How insulting is Colored (vs. African American)

[Little32]

Originally Posted by starang21

i think it would deem discussion at like a conference or something.

have an open forum or something on it.

This made me chuckle.

[tld221]

:bringing e-popcorn:

...called it. I mean since I have all the time in the world, with not working, disrespecting myself, and breaking the law.

[agzg]

This may just be me but I don't generally refer to someone's race when I'm talking to them. I'm pretty sure they know their race. It comes up maybe... once every 100 or so conversations.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by agzg

This may just be me but I don't generally refer to someone's race when I'm talking to them. I'm pretty sure they know their race. It comes up maybe... once every 100 or so conversations.

LOL. I had that same thought.

[VUG1]

Black people are just like all of the other people, But what you can think about is, it's just another way to describe someone. Say, I am talking to someone, and telling them about Fred, Fred has brown eyes, and dark skin. My friend asks if I know anything else, so I say he also wears green shoes. I used his Dark or "colored" skin as an explanation. It should not be racially abused.

[DaemonSeid]

I believe part of the issue of why some people take offense to the term "African American" is because of the association to some of the negatives associated with Africans that has been mentally forced upon them over the centuries. Thus some of us are only willing to stop at the West Indies, Brazil, North and South America when identifying ourselves. It's still a case by case basis however in some of those examples by which gene and characteristic is the more dominant. Also because many of us are unable (and in some cases unwilling) to trace our point of origin, in part thanks to not just the Atlantic Slave trade but Arab Slave trade was well. However, evidence has shown that a high percentage of Black people, African American, Negroid, Africoid, colored or whatever it is we choose to call ourselves, have phenotypes that originate from Africa.

One place to refer to is the works or Cheikh Anta Diop, Ivan van Sertima (who just recently passed), Chancellor Williams and most recently S.O.Y. Keita

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I believe part of the issue of why some people take offense to the term "African American" is because of the association to some of the negatives associated with Africans that has been mentally forced upon them over the centuries. Thus some of us are only willing to stop at the West Indies, Brazil, North and South America when identifying ourselves. It's still a case by case basis however in some of those examples by which gene and characteristic is the more dominant. Also because many of us are unable (and in some cases unwilling) to trace our point of origin, in part thanks to not just the Atlantic Slave trade but Arab Slave trade was well. However, evidence has shown that a high percentage of Black people, African American, Negroid, Africoid, colored or whatever it is we choose to call ourselves, have phenotypes that originate from Africa.

Or, it could just be that since most people have no connection to Africa, they don't want to connect themselves verbally to a place they've never been, have no connection to linguistically or culturally, or never intend to go.

I'd rather see the term "African-American" used for someone whose parents or grandparents emigrated here from Africa, and have a linguistic/cultural/ethnic connection to the continent, and not just a bunch of Black Americans.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Or, it could just be that since most people have no connection to Africa, they don't want to connect themselves verbally to a place they've never been, have no connection to linguistically or culturally, or never intend to go.

I'd rather see the term "African-American" used for someone whose parents or grandparents emigrated here from Africa, and have a linguistic/cultural/ethnic connection to the continent, and not just a bunch of Black Americans.

While I am not exactly disagreeing with you, you have people who are (insert your nationality here) Americans who have parents and grandparents that also have never been to their place of origin but just as easily claim it and can also as easily trace it.

So while your point is very valid, it's one of many reasons why some Blacks disagree with being called Af. Am..

(BTW good point to bring up because I have met a few who have stated that!)

As far as your preference as to why people should address themselves as Af. Am. I disagree.

Again the difference is tangible not just in geographic or cultural terms but also the mental effects that it's had on people who have already been assimilated here for over 4 centuries which continue. So, it's only fair to let people be able to identify with what they know or believe to know because so much of our history and lineage have been lost.

There have even been suggestions that pretty soon most peoples will drop the __________ - American and just be "Americans" because we all will be so thoroughly mixed.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

That won't happen in any our life times.

These categories are not just about pride, they are a way of dividing the haves and have nots and intersecting social and class and race, along the lines of Charles Tilly's Durable Inequality.

of course not...just give it 200 300 years.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

of course not...just give it 200 300 years.

LOL. We'll never know. It makes me wonder why those people keep saying that. And what is "pretty soon?"

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

Or, it could just be that since most people have no connection to Africa, they don't want to connect themselves verbally to a place they've never been, have no connection to linguistically or culturally, or never intend to go.

I'd rather see the term "African-American" used for someone whose parents or grandparents emigrated here from Africa, and have a linguistic/cultural/ethnic connection to the continent, and not just a bunch of Black Americans.

So, the average Black American would be racially "Black," but culturally or ethnically...South Carolinian, New Yorkian, or Californian? LOL. Certainly it would be based on state because being culturally or ethnically "Black" requires an acknowledgement that "Blackness" evolved from a combination of experiences that began outside of America.

Not a good idea. We are not blank slates void of cultural and ethnic heritage just because our parents or grandparents (or great grandparents--some of whom were slaves, others were sharecroppers, and still others were wealth building free Blacks) were not directly FROM another land (either via slavery or migration).

Once again, these categories will exist and people won't be able to keep others (such as myself) and agencies from using them in reference to ALL Blacks or African Americans. If people feel the terms don't apply to them beyond vital statistics, that's really just their personal business. Everyone has a story to tell...write a book.

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

So, the average Black American would be racially "Black," but culturally or ethnically...South Carolinian, New Yorkian, or Californian? LOL.

Not a good idea. We are not blank slates void of cultural and ethnic heritage just because our parents or grandparents (or great grandparents--some of whom were slaves, others were sharecroppers, and still others were wealth building free Blacks) were not directly FROM another land (either via slavery or migration).

Once again, these categories will exist and people won't be able to keep others (such as myself) and agencies from using them in reference to ALL Blacks or African Americans. If people feel the terms don't apply to them beyond vital statistics, that's really just their personal business. Everyone has a story to tell...write a book.

I honestly don't care what the rest of Black America calls themselves. I know why the term "African-American" is used, and why some people of a certain age prefer it; all I was suggesting was that some people have very personal reasons as to why they don't use it.

I wasn't suggesting any sort of "idea," regardless of what you may have culled from my post. But thanks for the sociology lesson!

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I honestly don't care what the rest of Black America calls themselves.

Good.

[madmax]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I believe part of the issue of why some people take offense to the term "African American" is because of the association to some of the negatives associated with Africans that has been mentally forced upon them over the centuries.

How is the association to negatives mentally forced on you? If somebody could mentally force something upon you they should have mentally forced you to get jobs, take care of your kids and stop breaking the law.

If you would do the right thing the negatives would not exist and you would not be associated with the negatives.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by madmax

If I would do the right thing I would not be associated with the negatives.

Fixed that for ya.