucasian people. It is a distinct ethnic group that settled in England. What's so hard with the word "Caucasian", that someone has to try to find stupid substitutes? Anglo refers to the native people of England and not to people of Polish, Irish, French, Italian etc ethnicity.
Out here "Anglo" is a generic term for a white person. Been that way for generations, I think.
If you move here you will hear it used all the time ... and my opinion is that no one means anything derogatory by it ... so it is up to us whether we are going to choose to be offended by the term or not.
This is just my opinion, but if anyone is planning to move here and is highly offended by the term, it's best to just accept it as part of the language/culture here. Getting into an argument with anyone here or saying "Please don't refer to me as an Anglo" is a battle you cannot win.
I don't believe that long use of a slur word makes it any better. There are "alternative" labels for many groups but they are all inappropriate. There is nothing difficult about using the proper labels if one must use labels.
Calling black people or African Americans -- if they prefer, "colored" is offensive to most -- so why use it? It doesn't matter that it goes way back in history. No one has to use the word Anglo when they could say someone has European ancestry which is much more accurate.
I don't think being "white" makes people a fair target of racist labels. Racism is wrong no matter who is being targetted.
It probably isn't offensive to call someone who has "Anglo-Saxon" ancestory an "Anglo" for short but it's very offensive to call all others that. It's like calling all "hispanic" people Mexicans, or anyone with Asian ancestors Chinese. And yes they would be offended. Just call people by the official term, or if you simply must refer to them by their ethnicity, then use their actual ethnicity.
You're getting into a lot of gray areas and hair-pulling with that one. What is the "official" term? You don't always know what one's ethnicity is, either.
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It only shows me that we disagree on this topic... and that you know nothing about me.
In My Opinion
