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A more sensible topic heading would have been "why are black Americans called African-Americans"?
They are. Some actually prefer that. Some don't. Just as, I believe, some Caucasians prefer to be called White Americans, or include their cultural linkage, as in "Irish-American" or "German-American", or Anglo-American. We, as a nation, has a long way to grow up and accept: "American" as the term for all citizens.
Newsflash: It's not the whites who are suddenly offended by something that refers to people of color. It's the people of color who suddenly decide a word is racist and then demand a new word or term be chosen.
It's ridiculous.
Trust me, this white has no guilt over whatever they're called.
Oddly, blacks can call themselves the most vile names imaginable, but heaven help the non-black who calls them anything but whatever is considered non-racist for today.
Since my mother was Swiss and my father German, I have no idea what nonsensical politically correct thing I might be called.
Lord, this politically correct carp gets old.
Some blacks say vile things, some whites say vile things, and some Asians say vile things. But honestly that’s not the topic being discussed. So that argument doesn’t hold water! But I do agree with you on one thing. Heaven help any non-black that calls me anything racist.
This whole black vs. African American thing is really a non-issue. It seems to mostly be discussed by white people. My suggestion is just to get over it and discuss something else. You don’t have any say so in what other groups call them selves.
You can thank the race-baiting Jesse Jackson for pushing that term back in 1988 during his presidential election. It's a politically correct term.
Was attaching "/White" to Caucasian a kind of race baiting? Would using "black" instead of "Afro-Americans" or "African-Americans" be race baiting? For that matter, what wouldn't be?
A more sensible topic heading would have been "why are black Americans called African-Americans"?
No, the sensible thing would be for the moderators to not tolerate these race baiting threads day after day. What is the controversy here, that African-Americans aren't assimilating and dropping their heritage fast enough? Or is it that their being uppity using a hyphenated name for themselves? Maybe white should resent that blacks are reminding whites of their racist slave holding days with that word AFRICAN?
Whatever it is, it is simply another thread where a few bigots are suggesting they have the right to control what ppl say and do.
No, the sensible thing would be for the moderators to not tolerate these race baiting threads day after day. What is the controversy here, that African-Americans aren't assimilating and dropping their heritage fast enough? Or is it that their being uppity using a hyphenated name for themselves? Maybe white should resent that blacks are reminding whites of their racist slave holding days with that word AFRICAN?
Whatever it is, it is simply another thread where a few bigots are suggesting they have the right to control what ppl say and do.
You are equally responsible for slavery as I am. I am probably responsible for bigotry somewhere along the line for not doing enough to stop it...but with slavery...we're equally responsible. I apologize if the thread offended anyone...which apparently it did. I originally saw no reason why it would...but it obviously does...so again I apologize. Should this thread be closed, do you think?
buzzards, how is questioning the term African American racist baiting? It is a simple question that points out in my opinion that just because you ancestors may be from Africa does not make you an African American. I have family that immigrated from other parts of the world as well, but I dont use that in referring to myself. I am an American, just like you are. I am white...why are you offended if I call you black? My son had jaundice when he was born..guess what, he was yellow.
I think that chicagonut was on the right track as far as what the heading should have read. This does not make us bigots or racists. It just doesnt make any sense to some of us.
how is questioning the term African American racist baiting?
Questioning itself doesn't seem to be an issue. However, intent of questioning can masquerade behind innocence. If you wanted to find out whether or not this is about race baiting, let us figure out answers to the following questions:
1- What is the purpose of this thread?
2- Is there a better way to describe blacks without racist overtones?
3- How is "African American" different conceptually than "Caucasian/White"?
4- Is it racist of someone to identify self as "German-American" or "Italian-American"?
5- Why is there "/White" associated with "Caucasian"?
buzzards, how is questioning the term African American racist baiting? It is a simple question that points out in my opinion that just because you ancestors may be from Africa does not make you an African American. I have family that immigrated from other parts of the world as well, but I dont use that in referring to myself. I am an American, just like you are. I am white...why are you offended if I call you black? My son had jaundice when he was born..guess what, he was yellow.
I think that chicagonut was on the right track as far as what the heading should have read. This does not make us bigots or racists. It just doesnt make any sense to some of us.
When you base everything you say and do on skin color, national heritage, of other such characteristics you might be a bigot. When you're preoccupied with and questioning what others call themselves. Especially, when it is the 20th let's bash minorities thread of the day.
Where are the threads questioning the terms, Jewish-Americans, Polish-Americans, irish-Americans, etc? Why is it always the blacks and Hispanics getting bashed?
If you don't think this threads are bigoted, racist, you aren't understanding what those terms actually mean. When you devote most of your waken hours dividing ppl according to their racial and ethnic characteristics you just might be a bigot.
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