How insulting is Colored (vs. African American)

[Xanthus]

Originally Posted by VUG1

No, how dare you say that, "we're all Americans regardless of race". We're all HUMANS. Now I better not hear anyone else say that, we are a race together, and we love eachother.

True, but I'm speaking of those who are born in this country or have gained citizenship. They're all Americans.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Xanthus

True, but I'm speaking of those who are born in this country or have gained citizenship. They're all Americans.

What does that have to do with this topic?

LOL @ VUG1. It's the utopia that has yet to exist.

[Xanthus]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

What does that have to do with this topic?

This topic is always an issue. When you go to Great Britain or Germany etc, you don't see African German, or African Brit etc. The people over there are known as British or German. Why can't it be like that here?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Xanthus

This topic is always an issue. When you go to Great Britain or Germany etc, you don't see African German, or African Brit etc. The people over there are known as British or German. Why can't it be like that here?

Welcome to the melting pot/salad bowl/whatever metaphor works for you.

And no, you don't see African Germans or African Brits -- but you very likely well may see an attitude of Brits/Germans and "immigrants" (Turks, Pakistanis, take your pick), even if the "immigrants'" families have been there for a few generations.

[Xanthus]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Welcome to the melting pot/salad bowl/whatever metaphor works for you.

And no, you don't see African Germans or African Brits -- but you very likely well may see an attitude of Brits/Germans and "immigrants" (Turks, Pakistanis, take your pick), even if the "immigrants'" families have been there for a few generations.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

It's not like that in Germany, either. Germany also has racial and ethnic distinctions. Ever notice that not all Germans speak German or that it isn't everyone's native language, for instance?

LOL...there is also a distinction between Germany as a nationality and German as a European ethnicity. Almost every society that has racial and/or ethnic diversity of any sort has ways of distinguishing groups from one another.

This topic isn't about nationality.

I agree with both of these posts. A friend of mine was in the Marines and was stationed in Germany for two years, and he said the same thing. However, he did say he didn't see the color barrier like he sees it over here. It's not going to be a perfect country, but I think we will be moving in the right direction by getting rid of the "African American", "Asian American", "Native American" etc... on the legal forms/placement exams etc....

[moe.ron]

Originally Posted by Xanthus

I agree with both of these posts. A friend of mine was in the Marines and was stationed in Germany for two years, and he said the same thing. However, he did say he didn't see the color barrier like he sees it over here.

There's definately a color barrier there. It's just hidden better and they just don't talk about it. It's more open and freely discussed in the US. Just ask anybody from Turkey about the color barriers.

[Xanthus]

Originally Posted by moe.ron

There's definately a color barrier there. It's just hidden better and they just don't talk about it. It's more open and freely discussed in the US. Just ask anybody from Turkey about the color barriers.

Technically, the color barrier is everywhere, but here it's taken to another level. I'll use Russia as an example. Over there, especially when it was the Soviet Union, it was more status based. I have a friend who lived there when it was the USSR changed over to just Russia. He said it was a drastic change, but he didn't see a color issue because it just wasn't there. I'm sure if it would have they would probably have the same problem. Here, I believe it's taken further though. I'm sure Turkey is like that also, I know India is. Nothern Indians have a lighter complexion than Southern Indian, or the other way around. I keep forgetting. But I know there is a big color barrier there. In the U.S. there are too many labels.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Xanthus

I agree with both of these posts. A friend of mine was in the Marines and was stationed in Germany for two years, and he said the same thing. However, he did say he didn't see the color barrier like he sees it over here. It's not going to be a perfect country, but I think we will be moving in the right direction by getting rid of the "African American", "Asian American", "Native American" etc... on the legal forms/placement exams etc....

The selective observations of a Marine stationed in Germany for two years mean absolutely nothing.

Arguably, both America and Germany are no where near getting rid of those categories in everyday life and on forms and exams. We don't need to, either. People confuse social equality and nationalism with a need for being "color blind" or erasing any distinctions between people. We can reduce discrimination and inequality without pretending that we're all the same people holding hands in the sunlight. The need for the false utopia is what I consider to be a 2 year old child's concept of social life.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

People confuse social equality and nationalism with a need for being "color blind" or erasing any distinctions between people. We can reduce discrimination and inequality without pretending that we're all the same people holding hands in the sunlight. The need for the false utopia is what I consider to be a 2 year old child's concept of social life.

This is probably the best summation of that particular point I have ever read. Some people still don't understand that Brown vs. Board of Ed was about getting equal educational opportunities with schools that had actually been updated since the 1920s - not about "pleeeease give me the privilege of sitting in class with white people!"

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Xanthus

This topic is always an issue. When you go to Great Britain or Germany etc, you don't see African German, or African Brit etc. The people over there are known as British or German. Why can't it be like that here?

It's not like that in Germany, either. Germany also has racial and ethnic distinctions. Ever notice that not all Germans speak German or that it isn't everyone's native language, for instance?

LOL...there is also a distinction between Germany as a nationality and German as a European ethnicity. Almost every society that has racial and/or ethnic diversity of any sort has ways of distinguishing groups from one another.

This topic isn't about nationality.