Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 33 replies, 34 voices, and was last updated 21 years, 7 months ago by
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Great question! I am black, an American if you want to get technical. I was born here, I pay taxes and nobody, even my own people will hyphenate my citizenship.
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Name : Monika20326, City : Houston, State : TX, Country : United States,I prefer African American because it is a category I understand we – African Americans chose. The terms, Negro, Colored, and Black were derived from the broader,white society. African American connects me with may distant past, Africa and my present, America. It completes a worldly definition of me.
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Name : Ken26439, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Methodist, Age : 38, City : Fort Lauderdale, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : Pastor, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It’s true the politically correct term for black people these days is African American, but that doesn’t mean that every single black person in America demands to be addressed this way. It’s individual preference. Personally the term black is good enough for me but someone else might disagree. I could be mistaken but the tone of your post sounds angy. Why does this issue seem to bother you so much? As for your comment about why don’t they leave if they don’t like to be called American, I could say the same thing about you. Unless you happen to be a full blooded American Indian (remember them they are the original inhabitants of this continent) you don’t have the right to tell anyone to go anywhere. Why don’t you go to Ireland if you have a problem with blacks?
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Name : Joy29158, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 25, City : Aurora, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I think the term is an attempt to emphasize ethinicity, rather than race. Many white people do in fact use terms like ‘Irish-American’ or ‘Polish-American,’ so nobody would think you were ‘nuts’ if you did so too. Or, perhaps they would think so for some other reason.
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Name : Rick29833, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It’s a simple issue of politeness, you call someone what they wish to be called. Most Irish I know prefer to be called Irish or Irish-American, so you may be in the minority in your belief. No one I know thinks that is nutty, as you should be able to tell just by looking at a St. Patricks’s day parade. Plenty of ‘whites’ I know don’t care to be called white. And why are you so hostile and demanding they move? Lots of the same people who don’t like blacks also don’t like gays like yourself and would be glad to see all of you kicked out the country too. In this country that prides itself on freedoms, what you call yourself surely should not be a reason to deport you.
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Name : ACC25066, Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : Phoenix, State : AZ, Country : United States,Susan, black people want to be called African- American for the same reason you {came out of the closet and into the living room!} like to be called a lesbian, Because they like the attention! DC.
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Name : Dan-Cubrich27326, City : Omaha, State : NE, Country : United States,I have to agree, it seems silly. I don’t even know what country my family came from, and it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m an American. This country is getting ready to go crazy with all the cultures taking over, growing in population. Isn’t it still good to me a melting pot where we all blend together? I’ve always believed the only solution to race relations is to eleminate the differences. We should all be one blended race. No more differences.
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Name : Alan28999, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 57, City : Dallas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : night club owner, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,in a way, the way you asked your question offends me, but the reason many prefer to be called african american is because of the fact that our ancestors were brought here in chains. they did not come to america by choice, but through force. that is the reason for this choice. not all blacks prefer this. for all i care people can refer to me as white, pink, yellow, caucsian, black, brown,african american, irish american, native american, etc. it is just a personal choice that no matter what, it must be respected. if you don’t like being called white, then tell people to call you irish american. everyone has roots, it’s just that some people want others to know of their roots.
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Name : Brandi, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 16, City : Rantoul, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,But people DO refer to Irish-Americans, and Polish-Americans, Chinese-Americans, Mexican-Americans, and all the other ethno-Americans. For whatever reason, presumably that almost all of us are from immigrant stock, Americans seem to be a bit fixated on origins, hence we make these references. My personal is for names rather than labels. If you find blacks ‘demanding’ to be called African American, perhaps it’s because they feel they have the same right to pride of heritage as the rest of us ethno-Americans.
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Name : craig c., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : neuter, Disability : neuter, Race : martian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 50, City : racine, State : WI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,For the sake of labels it would be best that immigrants from Africa be known as African-American, and those born in America be known as Afro-American. In parallel, the same should go for ‘white’ immigrants from Europe and those native to America. As logical as this may seem, not everyone will choose to agree. You will just have to accept the fact the people are entitled to their own opinion and therefore can be called African-American (or anything else) if they so desire. FYI, every Irish Euro-american I have met has been racist. It does not infuriate me that they do not call or ask to be called Bigot-Americans, but I sincerely hold that prejudice about them.
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Name : Seymour, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Age : 21, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I sympthize with your quandry upon this issue, but the media does not help. I fell off the sofa in tears of laughter when I heard an ABC news anchor refer to Nelson Mandella as an ‘African American’. To coin a phase, they should ‘get white and get serious.’ Mr. Mandella, for whom I have the highest regard, is black, he should be no better or no worse for his racial background as his activism promoted. Generalisms and labling only promotes predjudices at a time when they should be coming increasingly insignificant. You might want to take that one up with the Census Bureau. All the best.
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Name : Quentin, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 42, City : Orlando, State : FL, Country : United States, Occupation : Architect, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I feel that anyone living in America should just refer to him/herself as an American regardless of color. Otherwise, I’d be an French-Canadian-Irish-English-Swedish-MicManan-American. Puleeeese!
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Name : Kristan Hall, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 32, City : Lampasas, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : writer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class,IT’S FUNNY HOW WHITE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LABEL US HOW EVER YOU WANT. WE’VE BEEN COLORED, N–GERS, BLACKS, NEGRO, AND WHATEVER ELSE. NOW THAT WE’VE MADE A NAME FOR OURSELVES, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH (MOSTLY WHITES) HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
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Name : Godz21523, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 28, City : Kidd, State : GA, Country : United States, Social class : Upper middle class,FOR YOUR INFORMATION, WE DID NOT CHOOSE THE TITLE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN, THATS WHAT YOU ALL DECIDED TO CALL US. WE ARE TOTALLY AWARE THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN TO, WERE NOT BORN IN, AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE AFRICA. AND AS FAR AS GOING BACK, DONT COUNT ON IT. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE US A TITLE, TRY OUR NAMES.
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Name : B-HOPSON, City : PORTSMOUTH, State : VA, Country : United States,If I come off as rude I don’t mean to so bare with me. The answer is all blacks in the USA just like in canada or the carribbeans have a heritage that goes back to Africa. And when they call themselves african americans or demand to be caled that they are recognizing their orgins and where their ancestors came from. However all blacks aren’t african americans their are africans,black south americans,black austrailians,west indian blacks, black middle-easterners and there are even blakc people that have lived in europe through family for hundreds of years. So when you say african american you are not confusing american blakcs with any of the others.
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Name : Sara28356, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Muslim, Age : 19, City : Toronto, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,
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