"Black" vs "African American"

[Whispered]

My stance (don't hate) is that if they call each other something then they shouldn't get mad when others call them it. I very rarely hear a person of any color refer to themselves as a long name - mostly I hear Black (or another bad word).

What gets me is (just as another example) when gay men call each other f--s or the long form and then get mad when others do???? like, if it's disrespectful for me to call you it, it's disrespectful for you to call your friend it...

So it's ok to call me the n word because other black people call each other the n word?

No, but if you call others the n word, then you cannot take offense when someone directs it back at you. That's a case-by-case issue, not a "one black person called another the n word, I can call all of you it". For the record I don't call people that - I disagree with a black person calling their friends black then taking offense when a white person calls them it.

which has a lot to do with taking back a derogatory term, but i don't agree with anyone using it. It just shows ignorance.

same.

 

[Goddess]

I've never understood the concept of calling someone who's black "African-American" when they in fact were not born in Africa and immigrated to America. When you immigrate from another country to America, you become (your country of origin's ethnicity) - American. Your ancestors could have immigrated from Africa, but by lineage that doesn't make you African-American. My ancestors (my great grandmother) immigrated from Ireland to America. She was Irish-American, I am not. My lineage is, but I was not born in Ireland.

I don't per-say understand the offense some people take when you refer to them as black. It's not racist to call someone who is black, black. Just like it's not racist to call someone who's white, white and not "Caucasian".

If you're using it in an offensive way by the tone of voice you use when saying it or in connection with an offense phrase that's different, that's obviously meant to be offensive and you should of course take offense. But if someone just refers to the color of your skin as black in a general situation, that shouldn't be offensive. It's all personal experience of course, this is just my take on it.

 

[karkat]

i call people whatever they want to be called because who am i to dictate what someone says they are

 

[Jasmine]

I'm not offended by either one. I don't necessarily feel comfortable putting down "African American" though, either. Most people just assume I'm biracial or Native American or something.

 

[karkat]

I've never understood the concept of calling someone who's black "African-American" when they in fact were not born in Africa and immigrated to America. When you immigrate from another country to America, you become (your country of origin's ethnicity) - American. Your ancestors could have immigrated from Africa, but by lineage that doesn't make you African-American. My ancestors (my great grandmother) immigrated from Ireland to America. She was Irish-American, I am not. My lineage is, but I was not born in Ireland.

I don't per-say understand the offense some people take when you refer to them as black. It's not racist to call someone who is black, black. Just like it's not racist to call someone who's white, white and not "Caucasian".

If you're using it in an offensive way by the tone of voice you use when saying it or in connection with an offense phrase that's different, that's obviously meant to be offensive and you should of course take offense. But if someone just refers to the color of your skin as black in a general situation, that shouldn't be offensive. It's all personal experience of course, this is just my take on it.

really you're in no place to tell someone what is racist and what isnt racist
if theyre offended theyre offended regardless

also the irish-american comparison doesnt work because irish is little more than an ethnic identity, and a white one at that, and doesnt carry the same weight as a racial identity, especially in this country. people are free to call themselves whatever they like.





also unrelated- but i'd like to point out that the term caucasian isnt just used to refer to white people. , the peoples of north africa, the horn of africa, most of asia (excluding eastern asia) are caucasians.
using it to refer to white people is a continuation of Blumenbach and Meiner's work in trying to prove european superiority over the peoples of different regions. its fascinating and terrible terrible work that has unfortunately still got a stranglehold on us culturally.

 

[Goddess]

I've never understood the concept of calling someone who's black "African-American" when they in fact were not born in Africa and immigrated to America. When you immigrate from another country to America, you become (your country of origin's ethnicity) - American. Your ancestors could have immigrated from Africa, but by lineage that doesn't make you African-American. My ancestors (my great grandmother) immigrated from Ireland to America. She was Irish-American, I am not. My lineage is, but I was not born in Ireland.

I don't per-say understand the offense some people take when you refer to them as black. It's not racist to call someone who is black, black. Just like it's not racist to call someone who's white, white and not "Caucasian".

If you're using it in an offensive way by the tone of voice you use when saying it or in connection with an offense phrase that's different, that's obviously meant to be offensive and you should of course take offense. But if someone just refers to the color of your skin as black in a general situation, that shouldn't be offensive. It's all personal experience of course, this is just my take on it.

really you're in no place to tell someone what is racist and what isnt racist
if theyre offended theyre offended regardless

also the irish-american comparison doesnt work because irish is little more than an ethnic identity, and a white one at that, and doesnt carry the same weight as a racial identity, especially in this country. people are free to call themselves whatever they like.





also unrelated- but i'd like to point out that the term caucasian isnt just used to refer to white people. , the peoples of north africa, the horn of africa, most of asia (excluding eastern asia) are caucasians.
using it to refer to white people is a continuation of Blumenbach and Meiner's work in trying to prove european superiority over the peoples of different regions. its fascinating and terrible terrible work that has unfortunately still got a stranglehold on us culturally.

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Also, the Irish-American comparison was just a personal example of the basic sense of immigration titles. Not anything to do with racial ethnicity. My giving that example had nothing to do with it being a "white" example, just because someone who's white from another country comes to America or any other country doesn't mean their status is invalid just because they're white. There are white immigrants as well.

Also, Ireland isn't JUST a country of whites, so you can be black/asian/latino and be Irish-American. And it does work because it's a foreign country. It was just a personal example, but if it works better for you I can give the example of someone from Japan being Japanese-American only if they immigrated from Japan themselves, not their ancestors. They aren't Japanese-American by lineage, they are by birth.

 

[Oreo]

I'm black but I wasn't born in Africa. Born n' raised in the USA. Therefor I'd rather just be called black/American. I've never gotten calling people African American. lol. You're either or. You may have African heritage, but that doesn't make you African. I have English heritage, but I don't make people call me African-English-American.

 

[kawaii]

i call people whatever they want to be called because who am i to dictate what someone says they are

this is the way it should be

 

[Goddess]

I'm black but I wasn't born in Africa. Born n' raised in the USA. Therefor I'd rather just be called black/American. I've never gotten calling people African American. lol. You're either or. You may have African heritage, but that doesn't make you African. I have English heritage, but I don't make people call me African-English-American.

Thank you this was basically my entire point.

 

[WHO]

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

 

[Goddess]

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

 

[WHO]

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

 

[Goddess]

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

That's a different story, and I'm not disputing that fact. As I said in my original response, if someone says something in a way you find offensive, you should of course be offended and you're well within your rights to be because it's obvious they said it in an offensive way.

 

[CoralHibiscus]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

 

[Exodus]

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

But not everyone finds the same thing racist or offensive? Racism is subjective.

 

[Goddess]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

I've called my friend caramel cream before haha. She was a lighter tone of brown and a lot of people thought she was hispanic. She had no problem with it, in fact she liked it.

----------

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

But not everyone finds the same thing racist or offensive? Racism is subjective.

Exactly, like I said it's all personal perspective and interpretation.

 

[WHO]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

I've called my friend caramel cream before haha. She was a lighter tone of brown and a lot of people thought she was hispanic. She had no problem with it, in fact she liked it.

----------

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

But not everyone finds the same thing racist or offensive? Racism is subjective.

Exactly, like I said it's all personal perspective and interpretation.

Yeah, but it's not your personal perspective. You can't say something like "I don't think calling someone the N-word is racist" because it's not about you. So you can't decide if it's racist or not. lol

 

[Oreo]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

omg my grandma calls me milk chocolate LOL. and ya I completely agree.

 

[Goddess]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

I've called my friend caramel cream before haha. She was a lighter tone of brown and a lot of people thought she was hispanic. She had no problem with it, in fact she liked it.

----------

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

But not everyone finds the same thing racist or offensive? Racism is subjective.

Exactly, like I said it's all personal perspective and interpretation.

Yeah, but it's not your personal perspective. You can't say something like "I don't think calling someone the N-word is racist" because it's not about you. So you can't decide if it's racist or not. lol

So because I'm white I can't have a personal opinion? That in itself could be considered racist depending on how that person takes it. I'm entitled to a personal opinion regardless of the color of my skin, just like anyone else. My personal opinion doesn't dictate that it's okay to call anyone a derogatory term like the "N-word", but even if it did I'd still have the right to my opinion regardless of whether I'm white, purple, blue, black, yellow, or orange.

 

[WHO]

Personally I don't understand why we even class them as "black" since they're really any shade of brown from light to dark. My family calls our friend milk chocolate.

So it really depends on the person you're talking to sometimes in how you reference their skin color.

I've called my friend caramel cream before haha. She was a lighter tone of brown and a lot of people thought she was hispanic. She had no problem with it, in fact she liked it.

----------

I'm stating my own person opinion so I'm well within my own rights to express what I personally think is or isn't racist. You don't have to agree but you have no right to dictate what I can and can't think thank you.

Just because you don't think something is racist doesn't mean it's not. lol

And just because you think it is, doesn't mean it is either. Unless there's a handbook outlining what terms are racist, it's entirely all based on perspective and personal experience.

If the person it's about finds it offensive, it's racist. lol

But not everyone finds the same thing racist or offensive? Racism is subjective.

Exactly, like I said it's all personal perspective and interpretation.

Yeah, but it's not your personal perspective. You can't say something like "I don't think calling someone the N-word is racist" because it's not about you. So you can't decide if it's racist or not. lol

So because I'm white I can't have a personal opinion? That in itself could be considered racist depending on how that person takes it. I'm entitled to a personal opinion regardless of the color of my skin, just like anyone else. My personal opinion doesn't dictate that it's okay to call anyone a derogatory term like the "N-word", but even if it did I'd still have the right to my opinion regardless of whether I'm white, purple, blue, black, yellow, or orange.

Yes you're white so you can't decide what's racist to African Americans. If you want to decide if calling you the c-word is racist, that's different because it's about you.