Current Events > African American for Black American is an offensive term

(+) Yeah! (+)

Afro American, Black American, Black are all better more less offensive ways to call black people.

Please stop using African American is a bullshit term. Thanks!

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nah

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DrizztLink posted...

nah

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Crono99 posted...

During the Athens olympic there was a play by play announcer who used "african american" to refer to ALL black athletes, including canadians

It was kind of odd

It gets ingrained in people as the PC way to talk about race. I remember a college class I had and we were talking about the literal origin of humanity in Africa and one of the students was referring to them as African Americans.
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Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

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shut up tc

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I have black friends that despise being called African American.

They reason that they have no ties to African culture, which is very valid, imo.

They grew up American and they are black. Why is this even an issue?


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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

This. Always this. I am black and get so damn tired of hearing "African American". Just call us Americans, ffs.

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I think African American is just fine.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

This. White people shouldn't have a monopoly on being just Americans.

MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

LOL


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We should call white people European Americans.

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neverwin posted...

We should call white people European Americans.

lol, fair.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

Fucking this.

Were just as American as everyone else. None of my people are from Africa. My peoples are from West Virginia.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

This.

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Wii_Shaker posted...

I have black friends that despise being called African American.

They reason that they have no ties to African culture, which is very valid, imo.

They grew up American and they are black. Why is this even an issue?

A lack of knowledge of their own history, sad. A lot of things that carried over into African-American culture is African.

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Taharqa_ posted...

A lack of knowledge of their own history, sad. A lot of things that carried over into African-American culture is African.

It has nothing to do with a lack of knowledge.

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The only people who use the term african american are very worried white people, tbh.

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ReturnOfThaJedi posted...

It has nothing to do with a lack of knowledge.

Yes, it does. If they knew their history they wouldn't have said that.

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I guess we've come full circle here.

Its origins are certainly older, but African American became the widespread term because of Jesse Jacksons presidential campaign in 1988. As in dozens of black groups nationwide had a press conference and Jackson announced that it was term blacks preferred to call themselves. To empower themselves. Now it promotes separation. 2020 is so confusing smh

Taharqa_ posted...

Yes, it does. If they knew their history they wouldn't have said that.

No it doesnt. Wanting to be identified as something (or not) doesnt equate to not knowing or rejecting your history.

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Taharqa_ posted...

Yes, it does. If they knew their history they wouldn't have said that.

Even if they're aware of the historical aspects, it doesn't mean they feel they have anything in common with modern African culture and thus don't feel the term "African(-American)" applies to them.

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Also in regards to the OP I feel like I'd get slapped six ways from Sunday and written up for calling someone an "Afro-American"

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ReturnOfThaJedi posted...

No it doesnt. Wanting to be identified as something (or not) doesnt equate to not knowing or rejecting your history.

Saying that they have no ties to African culture is not true if you have knowledge about the history of African slaves and their American descendants. There is a lot that carried over from African influence including cuisine, hairstyles, dance, music, religion (Louisiana), Gullah culture in the Carolinas, etc.

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Taharqa_ posted...

Saying that they have no ties to African culture is not true if you have knowledge about the history of African slaves and their American descendants. There is a lot that carried over from African influence including cuisine, hairstyles, dance, music, religion (Louisiana), Gullah culture in the Carolinas, etc.

I never said anything about having no ties to African culture, I said my people werent born in Africa.

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Taharqa_ posted...

Saying that they have no ties to African culture is not true if you have knowledge about the history of African slaves and their American descendants. There is a lot that carried over from African influence including cuisine, hairstyles, dance, music, religion (Louisiana), Gullah culture in the Carolinas, etc.

It isn't about not having any ties. It's about not actively associating or actually being from Africa.

My dad is from Wales but I don't identify myself as Welsh-American because I'm not from fucking Wales

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ReturnOfThaJedi posted...

I never said anything about having no ties to African culture, I said my people werent born in Africa.

Never said that you didn't, mine weren't either. My original post was towards another user

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wackyteen posted...

because I'm not from fucking Wales

I dunno, yo mama begs to differ

i am a weak man

i could not resist

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I always laugh when "well it's a bad term because I'm too stupid to realize you shouldn't call non American black people African-Americans" makes it's way to these discussions.

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wackyteen posted...

It isn't about not having any ties. It's about not actively associating or actually being from Africa.

My dad is from Wales but I don't identify myself as Welsh-American because I'm not from fucking Wales

I use it as a delineation between the rest of the African diaspora, we all have our own history. Black American is still kind of iffy because that is also putting everybody that identifies racially as black in the same box. Casual talk I just use black, but anything else I say African-American.

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Taharqa_ posted...

A lack of knowledge of their own history, sad. A lot of things that carried over into African-American culture is African.

comes from a history of viewing Africans as lower status Black folks who aren't properly "westernized" unfortunately in American history being a black person who was viewed as being more "African" has carried even more negative associations.

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coolboy11 posted...

I always laugh when "well it's a bad term because I'm too stupid to realize you shouldn't call non American black people African-Americans" makes it's way to these discussions.

I've never heard non American black people refer to themselves as African-Americans. They almost always go by their country of origin or region, even if they were born here in the states. They'll say I'm Nigerian, Ghanian, Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, Jamaican, etc but I never heard African-American.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

I don't see why we need a designation over skin color. That in itself creates a separation, doesn't it? If we want equality, treat everyone equally. It makes sense to me.

then how do you talk about African Americans specifically then? @MabusIncarnate

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Coroner Rick: Why is it African American to my face and black behind my back?

Stroker: Because African American on African American crime takes too long to say.

Honestly I dont care if people use African American when referring to me, especially because my dad is from Nigeria.

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There's nothing wrong with just saying that someone's black. It's just white people weirdness.

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GodardOnGodard posted...

then how do you talk about African Americans specifically then? @MabusIncarnate

It has a place if you are speaking specifically about racial issues, but as general of a term as it is, it's unnecessary. "Black" and "African" just to specify someone is entirely overused. Not everything is political, and not everything needs to be separated by race and color. It's a divide that disrupts equality.

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MabusIncarnate posted...

It has a place if you are speaking specifically about racial issues, but as general of a term as it is, it's unnecessary. "Black" and "African" just to specify someone is entirely overused. Not everything is political, and not everything needs to be separated by race and color. It's a divide that disrupts equality.

sorry to be blunt but I find these type of posts laughable.

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Taharqua_ you are not an expert on black culture and you are coming across as very ignorant.

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coolboy11 posted...

sorry to be blunt but I find these type of posts laughable.

You don't have to agree with me. I always felt like it's a moronic label. Like mentioned above, white people aren't called "European Americans" to specify their heritage and place of origin. Why can't whites, blacks, asians, hispanics, that live in America, were born in America just be called Americans? A black person born in the USA should have no reason to be called "African" because they are black. They aren't from Africa. If we are going to grind out the obvious and blatant racial issues of this nation, treating each other the same, as if everyone born here belongs here is an important step. If you don't feel that way, fine, but don't call it laughable to want a better identification of equality.

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Wii_Shaker posted...

Taharqua_ you are not an expert on black culture and you are coming across as very ignorant.

One, there is no uniform "black culture", which one are you talking about? Two, I've been this black American body for over 30 years and I'm well read on various black cultures across the diaspora and Africa. So yeah, I think I can confidently talk about subjects like these. Now if I tried to talk about Irish culture I'd be out of my depth.

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Taharqa_ posted...

One, there is no uniform "black culture", which one are you talking about? Two, I've been this black American body for over 30 years and I'm well read on various black cultures across the diaspora and Africa. So yeah, I think I can confidently talk about subjects like these. Now if I tried to talk about Irish culture I'd be out of my depth.

lol you are one the brighter dudes on here so that post made me laugh

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MabusIncarnate posted...

You don't have to agree with me. I always felt like it's a moronic label. Like mentioned above, white people aren't called "European Americans" to specify their heritage and place of origin. Why can't whites, blacks, asians, hispanics, that live in America, were born in America just be called Americans? A black person born in the USA should have no reason to be called "African" because they are black. They aren't from Africa. If we are going to grind out the obvious and blatant racial issues of this nation, treating each other the same, as if everyone born here belongs here is an important step. If you don't feel that way, fine, but don't call it laughable to want a better identification of equality.

I find it laughable because Black Americans have been this nation's most loyal citizenry, have largely tried to integrate into greater American society and still to this day regularly encounter non Black Americans who still members of our subgroups as others who "don't" fit into contemporary American culture, if you are mad about the term be mad at the many people who continue to treat non White Americans as permanent others and not full blooded Americans not at people who are often marginalized and treated as lower class citizens who choose to self identity thorough specific labels.

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coolboy11 posted...

I find it laughable because Black Americans have been this nation's most loyal citizenry, have largely tried to integrate into greater American society and still to this day regularly encounter non Black Americans who still members of our subgroups as others who "don't" fit into contemporary American culture, if you are mad about the term be mad at the many people who continue to treat non White Americans as permanent others and not full blooded Americans not at people who are often marginalized and treated as lower class citizens who choose to self identity thorough specific labels.

Exactly

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MabusIncarnate posted...

Can we just drop the first part and call all Americans "Americans?"

nah i'm good, bruh. call me black.


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