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It's up to the Black community to decide what's offensive and what's not.
when they take great offense to one term, yet have no problem with a basically identical term, it makes it very difficult to take their being offended very seriously.
what if white southerners decided that 'people with necks of red' was just fine, but had explosive hissy-fits when the term 'redneck' was used?
would that seem logical to you?
Did I say YOU in general. I'm trying to understand why are you being combative about a simple discussion. Again, I could care less what you or your family call yourselves, it is YOUR RIGHT. But I don't understand all of this focus on Blacks who call themselves African Americans but none of the same verbiage and venom is directed towards those that call themselves Asian, Italian, Jewish Americans? And again, my response was to Chatty post
Maybe because of the title of this thread? I don't see most of the groups you refer to insisting on calling themselves "Italian Americans" "Irish Americans" etc all the time. And these descriptors are nor similar - some are countries, some are religions, some are continents being used to define race.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nimchimpsky
It's up to the Black community to decide what's offensive and what's not. I realize that not every Black person has the exact same opinion, but if 9 out of 10 Black people find the term "people of color" offensive, then that term is offensive. In my experience, most Black people I meet find the term "colored" offensive and don't find the term "people of color" offensive. So I use the term "people of color" and avoid the term "colored".
If I meet a Black individual who happens to find "African-American" offensive and prefers the term "Black", then I will use "Black" and not "African-American" when I'm talking to them--even though most Black people I know don't find the word "African-American" offensive. I respect that individual's preference.
This is what makes it hard - if it comes down to the individual to decide what the proper term is, you can offend someone without meaning to. Also it keeps changing every 20 years. So the idea of what is and is not offensive can also have to do with your age. Since I came of age in the 70s, I can't get it out of my head that the term "Black" could be offensive. "Colored" was the term that it replaced so I "got" that it shouldn't be used. I still remember the term "Negro" being used but again, it was generally used respectfully (at least in my memory) and we still have the UNCF so somebody must think it's not offensive.
And just for the record, I think Beck is a washed up nincompoop who doesn't deserve media coverage and for whom I have ZERO respect.
Same for the United Negro College Fund, (with the word "negro") but seeing as the NAACP is an African American organization that promotes black interests, I don't see a problem using the term that was common--and didn't have negative connotations--back when it was founded in 1911 (or was it 1908?)
As a white guy, I'd never use the word "colored" to describe black people any more than I'd use "negro." I'm not upset about not being able to use it though. Most blacks consider both terms perjorative, so I won't refer to them as such out of courtesy. It's really no different than someone not wanting to be called by an unwanted nickname.
This is what makes it hard - if it comes down to the individual to decide what the proper term is, you can offend someone without meaning to. Also it keeps changing every 20 years. So the idea of what is and is not offensive can also have to do with your age. Since I came of age in the 70s, I can't get it out of my head that the term "Black" could be offensive. "Colored" was the term that it replaced so I "got" that it shouldn't be used. I still remember the term "Negro" being used but again, it was generally used respectfully (at least in my memory) and we still have the UNCF so somebody must think it's not offensive.
And just for the record, I think Beck is a washed up nincompoop who doesn't deserve media coverage and for whom I have ZERO respect.
Which is also why I don't jump on people the first time they use a term I find offensive. I tell them why I find it offensive and I tell them which term I prefer. (In my case, it's in regards to blindness, but the principle is the same.) However, I don't think it's too hard to try to follow the general trend and make an effort to be considerate of other people's preferences.
You do have a point in that even when you do try to be considerate, you risk offending. That's why I don't think it would be fair for a Black person to attack someone who used the word "colored" and didn't know any better. But as soon as it was explained to that person that the term "colored" is offensive, then I would hold them responsible from then on. If they insisted on using it after someone explained to them, I would find that rude and, in this case, racist.
I liken it to finding out people's naming preferences in general. I just started school and met a bunch of my professors for the first time. I gauged what they preferred to be called by either observing how they signed their emails, referred to themselves, or I asked them directly. Some schools call for an overall Professor LastName policy and other schools call for an overall FirstName policy. Individual professors may have a preference that's different from the school trend. It's the same with the Black Community and Black individuals. The Black community in general prefers the terms "Black" and "African-American" over "colored" and "Negro", but if an individual prefers "colored" or "Negro" over "Black" or "African-American," it's not too difficult to make an exception for them. If someone can grasp the idea that an individual professor might prefer FirstName in a school where most professors get called Prof. LastName, I don't see why an individual couldn't grasp the idea that an individual Black person might prefer "colored" in a community where most people prefer "Black" or "African-American."
(For the record, I have yet to meet a Black person who preferred the term "Negro" but I was using that for illustration's sake. However, I have met deaf/blind people that preferred the terms "hearing impaired"/"visually impaired" even though those terms sound like nails on a chalkboard to me, so situations may arise where someone's preferred term smacks of prejudice to you on a gut level.)
Maybe because of the title of this thread? I don't see most of the groups you refer to insisting on calling themselves "Italian Americans" "Irish Americans" etc all the time. And these descriptors are nor similar - some are countries, some are religions, some are continents being used to define race.
We collectively are NOT insisting on calling ourselves African American, its up to the individual how they refere to themselves. I have friends who are Italian that identify themselves as Italian American even though their second generation Americans. Its the Media that continue to use the term African American, the majority of us including myself use Black.
This is what makes it hard - if it comes down to the individual to decide what the proper term is, you can offend someone without meaning to. My opinion is a lot has to do with age. Since I came of age in the 70s, I can't get it out of my head that the term "Black" could be offensive. "Colored" was the term that it replaced so I "got" that it shouldn't be used. I still remember the term "Negro" being used but again, it was generally used respectfully (at least in my memory) and we still have the UNCF so somebody must think it's not offensive.
And just for the record, I think Beck is a washed up nincompoop who doesn't deserve media coverage and for whom I have ZERO respect.
I think American should just cover it.
Those interested in looking for idenity of black, white etc are the problem of which they feel a color defines who they are.
Beck is rediculously for entertaining calling anyone anything other then sir, lady, guy, girl, boy, men and women etc and if available THEIR NAME first.
Example the Rev Jesse Jackson is called Jesse and should pay no attention to him until he starts calling people or groups of people AMERICANS!
No blacks, whites etc.
Which is also why I don't jump on people the first time they use a term I find offensive. I tell them why I find it offensive and I tell them which term I prefer. (In my case, it's in regards to blindness, but the principle is the same.) However, I don't think it's too hard to try to follow the general trend and make an effort to be considerate of other people's preferences.
You do have a point in that even when you do try to be considerate, you risk offending. That's why I don't think it would be fair for a Black person to attack someone who used the word "colored" and didn't know any better. But as soon as it was explained to that person that the term "colored" is offensive, then I would hold them responsible from then on. If they insisted on using it after someone explained to them, I would find that rude and, in this case, racist.
I liken it to finding out people's naming preferences in general. I just started school and met a bunch of my professors for the first time. I gauged what they preferred to be called by either observing how they signed their emails, referred to themselves, or I asked them directly. Some schools call for an overall Professor LastName policy and other schools call for an overall FirstName policy. Individual professors may have a preference that's different from the school trend. It's the same with the Black Community and Black individuals. The Black community in general prefers the terms "Black" and "African-American" over "colored" and "Negro", but if an individual prefers "colored" or "Negro" over "Black" or "African-American," it's not too difficult to make an exception for them. If someone can grasp the idea that an individual professor might prefer FirstName in a school where most professors get called Prof. LastName, I don't see why an individual couldn't grasp the idea that an individual Black person might prefer "colored" in a community where most people prefer "Black" or "African-American."
(For the record, I have yet to meet a Black person who preferred the term "Negro" but I was using that for illustration's sake. However, I have met deaf/blind people that preferred the terms "hearing impaired"/"visually impaired" even though those terms sound like nails on a chalkboard to me, so situations may arise where someone's preferred term smacks of prejudice to you on a gut level.)
Ditto, you call people by what they want to be called. Just common decency.
Yes, if you are a witness to a crime ya simply say "He looked American."
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