is it offensive to call/describe a black guy "african"?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: NFS4
I'm probably one of the most laid back guys around and don't get offended by much, but I pretty much hate the term African-American or African (for an American). I guess I shouldn't really care if someone called me African-American because we've been pretty much told to accept that as fact these days. But African, fuck that. Just call me the "black guy", I'm cool with that.

It's the reason why I don't like the term African-American in the first place. My ancestors probably came here from Africa 300-400 years ago -- big whoop. That's in the past. I've never been to Africa, have no desire for Africa, have no intention of going to Africa and generally, don't really give a shit about Africa. I was born in Baltimore, MD. I'm an American -- PERIOD.

See.... now this is what I've been talking about. We need more black guys like you. If your type of thinking was predominant.... color lines wouldn't exist anymore.

how are you being laid back if you get peeved when called african or african-american?

i know chinese people that don't give a shit if they're called chinese, asian, oriental... now that's laid back.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: NFS4
I'm probably one of the most laid back guys around and don't get offended by much, but I pretty much hate the term African-American or African (for an American). I guess I shouldn't really care if someone called me African-American because we've been pretty much told to accept that as fact these days. But African, fuck that. Just call me the "black guy", I'm cool with that.

It's the reason why I don't like the term African-American in the first place. My ancestors probably came here from Africa 300-400 years ago -- big whoop. That's in the past. I've never been to Africa, have no desire for Africa, have no intention of going to Africa and generally, don't really give a shit about Africa. I was born in Baltimore, MD. I'm an American -- PERIOD.

See.... now this is what I've been talking about. We need more black guys like you. If your type of thinking was predominant.... color lines wouldn't exist anymore.

how are you being laid back if you get peeved when called african or african-american?

i know chinese people that don't give a shit if they're called chinese, asian, oriental... now that's laid back.

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

I said earlier that I refuse to use African American. It doesn't exactly piss me off, but it's a minor peeve. Either you're American, or you're not.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: NFS4
I'm probably one of the most laid back guys around and don't get offended by much, but I pretty much hate the term African-American or African (for an American). I guess I shouldn't really care if someone called me African-American because we've been pretty much told to accept that as fact these days. But African, fuck that. Just call me the "black guy", I'm cool with that.

It's the reason why I don't like the term African-American in the first place. My ancestors probably came here from Africa 300-400 years ago -- big whoop. That's in the past. I've never been to Africa, have no desire for Africa, have no intention of going to Africa and generally, don't really give a shit about Africa. I was born in Baltimore, MD. I'm an American -- PERIOD.

See.... now this is what I've been talking about. We need more black guys like you. If your type of thinking was predominant.... color lines wouldn't exist anymore.

how are you being laid back if you get peeved when called african or african-american?

i know chinese people that don't give a shit if they're called chinese, asian, oriental... now that's laid back.

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

because that's not a generally accepted term, unlike african-american.

and you can call me european american all you want. i won't hate it.

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: NFS4
I'm probably one of the most laid back guys around and don't get offended by much, but I pretty much hate the term African-American or African (for an American). I guess I shouldn't really care if someone called me African-American because we've been pretty much told to accept that as fact these days. But African, fuck that. Just call me the "black guy", I'm cool with that.

It's the reason why I don't like the term African-American in the first place. My ancestors probably came here from Africa 300-400 years ago -- big whoop. That's in the past. I've never been to Africa, have no desire for Africa, have no intention of going to Africa and generally, don't really give a shit about Africa. I was born in Baltimore, MD. I'm an American -- PERIOD.

See.... now this is what I've been talking about. We need more black guys like you. If your type of thinking was predominant.... color lines wouldn't exist anymore.

how are you being laid back if you get peeved when called african or african-american?

i know chinese people that don't give a shit if they're called chinese, asian, oriental... now that's laid back.

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

because that's not a generally accepted term, unlike african-american.

and you can call me european american all you want. i won't hate it.

Yeah, and "Colored People" used to be a generally accepted term as well. Just because something is "generally accepted" doesn't mean I have to accept it

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: NFS4
I'm probably one of the most laid back guys around and don't get offended by much, but I pretty much hate the term African-American or African (for an American). I guess I shouldn't really care if someone called me African-American because we've been pretty much told to accept that as fact these days. But African, fuck that. Just call me the "black guy", I'm cool with that.

It's the reason why I don't like the term African-American in the first place. My ancestors probably came here from Africa 300-400 years ago -- big whoop. That's in the past. I've never been to Africa, have no desire for Africa, have no intention of going to Africa and generally, don't really give a shit about Africa. I was born in Baltimore, MD. I'm an American -- PERIOD.

See.... now this is what I've been talking about. We need more black guys like you. If your type of thinking was predominant.... color lines wouldn't exist anymore.

how are you being laid back if you get peeved when called african or african-american?

i know chinese people that don't give a shit if they're called chinese, asian, oriental... now that's laid back.

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

because that's not a generally accepted term, unlike african-american.

and you can call me european american all you want. i won't hate it.

Yeah, and "Colored People" used to be a generally accepted term as well. Just because something is "generally accepted" doesn't mean I have to accept it

Years ago my mom worked with a black lady whom someone once referred to as "colored". Mrs. Rhodes went off and made it clear that she was not a rainbow and not colored. She said she was black and will be referred to as black. This was in the early 70's mind you.

 

[dwell]

I've used the term "African American" exactly once. It was in 1989 when the term took off. I called a co-worker "African American" and she jumped down my throat pointing out that she was Jamaican, not African. Never used the term again, PC police be damned.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

we are all from africa.

 

[Hav0k99]

Instead of looking at someone's skin and trying to color match their skin to figure out where they descended from, why not refer to people by what they are wearing. "Hey, that gentleman in the blue shorts is good at basketball" Of course you'll get someone responding with" You mean the black guy"

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
It's ignorant to assume that all black people are of african descent.

Where else would they be from? The only other country I know of is Australia.

DR
Cuba
Costa Rica
Papua New Guinea
etc..

If you want to argue that their ancestors were African immigrants, then you might as well argue that about the entire human race.

Other than Papua New Guinea, they left Africa under the exact same circumstances. Cuba, Costa Rica, Alabama... whatever. They're still primarily of African descent.

like I said.... (now bolded for emphasis)

 

[IEC]

Just call people by their names. Makes life simpler.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: zinfamous

If you want to argue that their ancestors were African immigrants, then you might as well argue that about the entire human race.

like I said.... (now bolded for emphasis)

Of course, but that's disingenuous as you well know. When someone in America says African, people think black. Not red headed Norwegians, not dark haired Irish, and not thick haired Greeks. African is very descriptive when you want to point out the one black guy that's in the middle of a group of whites.

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: QueBert

I see, well the tone they use when they call me it makes it sound bad lol. As for the racial profiling, they complain because the police are extreme about it. If a white man rapes a woman, they will obviously look for a white man. But they're not going to pull over most, or even a few in hopes of randomly finding the perp. I have never been randomly pulled over when they were looking for a white person who committed a crime. I have black friends who have been pulled over dozens of times because they fit the description of the person they're after. Which might be true, but if that was true I should be pulled over when they're looking for a white man. I mean in a car you can't tell if a person's 5'9 or 6'4. Racial profiling sucks, and I'm glad I've never had to be directly subject to it.

Without profiling, they'd never "catch" anybody doing anything. Every race is profiled, it depends on the area/circumstance and it works.

Quit spewing your "I'm down with the struggle" bullshit.

 

[Sumguy]

How about just calling black people black? I've never run across another black person who is offended being called black.

Kinda unrelated, but I knew a white South African. He classified himself as African American to try to get some scholarships for college lol...should call him up to see how that went, cause none of my scholarships are race related, and free money is free money.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
Some are offended by "black," some are offended by "African."

Game over man, game over.

Nuke the site from orbit.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I usually call people by their names.

 

[txrandom]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: loki8481
black or african american, unless they're actually from Africa.

what if they're just dark skinned or from the carribean?

I'm pretty sure the Carribean is considered part of the Americas.

 

[allies]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: NFS4

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

I said earlier that I refuse to use African American. It doesn't exactly piss me off, but it's a minor peeve. Either you're American, or you're not.

Unless you were born in Africa/Asia <insert other continent here> and then gained citizenship in America.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: allies

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: NFS4

Because if that's not what you are, why wouldn't you be peeved? I don't consider my self African or an "African-American". I consider myself an American.

White people don't go around calling themselves European Americans or Australian Americans, so why should I have to go by African American?

I said earlier that I refuse to use African American. It doesn't exactly piss me off, but it's a minor peeve. Either you're American, or you're not.

Unless you were born in Africa/Asia <insert other continent here> and then gained citizenship in America.

Yup.
Obama is pretty African American, but that's because one of his parents is African.
Most black people in the US aren't, they are just black and American (or potentially Jamaican etc), like most white people in the US are white and American, not Irish American or European American (unless it's St Patrick's day, when 99% of white Americans are suddenly Irish Americans).
The modifier should just be a descriptor, like "fat" or "tall", but you can't really do the same with Asians because for one thing they aren't all similar (e.g. Indian vs oriental), so it's easier to say "asian" or "indian" or "oriental" (even though some may not like that) because it gives a loose descriptor for a person/group of people.

Sure, they might all be American, be they white, black, Asian, and they could be fat or tall or w/e, but it's easier to use some kind of physical characteristic (e.g. skin colour or general features) to indicate who you are talking about.
Saying "oh he's the tall asian dude with short hair" isn't offensive, it's just descriptive.