NationStates Jolt Archive

Yet another Curiosity Poll by DGNT!
Im trying to keep myself to one per day >_<

Anyway, this should make for a bit of interesting discussion, because as of yet, I dont beleive it has gotten its own topic. Often it becomes a sub-topic to a main topic discussing, for instance, the American Revolution, Russian Socioeconomics, or China.
But thats just standard NS for ya :P

Being in Europe, it wouldn't make much sense to refer to people as African-American on a daily basis....

Thats why I added the /European/whatever ;)

Thats why I added the /European/whatever ;)

You mean like African-European?
That sounds... just weird. Btw, wouldn't that be discriminating Australian aborigenes? And what about African-Americans living in Europe? :p

Uh, really the only way to offend most black people in the US is to call them by the n-word or call them "those people". Most black people perfer that you call them black lol. I mean I dont' know anyone outside the KKK that refered to white people as Anglo-Saxon -.- It's only because of the government and groups like the KKK and Black Panthers that the terms African-American and Anglo-Saxon exist nowadays in the US

In my small but proud European country there is really few people from Africa, and the ones who live here are blended into the society, which treats them as one of them. Here, calling somebody "black" is not offensive because in our history there was no ideas about bringing people from abroad as slaves. We consider being "black" a fact, just as if I called a blonde-haired girl a "blonde".

The term African American irks me considerably, I am an African and a European because I am the product of an African Mother (White I Know) and a European Father, and I have lived in both places, but someone who has only ever know the streets of Brooklyn, or Boulavards of Calaforia's costal towns has no right to caim our heratige. Just as white Americans are just Americans so Black Americans are just Americans. Also something else that bothers most Africans, if you are white, you are white and if you are black you are black and if you are part one thing and part another thing then thats exactly who you are, people who have one grandfather who is black and the come saying that they are black is as insulting as me calling myself Indian (Sub conteinet) because my great great grandmother was Gujurati. Anyway race differences is just a false class system created to maintain the us and them mentailty of the wealthy and politicall powerful hundreds of years ago.

Well, if people can refer to me as 'white', I see no problem in calling a person 'black' so long as it's not used in a pejorative manner. Besides, when I have tried to be PC and said African-American, usually the person referred to has laughed or thought it silly.

It may, however, be different in different parts of the US.

Well, if people can refer to me as 'white', I see no problem in calling a person 'black' so long as it's not used in a pejorative manner. Besides, when I have tried to be PC and said African-American, usually the person referred to has laughed or thought it silly.

It may, however, be different in different parts of the US.
Ive always wondered why 'african-americans' dont have to refer to white people as 'caucasian americans' or something.

Well, I'm not going to kiss the ass of PC with people I don't know, so I'll just call them "black".

Besides, it saves having to pronounce six unnecessary syllables.

Is the term "black" offensive now?
I use black, because that's what everyone said as long as I can remember, and I never saw anything wrong with it.
One may add though that most "African-Americans" have about as much to do with Africa as the Chinese.

Black. Using African American seems kind of condescending because when you refer to a person as a - American , you usually use their ethnic backgound. Calling them "African" suggests that all Africans are one generic ethnic group with no distinction. After all, we don't call white people "European American", but rather Irish/German/etc. If I know theirle background and I want to be polite, I'll use that. Generally, black is acceptable, just like white is for Caucasians.

Basically I say black because if I try to keep up with the latest PC terms I get a sore head and also it doesn't seem to be racist to me if 'whites' is still an acceptable term. Though it does depend on who is in the room because some people are easily offended.

Black. But labelling people is a natural occurence with humanity, we need the labels to make order in our minds, without labels we have no concepts and no words.
The main thing to remember is that we are first and foremost humans, with feelings and dreams.
Labelling is just our way of simplifying the world so that we avoid chaos in the mind.

I don't recall using any of those terms. Strangely enough I don't feel a need to point at somebody and say 'OMG! You're black/white/yellow/green/red/pink/Mr. Blobby!!!' whenever I see them. I'm not sure why so many people take so much notice of things like that.

I think the term 'black' is a little misleading, anyway. Most people who are generally labelled with that term seem to be brown to me :/. Where'd they get 'black' from? Bah, the term 'white' is just as misleading. Why not just say 'people' and get it right first time?

Well, if people can refer to me as 'white', I see no problem in calling a person 'black' so long as it's not used in a pejorative manner..