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Describing black people as black.

M

Mr Pickles

Diamond Member
The things I say in real life are shared with all my friends. I have a friend, and for the sake of this post i'm going to tell you he's black. We were at the fields and there was a new guy that showed up that said he was put on our team. My friend was captain and on the field and I told him we have a new guy that's here. He asked who it was and I pointed to the guy and said "that black guy right there" and my friend looked at me as if I insulted him.

No matter what color my friend was I would have described the guy as a black man to him. It was the most obvious way of pointing him out in the crowd. It doesn't matter to me. Should it?
 
We're never going to be equal as long as we keep worrying about being racist. I'd have done the same thing as you.
 
I don't see a problem with it, if the roles were reversed, I would expect to be the white guy over there.

No different than pointing out the guy with black hair or anything.
 
Your friend needs to get over it, what are you supposed to say "That guy right there" he would have no idea who you are talking about
 
I wouldn't have said that. And not because I'm worried about being racist, I just would have pointed at the guy and said "that guy there". 3rd from the left, or whatever. Same as I would for a white person.

I don't think what you said was racist, I just wouldn't have done it.
 
Originally posted by: skace
I wouldn't have said that. And not because I'm worried about being racist, I just would have pointed at the guy and said "that guy there". 3rd from the left, or whatever. Same as I would for a white person.

I don't think what you said was racist, I just wouldn't have done it.
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Well that's what I'm wondering. Maybe that's a better route, just never describing someone by their color at all. But in a crowd of white dudes standing on the sideline that's the best way to pick him out of the line-up.
 
I just don't care anymore. I'm not racist and I don't really watch what I say. I call black people black, because they are. I'm white, he's black, who cares.


Most of these people whining about racism need to get real jobs so they have real problems to worry about.
 
You didnt do anything wrong.

How else did he want you to describe him? "that ugly pimple face guy with the ripped jeans" over there

Fuck that guy who gave you the look and tell him to get over it...
 
First, you are overreacting. You said your friend looked at you like you insulted him. Did you actually TALK to your friend about it or just run home to post about it on the internet?

Maybe you need to get a real job so you will have real problems to worry about.
 
Honestly, its the people who wouldn't say "the chocolate chip in this cookie" that you should be afraid of. No different imo than saying "The bald guy", or any other distinguishing feature of a person to identify them.

What are you suppose to call him, non-caucisoid?
 
Schools, imo, are the worse offenders. You hang out with your black friends who you sometimes reference as blacks but then go to school with them the next day to have teachers and politically correct vice principles telling you it's not right to call them black and the correct term is african-american.
 
Originally posted by: NSFW
First, you are overreacting. You said your friend looked at you like you insulted him. Did you actually TALK to your friend about it or just run home to post about it on the internet?

Maybe you need to get a real job so you will have real problems to worry about.
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Ha. Maybe if I was only looking at this situation and the post was strictly about this incident. then I'd agree with you, it was an overreaction. But it was this even that lead to me to think about how I handle this situation as a whole. This post isn't so much about my issue with my friend as much as its about how I describe people and weather or not using their race or color is appropriate in any given instance.

So calm down.
 
You did nothing wrong. Besides, I'm guessing he was probably the one or one of few black guys in the group. Skin color is a distinguishing characteristic. If I was the only white guy in a group of asians, would you think it weird to say "that white guy over there"? Of course not.
 
You should've said "That guy with the sensitive emotions and great personality over there". since describing by prominent visual characteristics is a no-no.

BTW I have quite a few black friends and they all recognize that there is a difference in appearance which can be quite useful in identifying people. Quite often they'll ask "Is he/she black or white" when trying to figure out if they know someone. Upon receiving the answer to that question they can cut the number of potentials by roughly half. It has nothing to do with stereotypes or the like.
 
You did nothing wrong.

You would have been wrong if you called him 'African-American' as he likely wasn't born, nor has ever even visited, Africa.
 
Man you are such a racist!!!

But seriously ... I hear ya ... I might have said the color of his shirt ... that is a "safe" zone ...

OR you could have said "Hey [name], raise your hand --- him"
 
in that situation stating race was superfluous. You could have just pointed to him and said "him"

What would you have done if he were white?
 
Originally posted by: sactoking
You did nothing wrong.

You would have been wrong if you called him 'African-American' as he likely wasn't born, nor has ever even visited, Africa.
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Agreed. "Black guy" has no negative connotations in my opinion. I'm curious what your friend would have wanted you to describe him as that would be equally clear.
 
I usually prefer to use African American or Brown person. Now, if they are really from Africa some of them really do look black. That's usually the only time i use "Black" other than that for me its African American or Brown.
 
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