[chet2020]

Not all people of color want to be identified with being African American (people from Caribbean nations, for example). Therefore the term Black is making a comeback. The NY Times and Associated Press recently updated their stylebooks to capitalize Black when used as a description of people of color, and most other media groups are following suit (ESPN, my local paper, etc.). African American is also still acceptable.

[ruralgoddess]

Originally Posted by Kahuna32162

Why do we need terms to distinguish any group of people by ethnicity?

maybe because people are proud of their ethnicity? What a boring world it would be if we were all "the same." We aren't... I'm proud of my ethic background, warts and all. I'm of German , Irish and English roots and consider them part of my American identity.

[Bay Kid]

Brown, black, white is just a skin color. You are either an American, or you are not.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

Brown, black, white is just a skin color. You are either an American, or you are not.

Skin color is an identifying factor if one had to give a description of a perpetrator to law enforcement. It is just not very helpful to say, "He/she looked like an American". It is much more helpful to describe the person, including skin color.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Skin color is an identifying factor if one had to give a description of a perpetrator to law enforcement. It is just not very helpful to say, "He/she looked like an American". It is much more helpful to describe the person, including skin color.

Or even if you're a waitress at a restaurant and the hostess comes to where you're standing and tells you "a guy at that table for 6 wants a fresh cup of coffee" and you ask "which guy?"

If he's the only black guy at the table, that'll be the quickest, easiest possible way to identify him.

Just like if there's a full table and only one diner is sitting in a wheelchair, you can say "the one in the wheelchair."

You're not giving them a label. You're just describing them to someone who needs to know which person you're talking about.

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Or even if you're a waitress at a restaurant and the hostess comes to where you're standing and tells you "a guy at that table for 6 wants a fresh cup of coffee" and you ask "which guy?"

If he's the only black guy at the table, that'll be the quickest, easiest possible way to identify him.

Just like if there's a full table and only one diner is sitting in a wheelchair, you can say "the one in the wheelchair."

You're not giving them a label. You're just describing them to someone who needs to know which person you're talking about.

Exactly my point.

[Bay Kid]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Or even if you're a waitress at a restaurant and the hostess comes to where you're standing and tells you "a guy at that table for 6 wants a fresh cup of coffee" and you ask "which guy?"

If he's the only black guy at the table, that'll be the quickest, easiest possible way to identify him.

Just like if there's a full table and only one diner is sitting in a wheelchair, you can say "the one in the wheelchair."

You're not giving them a label. You're just describing them to someone who needs to know which person you're talking about.

Good point. Mine was a generalization. Could be that old white at the end of the table!

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

Brown, black, white is just a skin color. You are either an American, or you are not.

You are assuming that "Black" is strictly a denotative term. It is, however, more often a connotative one. It is not just a skin color, it is a culture.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

You are assuming that "Black" is strictly a denotative term. It is, however, more often a connotative one. It is not just a skin color, it is a culture.

This thread reminds me of past years when "Italian Americans" were the bad guys, killing robbing and whatever could be blamed on them. They have moved on to bigger and better things. Business owners etc.

Then we had the "Polish Americans" who were all considered "not bright" but who today have moved well up the ladder in the business, scientific and medical fields.

Just two of many (One From Many is our motto, right).

All had names attached which many of us recall..

One advantage.....they had white skin. THAT is a big advantage.

I also recall a book I read while in the Navy which impressed me and really made me think and re evaluate my way of thinking. "BLACK LIKE ME"

Black Like Me - Wikipedia

The Italians, the Polish, all hated for a time among many other ethnic groups.

Sure glad social media didnt exist or the hatred would have grown

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Every single post on this forum I read about our current events and the protestors speak of "blacks" and not once have I read the term "African Americans". Seems to me that PC term has gone by the wayside. Is this because the BLM movement has sort of wiped out the PC terminology?

Also....must say I have not seen that PC term "African American" in news print, on line or stated in news broadcasts. They are referred to as "black"!

I’ve never seen a person who is actually black or white. We all seem to range somewhere between pinkish-tan to dark brown. I think that insisting on being white or black is at the heart of what separates us. It means “I am MORE SO than is even possible!” “I’m not just pink-tan, but white as a snow.” “I’m not just light brown, but black as soot, so you can’t possibly understand me.” There’s a lot less difference between tan and light brown than between black and white. I’d like to stop noticing color first when I see people. That’s not good.

I’m okay with African-American. However, it doesn’t include any people From Africa or people of African descent not born in the U.S. and descendants of American slaves. It’s a way of not giving benefits to, say, Jamaicans or Haitians. It excludes them. However, I usually refer to myself as European-American, not “white”. Certainly not as “Caucasian,” whatever that means. Want to discombobulate African-Americans? Insist that they NOT call you white, but European-American. Insist that you are also a Person of Color, because pinkish-tan is a color. (Person of Color is an attempt to join together people who otherwise have little in common in enmity against those who are “colorless”.)

You’ve probably noticed that whatever we call people, there are usually ways of saying it that give people dignity and ways of saying it so it sounds like a curse word. I think making people feel good about themselves is a good idea, whatever I call them. (Unless they are destroying property or hurting people, in which case I have no interest in making them feel good about themselves.)

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Bucco

This thread reminds me of past years when "Italian Americans" were the bad guys, killing robbing and whatever could be blamed on them. They have moved on to bigger and better things. Business owners etc.

Then we had the "Polish Americans" who were all considered "not bright" but who today have moved well up the ladder in the business, scientific and medical fields.

Just two of many (One From Many is our motto, right).

All had names attached which many of us recall..

One advantage.....they had white skin. THAT is a big advantage.

I also recall a book I read while in the Navy which impressed me and really made me think and re evaluate my way of thinking. "BLACK LIKE ME"

Black Like Me - Wikipedia

The Italians, the Polish, all hated for a time among many other ethnic groups.

Sure glad social media didnt exist or the hatred would have grown

Love love love that book. I read it in the 1980's and still have my copy. I posted about it - not sure if it was here or on Facebook, or maybe on another forum I participate in, recommending it to someone.

[tvbound]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Love love love that book. I read it in the 1980's and still have my copy. I posted about it - not sure if it was here or on Facebook, or maybe on another forum I participate in, recommending it to someone.

"Love love love that book."


Same here. I even made my children read it and then we discussed it when each of them were done reading it. It's one of many books, that I believe should be mandatory reading and discussed in grade school, so that a larger part of our current population, who prefer to keep their head in the sand, will be vastly outnumbered in the very near future.

[Bucco]

Originally Posted by tvbound

"Love love love that book."


Same here. I even made my children read it and then we discussed it when each of them were done reading it. It's one of many books, that I believe should be mandatory reading and discussed in grade school, so that a larger part of our current population, who prefer to keep their head in the sand, will be vastly outnumbered in the very near future.

As I said, that book was instrumental in my change of viewpoint, and at the right age where I was able to meet, understand and experience. Was the first "non sleazy detectiv" book I think I read and it stuck with me.

As I said to another poster....listening is a skill set, and that book made me temper my big mouth and start to listen, and look into things before deciding.

[Dahabs]

Originally Posted by Velvet

I was always a little surprised by the term African American because there was no use of European American. But, I think people should be allowed to chose whatever term they like to refer to themselves. My problem is with propaganda, if BLM is using Marxism or Communism as a model, then I have a real problem with that.

I have repeatedly read criticism of the BLM as being a "Marxist" based group. I googled the issue and learned that while two of the founders are self professed Marxist, the movement's belief as outlined on its website aren't necessarily Marxist. Their goals are not anti-capitalist while Marxism certainly is. TMI?

Just a moment...

[Dahabs]

Originally Posted by Bill1701

A better question is why we used terms like -American to begin with. To my knowledge, no other country uses terms like that, other than French Canadian.

Long history there as well. Humans have had trouble accepting let alone embracing those that are perceived as different from them since the beginning of time. Tribalism perhaps?