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Why not "Black" instead of "African Amer... - 10/26/2009 3:53:29 AM   
EvilEyes269


Posts: 4
Joined: 7/27/2009
Status: offline 		Why do the black people on here have to choose between selecting "African American" (even if they're not American) or "Other"? Why does CM not want to use the word "Black"? Here in the UK it's ok to use the word but is it taboo in the States?
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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 4:05:52 AM   
aldompdx


Posts: 538
Joined: 10/24/2004
Status: offline 		Silence is the ultimate politically correct expression.

Many American recognize the same absurdity as do you. Former secretary of state Colin Powell and basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are black, but not African-American. President Obama is truly 1/2 African and 1/2 American, but not fully black.

So, what are you when one parent is a white African and the other is a black American? To get real literal, every human originated in Africa. Too many people are bound by their ego need to be elite and segregate themselfves from others.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 5:27:32 AM   
DarkSteven


Posts: 28072
Joined: 5/2/2008
Status: offline 		Fashion.  They used to be called Negroes (well, they were known as something else first), then darkies, then coloreds, then blacks, then African American.  We'll think of something else to call them eventually.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 5:56:18 AM   
SomethingCatchy


Posts: 796
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Status: offline 		This is one of my pet peeves with American Society. Unless you are from Africa or your parents are from Africa, I don't see how you could even begin to claim direct heritage from Africa. I don't go around calling myself French/German American even though my great grandparents were from those countries. 

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 5:59:23 AM   
kittinSol


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quote:

ORIGINAL: SomethingCatchy
I don't go around calling myself French/German American even though my great grandparents were from those countries. 


That's because having French and German origins is nothing to boast about  .

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:14:58 AM   
Acer49


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quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

quote:

ORIGINAL: SomethingCatchy
I don't go around calling myself French/German American even though my great grandparents were from those countries. 


That's because having French and German origins is nothing to boast about  .

quote:

That's because having French and German origins is nothing to boast about


Nor is it wise to make inflammatory remarks as some might view it as ignorant and childish

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:16:40 AM   
kittinSol


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Acer49
Nor is it wise to make inflammatory remarks as some might view it as ignorant and childish


If only you knew me, you would realise that a self-derogatory comment actually constitutes humour. I say this as a Frog (born in France).

< Message edited by kittinSol -- 10/26/2009 6:17:02 AM >

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:31:20 AM   
devilishpixie


Posts: 1044
Joined: 10/15/2009
Status: offline 		I find it silly personally, I have NEVER once called my owner an African amercian man. He is a black man period. He doens't take offense to it or get his boxers in a bunch. lol

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:34:49 AM   
Venatrix


Posts: 2238
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quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

quote:

ORIGINAL: Acer49
Nor is it wise to make inflammatory remarks as some might view it as ignorant and childish


If only you knew me, you would realise that a self-derogatory comment actually constitutes humour. I say this as a Frog (born in France).


I wouldn't worry about it, kittin.  Acer has a habit of chastising people about whom he knows nothing.  Having been raised in the UK, I've always understood and enjoyed your acerbic wit.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:38:18 AM   
VirginPotty


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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:43:36 AM   
kittinSol


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Venatrix
I wouldn't worry about it, kittin.  Acer has a habit of chastising people about whom he knows nothing.  Having been raised in the UK, I've always understood and enjoyed your acerbic wit.


Cheers, my dear :-) .

Potty, put that popcorn away. It's too early for that.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:46:14 AM   
VirginPotty


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quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

quote:

ORIGINAL: Venatrix
I wouldn't worry about it, kittin.  Acer has a habit of chastising people about whom he knows nothing.  Having been raised in the UK, I've always understood and enjoyed your acerbic wit.


Cheers, my dear :-) .

Potty, put that popcorn away. It's too early for that.

NEVER too early for popcorn, Kittin!!

**Eta, for the naysayers, I bring you chocolate chip pancakes**


< Message edited by VirginPotty -- 10/26/2009 6:47:29 AM >

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 6:52:44 AM   
IronBear


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From: Beenleigh, Qld, Australia
Status: offline 		Kind of rather like a recent TV show brought back "Hey Hey It's Saturday" where they brought back one of the amateur groups to redo one of their acts taking off The Jackson Five all replete with black make up. Harry Conic Jr was a visiting guest judge and didn't he spit his dummy. demanded and sadly got an apology. My comment was that who does Mr harry Conic Jr think the hell he is to come to my country, elect himself the spokesman for the USA and tell us what we can and can not do. Just because something may not be acceptable in the US it does not give any idiot to try to ram that down the throats of anyone else or another country. As a Post Script. a couple of the Jackson kids publicly stated that if Michael was alive he would have applauded the act and been laughing too. ....  I don't give a rat's arse if someone is black, white, brown, yellow or green (well I do because I need to give them an aircraft vomit bag),  it is the person that matters. 

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 7:01:14 AM   
Venatrix


Posts: 2238
Joined: 11/28/2007
Status: offline 		In my 30 years of living in the US, it's been my experience that Americans, as a group, mind you - not everyone - are very self-referential.  The world is seen through their eyes, with very little understanding of how other cultures might see things.  Fortunately, this time next year I'll be living back in the UK, so I'll no longer have to put up with silly remarks like, "If you don't like it here, leave."  I would have left a long time ago if I'd been able to.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 7:13:08 AM   
IronBear


Posts: 9008
Joined: 6/19/2005
From: Beenleigh, Qld, Australia
Status: offline 		I have a close friend now living in the US, who is inordinately proud of his convict heritage and oft comments that one side of his family was sent here for revolting against the English and the other was sent here to educate them.. Now he tells his US friends he was sent to the US to do the same to them as hos forefathers did to the English.. I understand this tends to cause changes in conversation topics.. I do agree with your comments but then I have seen the same said about the Brits too who still think they rule their Empire and lead the world in culture.. hell I know Aussies who are worse then the Brits and US folk... Given a chance without loosing face, I find most folks are happy and at times eager to learn about how other cultures see things and the differences between them and us. 

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 7:17:48 AM   
Venatrix


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quote:

ORIGINAL: IronBear

. . . but then I have seen the same said about the Brits too who still think they rule their Empire and lead the world in culture..  


Yep.  About all that's left is the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 7:52:14 AM   
MrRodgers


Posts: 10542
Joined: 7/30/2005
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

quote:

ORIGINAL: SomethingCatchy
I don't go around calling myself French/German American even though my great grandparents were from those countries. 

That's because having French and German origins is nothing to boast about  .

That's what they said about us...we weren't whites, we were called Irish-Americans. (actually, a lot worse than that) What I do not like about these terms is that when immigrants follow the law and become US citizens at the swearing-in ceremony the judge tells them...

"You are no longer a hyphenated American. You are simply...an American.

So the only way we should be including heritage is...American if Irish descent, American of African descent. Otherwise some are black, some are white, some are not.

Personally, I am green and from Mars. Does that make me Martian-American ?

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 8:01:11 AM   
Hillwilliam


Posts: 19394
Joined: 8/27/2008
Status: offline 		My friends that are black tend to prefer to be called just that... black.  they've told Me that "African-American" crap is just that.  crap as far as they are concerned.  Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton might disagree but that is for another thread

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 8:19:25 AM   
DesFIP


Posts: 25191
Joined: 11/25/2007
From: Apple County NY
Status: offline 		CM is a US based site, not a UK based one. So of course they use US common terms, not UK ones.

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RE: Why not "Black" instead of "African ... - 10/26/2009 8:27:36 AM   
kittinSol


Posts: 16926
Status: offline 		I long for the day when these ethnic boxes finally disappear. For instance, I can't stand the "caucasian" title: it means nothing, and it certainly doesn't represent me.

That's why I clicked the "other" box.

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