Black or AA? (state, Senate, citizen, European)

[Amelie90]

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

The Menninger foundation was instrumental in securing the Brown Vs. Topeka Board of Education decision over 50 years ago because they proved that young African American children don’t know that being a different color from white children means they are different. The psychological damage occurs when they are shown that they are different.

There was recently a documentary about a girl who although she was the result of an affair her mother had with a black man, was raised as the biological child of her white father and mother. It wasn’t until she went off to college and spent time around African Americans that she was faced with the prospect of being a black person. She looked in the mirror every day, watched TV and no doubt played with white dolls and never once thought she was different from her siblings or white relatives.

Perhaps our reality is a manifestation of the way we feel and the way we look .

I don't doubt that there are situations where some people don't realize what race they are for whatever reasons. I just personally don't remember a time when I wasn't aware that I was black.

[Unsettomati]

Originally Posted by veezybell

I've never understood this, and it might have to do with me being fairly young (still in my 20s)...but why do a lot of people prefer to be called African American over black? I prefer black myself because I'm not African, I've never been to Africa, I don't speak any African languages, I wouldn't know what ethnic tribe I originate from, etc. so I feel totally disconnected from the average black African that I've encountered. Which is ironic, because I'm probably more "African" than most who prefer to be called AA. Can someone explain the justification for choosing "AA" over "black"?

You're not black, you're brown. So if you're getting all bent over shape about not being 'African', how come you aren't getting all bent out of shape over not being 'black'? Do you have a problem with the language we're using being called 'English' and not 'American'? Why not? We're not in England. We're not English. I've never been to England, and the majority of English speakers around the world have not, either.

You seem to be trying hard to find an excuse not to like 'African-American', but the only rationalizations you're dredging up just aren't consistent with your other casual use of terminology. Now, I don't care what terminology you use - I'm just pointing out that you're excuses don't hold water. I don't think you have to justify using the term 'black' to anyone. So why does someone else have to justify using the term 'African-American' to you?

[veezybell]

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

Suppose you needed a liver transplant and the doctor was looking for the best possible match. There are "Black" people all over the globe. Of all the "Black” people all over the world, where would you prefer he look to get the best DNA match, and what would you call that specific group of "Black" People to distinguish them from all the other "Black" people around the world? That’s when these labels are important, at all other times we are just people.

I see what you're getting at, but an Algerian or an Egyptian or a Moroccan immigrant in America would be an African-American, right? Plus if I needed a new liver, you think I'd be worried about the race of the donor was? Priorities. They could be an albino white person from Sweden and I would take the liver if it was compatible.

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Jesse Jackson first used that term in some kind of media interview back in the 80's, and it immediately went viral among human rights organizations worldwide, though it took awhile to catch on back home. It was viewed as more respectful. It was an effective way of getting white people to show respect in their speech. If a new generation decides something else is better, they can set a new standard. It's not written in stone.

Jesse Jackson? Born and raised in South Carolina Jesse Jackson?

Originally Posted by calipoppy

You could be Japanese American and not speak Japanese or Irish American and never been to Ireland.
African American is simply a label of ethnic origin.


I personally prefer black but I use African American when I speak about the collective. However, one of my biggest pet peeves is that some people have begun to call ALL black people African American even if the people are Afro-Canadian, Afro Latino, etc.

Exactly my point. I know black people from all kinds of different countries because of where I grew up, which is why I refrain from using "AA".

Originally Posted by Mason3000

I read a poll a couple years back that showed somewhere around 60% preferred "Black", 30% had no preference and only about 10% preferred African American.

What's funny is watching PC Whites bend over backwards to ALWAYS use African American. I love to call Black people Black in front of them because I know it drives them nuts. Still, they can't quite accuse me of of what they want to accuse me of.

I always ask them not to call me that, and they look at me dumbfounded. Then I explain my reasoning in the OP and it makes sense to them.

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

I like to call myself an American, but I will go with Black American for the sake of it sometimes.

I was not born in Africa, have no connection to Africa (besides ancestral, but I also have connections to Ireland, Germany, and North America), and have no family in Africa. My pride and self-identity tie directly with being American, and the "black" portion is irrelevant to me. To be very honest, I do not feel like a "black" man; I feel like an American male, as I have friends of all different colors.

Couldn't have said this better myself.

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

The only problem that I personally have with this, is that my ancestors don't just come from Africa; they also come from North America and Europe. By calling myself an African-American, I would not be recognizing where other portions of my heritage come from. I just prefer "American" over anything.

Right on the nose again. I'm obviously majority "African" origin, but obviously of other ancestry too once one realizes I have an abnormal eye color (for black people).

Originally Posted by Army_Guy

The politically correct police continue to erode this country.

My wife is black, says don't refer to her as African American, she's never been to Africa and never will.

Why don't we call white people European Americans?

Lol! I plan on going to Africa one of these days, but I have no connection to that continent. You see what I mean though? I have to say "continent" rather than "country" because I have no clue where my black ancestors are actually from if I were to trace lineage back.

African American is "normal", but I bet if I started calling whites "Caucasian American", everyone would look at me sideways.

Originally Posted by Katiethegreat

Black is a horrible term,you have a thousand years of cells inside your body and you are all those people, you can't escape your ancestry.
Im sorry you have a total disconnection from your ancestors in african culture that is extremely sad.

Who are you? Why is black a horrible term? Don't be extremely sad for me because I don't need your pity. You "have a total disconnection from your ancestors in african culture" too. What country in Africa do your ancestors originate from? What tribe? You couldn't even tell me what geographical region of Africa your ancestors were from if you wanted to. And as I stated in my OP, I speak a language more closely related to the ones in West Africa than you ever will.

Originally Posted by kinkytoes

Nobody "prefer[s] to be called African American." The term doesn't even make sense. Some bureaucrat decided to change the name of blacks so they could mix in black africans, west indians and black americans in the same pot and discriminate against them all with less effort. With the added side-effect of making black people look like stupid flakes who have to change their name every few years. There are tons of white people in Africa, and some of them may also have immigrated to the US, so they should also be "African americans." Also where is the poll?

Agreed. And yeah, I should make a poll.

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

A dark-skinned person with African ancestry who lives in, say, Africa, is not an African American. Likewise a recent dark-skinned immigrant to the US from Sudan wouldn't be considered African American; he would be a Sudaneese-American.

The dark-skinned African would just be a black African. The Sudanese guy would actually be more African-American than me, because he's from Africa. I had a friend from Kenya who was a first generation immigrant. HE's an African American because he's directly from Africa and became a naturalized citizen of America. I also had a friend from Morocco that immigrated, so wouldn't he be African-American even though he was of Arab ancestry? I have no clue where my ancestors originate from, nor do I speak any officially recognized African language.

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

I know a very Irish looking guy (white with blue eyes) who was born to English/ Irish parents in Nigeria, grew up in England and now resides in America.
Can he call himself African American? He probably has more rights to it then a black guy that has never been to Africa.

America seems to have this obsession with labeling everything. Me? I'm just a guy who happens to have less pigment in my skin than a person that has more.
Now if anyone wants to identify with a race or culture then so be it and despite what the PC police say about "cultural appropriation" I say if it feels good go for it.

The answer to your question? Yes. I'm trying to figure out what the advocates call South African white people. White Africans? Lol.

Originally Posted by skins_fan82

Couldn't agree more. I'm black, please refer to me as "black." LOL. This thought that A-A is more politically correct baffles me.

Right? I don't get it. Let's start calling black boards "African American" boards, or maybe my hair color, or my tires, etc. The rabbit hole can go really deep when you try to avoid offending anyone.

Originally Posted by dbsteel

I'm white. I'm not "Irish American". Someone along the way decided it was politically incorrect I guess. I say black..... but I think people almost force themselves to say AA fearing "Black" is a racist term.

I never felt offended when someone referred to me as black.

[Dopo]

Only people I hear using "African-American" is news media
I think is just a way to talk about races, without sounding racist.... so they came up with a "polite" way of constantly talking about "black people".

Sounds more polite to say "African-Americans have issues to work on"
Compared to "Black people have issues to work on"

That's why, news media wants to keep on talking about race and they found a way to do it.

[aquest1]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Only people I hear using "African-American" is news media
I think is just a way to talk about races, without sounding racist.... so they came up with a "polite" way of constantly talking about "black people".

Sounds more polite to say "African-Americans have issues to work on"
Compared to "Black people have issues to work on"

That's why, news media wants to keep on talking about race and they found a way to do it.

I was always raised that "Black" is the all-encompassing term that stretches to all peoples of the African diaspora. Meanwhile as an "African American," you are referring to a specific history of those individuals whose ancestors were enslaved Africans in North America. So, I have no issue with the term African American, but at the end of the day, it's your own identity preference.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Army_Guy

The politically correct police continue to erode this country.

My wife is black, says don't refer to her as African American, she's never been to Africa and never will.

Why don't we call white people European Americans?

Some people do. The implication of everyone being a hyphenated American BUT whites is that everyone but whites is from someplace else. It can create a subtle psychological impression that the only ethnic group that doesn't have a hyphenated name has the most legitimacy. What's wrong with calling white people what they are--Euro-Americans?

[Army_Guy]

I refer to Cracker Barrel as Caucasian Barrel now just to be PC.

[rcsteiner]

I just call them by their names.

I guess it depends on who I'm talking to, but I work with people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and nationalities. I can't even assume "American" most of the time.

[skins_fan82]

Originally Posted by Army_Guy

I refer to Cracker Barrel as Caucasian Barrel now just to be PC.

Better safe than sorry. LOL.

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

So, a recent immigrant can just come to the United States and be considered "American", but someone who was born in the United States who happens to be black still falls under the umbrella term "African-American"? I'm not blasting you, but rather asking questions for the sake of debate.

No, all Americans of any skin color or ethnicity should be referred to as Americans. I was just trying to differentiate between terms used to describe the descendants of slavery and Jim Crow vs. more recent immigrants. "Sudaneese-American" vs. "African-American" as used in the USA.

I'm an American. You're an American.

A long time ago I held the opinion that the only people who deserve a descriptor in front of the word "American" were Native Americans. They were here first and the land was basically stolen from them, so their people had earned the honorific. Everyone else is either an immigrant or is descended from an immigrant.

But I've since learned that cultural identity is strong, and even people who have lived in this country for generations can still strongly self-identify with their homeland. Especially if their physiological appearance still contains markers from their homeland, such as a Chinese face or African skin color.

The homeland reminder is one of the reason that holidays from other countries were greatly exaggerated by immigrants and eventually adopted by other Americans. Scottish Halloween, German Christmas (outlawed by early settlers), Irish St. Patty's Day (a religious holiday with no drinking back in Ireland), and Mexican Cinco de Mayo. All are minor holidays in their respective homelands, but were turned in to massive celebrations over here.