How insulting is Colored (vs. African American)

[Shellfish]

A friend of mine used to say, back in the '80s, that her grandmother preferred being called colored. She must have been about 80 then. I reckon she could choose how she wanted to be referred to.

I have one little drop and like to use the term octoroon, but I think that it's not preferred. It needs to be reclaimed.

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I have a co-worker who prefers to be referred to as a "woman of color" than as an African American.

I always wonder about those African Americans who have no family ties to Africa? I mean I guess back down the line it's possible, but I seriously wonder and I'm not being stupid. I've heard of black people who didn't like being referred to as African American because they weren't from Africa. Are black people from Canada referred to as African Canadian? This is an honest question.

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I hate cracka @ss crackas named madmax.

How's that?

Please don't use that word. Madmax is a huge dumbass but you using the word "cracka" as a derogatory word towards a white person doesn't make you any better.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Please don't use that word. Madmax is a huge dumbass but you using the word "cracka" as a derogatory word towards a white person doesn't make you any better.

HAHAHAHA.....wow!!!


You may want to stay out of this one....

remember this:

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I do too. Because why is it necessary to wear a shirt, in Arabic that many people cannot understand, that says "We will not be silent". Who is "we" and why won't you "be silent"? What is the silence about? That shit just makes people nervous and I'm sorry, call me racist but if I was at an airport and saw someone, whatever they look like Arab or not, wearing this shirt I'd be nervous.

[I.A.S.K.]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I always wonder about those African Americans who have no family ties to Africa? I mean I guess back down the line it's possible, but I seriously wonder and I'm not being stupid. I've heard of black people who didn't like being referred to as African American because they weren't from Africa. Are black people from Canada referred to as African Canadian? This is an honest question.

Please don't use that word. Madmax is a huge dumbass but you using the word "cracka" as a derogatory word towards a white person doesn't make you any better.

Is this the joke of the day?
Yet, I think you might actually be serious. Are you?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by I.A.S.K.

Is this the joke of the day?
Yet, I think you might actually be serious. Are you?

well she said she wasn't being stupid.....so....uuuh...

[I.A.S.K.]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

well she said she wasn't being stupid.....so....uuuh...

Well, she should have said that she didn't THINK she was being stupid.

[AOII_LB93]

Originally Posted by madmax

Who is the dumbass now?

Consensus of this thread? Still you.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I use the word colored with my friends pretty often when referring to us as a group or something like that. (They are mostly Hispanic.)

I would not mind if an older person or most other people using it in a non-offensive way referred to me as colored. I am colored. I am Black. I am American. I am Jamaican. What I don't like, is the term African-American. I will correct someone on that.

[madmax]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I use the word colored with my friends pretty often when referring to us as a group or something like that. (They are mostly Hispanic.)

I would not mind if an older person or most other people using it in a non-offensive way referred to me as colored. I am colored. I am Black. I am American. I am Jamaican. What I don't like, is the term African-American. I will correct someone on that.

So far we have some black people that prefer the term African American and some that do not. We also have some that don't mind the term colored and others that get all uppity if they hear the term colored. Why bother trying to be pc?

[starang21]

Originally Posted by madmax

Why bother trying to be pc?

for a social experiment, use the word colored in a predominantly black neighborhood. you might get the answer you're looking for.

[BabyPiNK_FL]

Originally Posted by madmax

So far we have some black people that prefer the term African American and some that do not. We also have some that don't mind the term colored and others that get all uppity if they hear the term colored. Why bother trying to be pc?

Sweetie, not all black people are Af.-Am. I know it's hard to wrap your head around it. I know it's difficult because you maybe can't tell the difference and don't understand why it's important for all people to be able to identify themselves as they see fit. However, that's what makes us unique and makes us people. It's true of everyone on this earth. At the end of the day we are not a collective. We self-define. There is no one-size-fits-all.

[minDyG]

Originally Posted by madmax

So far we have some black people that prefer the term African American and some that do not. We also have some that don't mind the term colored and others that get all uppity if they hear the term colored. Why bother trying to be pc?

There are people in the world who do not have a sense of smell, and some who do. Let us begin using madmax's logic and not bother trying to conceal our flatulence.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I use the word colored with my friends pretty often when referring to us as a group or something like that. (They are mostly Hispanic.)

I would not mind if an older person or most other people using it in a non-offensive way referred to me as colored. I am colored. I am Black. I am American. I am Jamaican. What I don't like, is the term African-American. I will correct someone on that.

I assume you don't like it because you're not from Africa, which makes perfect sense. But how is someone supposed to know that? Are there noticeable differences in features or skin color?

I'm not trying to stir the pot here, just honestly asking.

This makes me think of an old WWII propaganda poster I saw once, the jist of which was "how to tell a Chinese person from a Japanese person so you're not unnecessarily mean to the Chinese person since it's not them we're pissed off at."

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I assume you don't like it because you're not from Africa, which makes perfect sense. But how is someone supposed to know that? Are there noticeable differences in features or skin color?

No, there usually aren't features and skin color differences.

She and all other people of the African diaspora will just have to take it on a case-by-case basis. Being Jamaican or Brazilian, for example, are not racial designations. Black and African American are pretty standard. People can specify their cultural or ethnic designations from there. Black and African American are the least offensive and least nitpicky of the category labels, as far as I'm concerned. They originated for a reason.

Originally Posted by 33girl

This makes me think of an old WWII propaganda poster I saw once, the jist of which was "how to tell a Chinese person from a Japanese person so you're not unnecessarily mean to the Chinese person since it's not them we're pissed off at."

I consider that different than "Black people" from all over the globe. Chinese and Japanese are not only culturally but ethnically distinct within the "Asian" racial category. I can usually tell the difference because the different Asian ethnicities tend to have different physical features.

Does anyone remember the martial arts film "Chinese vs. Japanese?" Great film. A lot of people didn't know there WAS a difference before that film was released in America.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by madmax

Do you still live in Detroit and work at a self storage center?


Who is the dumbass now?


PS. In case you don't remember you have been in more of your share of these threads.

^^^ Jackassery FTW!


What makes this even more hilarious is that in her own off handed way, she actually was trying to stick up for you, you dope.