african american whaaaaa??????

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Kaak
Ting: have you not read the post? I don't care what they call themselves. I do have a problem with someone expecting me to call them something i don't believe they are.

Bull. Your first post makes no mention about expectations. You just ***** and moan about the term.

You say you don't believe in the term. So you don't think their ancestors came from Africa? Where do you think they came from? Are you saying they're not American?

A lot of "black" people are not really black. So are you going to ***** and whine about that term?

And if you don't like either term then don't use them. No one is forcing you to.

But instead, how about respecting people's wishes. If someone wants to call themself an African-American then why not respect their wishes. If someone decided to call himself "Bob" would you refuse to call him Bob just because you don't like the name?

[Al B. Sure!]

again... this is a silly issue. why would anyone get mad at being called Black as opposed to A-A? that's just stupid.

African-American Power!

[DaShi]

Um, can I ask a question?

Oh, and you all can call me Master.

[Gibsie]

I was just yesterday moaned at for calling someone Oriental. Anyone care to have a whine at me for that, since it's semi-on-topic?

[Tingkai]

That one's weird. I've heard that Asian-Americans are really touchy about it, particularly those living on the West Coast, but in Hong Kong everyone uses it.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'll usually use the term Oriental or East Asian, simply because my family is from Pakistan, and we are 'Asians' (South Asians) as well. I dislike that 'Asian' seems to only stand for East Asians.

[Gibsie]

That's what I thought. I especially didn't want to use the term "Asian" to refer to a housemate of a certain ethnicity because I have an Iranian housemate too. I think it's the fault of idiot Americans who think that Asia = China + Japan + small irrelevent places like Vietnam, and want to appear politically correct for no discernable erason.

[Tingkai]

Oriental is equally vague. It originally meant everything that was not occidental (European and American). It's also a leftover from the colonial era and similar to Far East.

Edward Said argued that "oriental" was a way Westerners put Arabs into a box.

"The Oriental is depicted as something one judges (as in a court of law), something one studies and depicts (as in a curriculum), something one disciplines (as in a school or prison), something one illustrates (as in a zoological manual). The point is that in each of these cases the Oriental is contained and represented by dominating frameworks."

[JohnT]

I use A-A all the time in referring to African-Americans, and I don't see what the problem is. Currently, in polite society, it is what African Americans prefer to be called and who am I to say that they're "wrong"? Given that they spent 400+ years being called everything but American, I can understand a little testiness on this issue.

And the "name" will probably change in a decade or so. Back when I was born (1967) it was becoming less acceptable to call A-A's "Negro" and more acceptable to refer to "Blacks".

I think of all the problems facing this land, the naming of a specific racial group ranks about #9,432, below whiny children (9,431) and above barking dogs (9,433). Unless you live next door to the barking dog, that is.

[Al B. Sure!]

Currently, in polite society, it is what African Americans prefer to be called and who am I to say that they're "wrong"?

blah?

(johnt is a racist... for shame)

[JohnT]

Huh?

[GePap]

Originally posted by MrFun
Then why do historians claim Africa is more diverse than Asia??

Well, I know geneticists would say this, since it is true, people's in Africa are more genetically diverse than anywhere else.

[Al B. Sure!]

Currently, in polite society, it is what African Americans prefer to be called and who am I to say that they're "wrong"?

read that again JohnT and tell me you meant something else...


Gepap:

Geneticists say that but the historical facts would seem to dictate otherwise as a single people, the Bantu, in their mass migrations and mass settling througout africa replaced the various ancient ethnicities and languages. The various African ethnicities from the Zulu to the Kilwa, the Yoruba to the Swahili are fairly Bantu. or so the historical record would indicate.

[Jac de Molay]

I've heard black used about 1000 times more often than A-A (or "******" amongst the younger guys
).

The only time A-A is ever really used is in formal situations (academics, politics). Seems like a non-issue to me.

[JohnT]

read that again JohnT and tell me you meant something else...

I meant, that to be polite, you refer to people how they prefer to be called. How can it mean any different?