This may be 100% politically incorrect (which I don’t think it should be), but it’s something that has bugged me for a long time, especially now, in the age of Obama. It is the fact that we refer to black people as African-Americans instead of “black”. Even with Obama, the news reporters will say he’s “the first black president”, but then they will say that he is “African American”, not “black”. I know conspiracy theorists will say that Obama truly is African American because he was supposedly born in Kenya. But this is all besides the point. I think the term “African-American” is more offensive to black people than the term “black”.
First, there are currently relatively very few actual first generation Africans who have come to America, when compared to the overall “African-American” population in the U.S.A. Most of the so-called African-Americans have been here for many generations; probably more than many white people. Further, Africa is a continent, a geographic boundary of many countries; there is no African nationality.
Second, white people are always referred to as “white” people in various official situations, without hesitation. And it’s fine; it’s an easy identifier. I remember the demographic portion of standardized tests: If you were white, you shaded the bubble next to either “white” or “caucasian (white)”. I do remember the first time I encountered the word “caucasian” on a form and I didn’t know what it was until it said “(white)” next to it.
I’m not black, I’m white, so maybe it’s impossible for me to say this, but I think it is insulting to black people to refer to them as African Americans, when the only things they share with Africans are some physical traits. I would be so confused if, suddenly, people started calling me a German-American. Using terms like “black” and “white” are very useful as quick identifiers, just like tall, short, male, female, skinny, fat?, etc. If there are a group of white men that are 5′10″, except for one dude that is 6′4″ and you want to point out the 6′4″ guy, the easiest way is to say, “The tall guy right there.” But what if it was looked down upon to say “tall”? Human beings constantly label things in their minds for quick identification in order navigate through the world.
So, is it simple-minded and incredibly narrow to label all white and black people as either “white” or “black”? Yes, it completely is. But it is so much better than constantly referencing the slavery-tinted African origins of many of the black people in this country. I think as humans progress and the lines between white and black physically disintegrate, people will naturally come up with different identifiers. But for the time being, black and white are so much better than African-American, German-American, English-American, etc. Do you agree? Or am I way off on this?
Last 3 posts by Eric
- Social Security Finally Bankrupt? - February 4th, 2010
- Business Cliches - January 15th, 2010
- Conan O'Brien - January 12th, 2010
We had a guest speaker my freshmen year in college who is a black judge. I honestly can’t remember which state he judges in or really much of what he said that day. However, one statement he made has stuck with me all these years:
(paraphrased)
“I am not an African-American. I’ve never been to Africa. I am an American, just like you. So, don’t call me African-American.”
I can’t remember if he ever mentioned the term “black”, but I think his statement goes right along with what you’re saying. We’re all Americans. “Black” was used as a pejorative back in the day, but just like many other pejoratives in our language, has really lost its negative meaning. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pejorative for some examples but words that are now politically correct)
This isn’t exactly what you were saying, but I’m really sick of everyone flipping out over labels anyway. I’m totally with you, if you have to identify someone as blond it’s not offensive. In fact, I’m pretty sure anytime anyone described me up until I cut off my hair I was always referred to as the “really tall girl with really long brown hair.” Is that offensive? No. If they said “really tall white girl with really long brown hair” would it have been any more offensive? No.
The other night the news was on and they were talking about some serial killer who is a black man, and how it was so strange because typically serial killers are white men. I wanted to scream out, “ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!” If the situation were reversed everyone would be complaining, saying how that’s profiling and so wrong.
Ugh, I’m so sick of it. Everyone needs to just get over themselves.
So check out the Google ad that’s being shown on this page (if you’re looking at the page just for this post). It’s totally targeted at black people. The ad shown to me is from a website called “Black Expressions.” They just proved your point.
Here’s a screenshot of the ad I’m seeing: http://grab.by/o0E
This has ticked me off for ages.
http://www.naomiwin.com/there-is-a-degree-of-political-correctness-that-ticks-me-off/
I mean, technically half of America should be called English/Irish/German/Polish/Whatever-American if we’re going to get technical.
Exactly. Now that you married Andy, are you a Burmese-English-American? Where do you draw the line? Technically, accordingly to evolutionary theory, we all originated from a region in Africa. So if you really want to get down to it, we’re all African-whatevers.
You’re not way off the line. Calling somebody black or white shouldn’t be a big deal. What about other races? For example, yellow for Asians, brown for Hispanics, or red for Native Americans (or Indians)?
Being PC is pretty darn annoying…like when people say “So-and-so ‘passed away’ today…” Why can’t they just say that so-and-so died? Are people afraid to use the more direct phrase?