I am NOT African American...

[Zardoz]

Zardoz, I believe you have a hard time with reading comprehension.

And I believe you have a hard time with reality perception.

It's about race because people don't want to tackle the real issue of social dependence on the government instead of doing for themselves. That's the ONLY reason race is an issue.

That's a bizarre statement.

If we could all wake up one morning to a world where the very concept of "ethnicity" was somehow wiped from the minds of every human being on the planet, your point would be valid.

Instead, we live in a world where young people, who are supposedly the hope of a future free of racism, choose instead to re-segregate themselves in schools. That's our nature, sadly.

We're not just "Americans". America is not a "melting pot". It's a "salad". The various ingredients are all thrown in together and mixed, but they are still separate and distinct. They have not melted together. They never will.

America is not "being divided by political correctness". That's a classic cop-out. It has always been divided along ethnic lines, and always will be to one degree or another, just as every nation on earth is.

Thinking that it's somehow different here is ludicrous. I can't understand how you've come to the conclusion that now it's just a matter of semantics.

 

[Danoff]

The various ingredients are all thrown in together and mixed, but they are still separate and distinct. They have not melted together. They never will.

I don't think that's fair at all. Sure, some groups continue to segregate themselves. Others, however have quite literally blended together. Different individuals have done different things, but to say that the "melting pot" has not "melted" is just wrong. To say it has completely "melted" would be just as wrong.

 

[Zardoz]

I don't think that's fair at all. Sure, some groups continue to segregate themselves. Others, however have quite literally blended together. Different individuals have done different things, but to say that the "melting pot" has not "melted" is just wrong. To say it has completely "melted" would be just as wrong.

Life here in Southern California amounts to participation in the greatest experiment in multiculturalism in the history of the human race. Never before, anywhere on the planet, have so many different ethnicities, nationalities, and religions been packed into one contiguous metropolitan area. Los Angeles Unified School District has identified over 120 native languages spoken by its students. Even Long Beach Unified has identified over 105.

Certainly there has been some "melting". You meet people here with ethnic backgrounds so varied it makes your head spin. Nevertheless, drive around Los Angeles and Orange counties and you go through a checkerboard of ethnic and national neighborhoods. Yes, we sometimes "melt" a bit on an interpersonal level, but we stay divided on a group level. We cordon off turf according to race. We always will.

 

[Danoff]

We cordon off turf according to race.

I see some of that. But it isn't as general or rampant as you make it sound.

 

[Swift]

And I believe you have a hard time with reality perception.



That's a bizarre statement.

If we could all wake up one morning to a world where the very concept of "ethnicity" was somehow wiped from the minds of every human being on the planet, your point would be valid.

Instead, we live in a world where young people, who are supposedly the hope of a future free of racism, choose instead to re-segregate themselves in schools. That's our nature, sadly.

We're not just "Americans". America is not a "melting pot". It's a "salad". The various ingredients are all thrown in together and mixed, but they are still separate and distinct. They have not melted together. They never will.

America is not "being divided by political correctness". That's a classic cop-out. It has always been divided along ethnic lines, and always will be to one degree or another, just as every nation on earth is.

Thinking that it's somehow different here is ludicrous. I can't understand how you've come to the conclusion that now it's just a matter of semantics.

Uh...yeah...

Zardoz, it's like this. Segregation is STUPID. To consistently refer to people as "African American", "Latin American" etc is to propagate the continuing segregation. It's just stupid.

I'm not saying segratation doesn't happen. I'm saying it's dumb and needs to go away. Part of that has got to be getting rid of stupid politically correct terms for everyone.

People are people, we are all the same. We have the same potential. Can you give me one good reason to continue to call myself "African American" when Africa has NOTHING to do with my current situation or the situation of the men and women in prison?

 

[Zardoz]

..Can you give me one good reason to continue to call myself "African American"?

No sir, I cannot. I can only give you bad reasons.

 

[Swift]

No sir, I cannot. I can only give you bad reasons.

So, you're arguing with me why?

 

[Zardoz]

So, you're arguing with me why?

Because in the real world we inhabit, none of us can realistically deny our ethnicity. Like you, I wish we could.

(You understand what I meant by "bad reasons", right?)

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

One of my best friends is black. The least offensive term is "black" like "I saw a black guy the other day doing this". Same as I would say "I saw this white guy doing this"
Calling him african american or anything else just sounds rediculous.
Not that I have ever cared. Black is black white is white. I could care less and I think of everybody the same.
The one thing however that will pi@# me off faster than anything is a racist person. I cant stand when white stupid rednecks call black people the N word. Once in a while you get this white trash inbred idiot online that just has to say the N word when he gets mad at someone. I absolutely hate that. Ok enough of my rant. Back to happy friday mode.

 

[Gabkicks]

you guys ever watch the show black/white?

 

[Swift]

Because in the real world we inhabit, none of us can realistically deny our ethnicity. Like you, I wish we could.

(You understand what I meant by "bad reasons", right?)

Whose asking anyone to deny anything? I'm just saying making it the issue, is self defeating.

@Gabkicks: I've only seen a few commercials. Looks rather interesting actually.

 

[Gabkicks]

yeah its a good show and this thread reminds me of it because the same issues are brought up. i missed episodes 4 and 5 but this thread reminded me to download them. I normally watch it on tv but i've been kinda busy lately.

-how is racism alive today etc...

-differences/values of lifestyles and values between ethnicities

-steriotypes etc... alot of issues are brought up. some old its still interesting to see on tv

 

[Swift]

Because in the real world we inhabit, none of us can realistically deny our ethnicity. Like you, I wish we could.

(You understand what I meant by "bad reasons", right?)

Again, I'm not saying deny anything. Heritage is important. But not as important as right now. It's certainly smart to know where you came from, but it's even more important to know where you're going. All these terms do is help keep people thinking about the past when the future is the only thing we have an influence on.

 

[FAOLIU05]

Err... I'm not sure "black" is a politically correct term to describe a certain race within America.

Just like how I'm Togan yet have never visted Tonga or even know all that much about Tonga... I'm still a "Tongan American" or what most would say "Samoan American" (haha, or Mexican... stupid white people. lol j/k).

You are what you are... and 100% of all citizens within America are descendants from somewhere. Calling people black or white just thrusts our social issues back 90 years... so I avoid calling people black or white.

And at some level, I even consider the term "black" (to describe a certain race within America) to be kind of a slave name, for it had to be derived from a variety of socially crippling pet names used back in those days by slave drivers and slave owners nationwide. But it was just so proper (or more so than others) that it's saddly being used today. Nah, I'd rather consider a person African American and relieve the whole "color" issue all together.

But not only that... African American is more direct. It tells me what to expect, where you descended from and whether or not I need a bullet proof vest (... I'm so not funny). I'm sure a lot of people actually think of a pure black person when asked about a "black man." And not to mention how many times I've seen the word "black" be twisted into racial slurrs by African Americans against Caucasian people who used it, whether it be in a non-racial way or not. I'd rather consider a person African American and relieve the whole "color" issue all together.

 

[TwinTurboJay]

That would make me European Canadian ?

 

[Swift]

Well, here's the thing. African American really doesn't mean much when the person is from the carribean. Or even from spots in Europe.

I find it more inderct and the main reason you don't like to use "black" is because you feel it's offensive. That's fine, but to be honest, I find someone calling me African-American somewhat offensive. It's a formality that doesn't need to be here.

I just assumed be called an American.

That would make me European Canadian ?

Yep, hence the futility of such a redundant system.

 

[FAOLIU05]

That would make me European Canadian ?

Just like America, there is no "white" native to Canada. You're a descendant from somewhere.

Well, here's the thing. African American really doesn't mean much when the person is from the carribean. Or even from spots in Europe.

There is a racial classicification for everyone.

I find it more inderct and the main reason you don't like to use "black" is because you feel it's offensive.

No. I don't call people "black" because this guy and this guy do (among other things ). But not only that... "black" is a color, not a race, not a heritage, not a bloodline. There is nothing behind "black" in comparison to African American. That's where I come from. Offense is not the ultimate facet of my reasoning.

Yep, hence the futility of such a redundant system.

We don't need to draw lines(except for hereditary health problems).

Not to mention the wide array of minority support out there. So is it redundant or not?

 

[Famine]

You are what you are... and 100% of all citizens within America are descendants from somewhere.

Along with 100% of citizens of any country.

Referring to someone by their generations-old lineage is a case of you are what you were.

 

[FAOLIU05]

I guess you'd be right if you want to take it to that level of technicality.

 

[Famine]

Why wouldn't you?

The majority of "African Americans" in the US are there as a result of the slave trade. Now, in essence, that stopped in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation - that's 142 years since any black Africans were taken into the USA - as a minimum. Given the average human age-at-procreation, that's about 6 generations ago - so the nearest anyone in the USA descended from black slave trading gets to African is their great-great-great-grandfather (maybe just great-great-grandfather - I'm afraid that slavery isn't one of my strong points, though my country was integral in starting [and stopping] it and the majority of black slaves in America were held in colonial British households).

Now, I'm not exactly sure what my great-great-grandfather was, or where he was from, though I am aware that my parents were Welsh and of Welsh descent. I am not Welsh - nor are my brother and his son.


As you said, you are what you are. You are American. African is what you were, many (at least 5/6) generations ago. It's good that you're proud of your heritage, and so you should be - knowing where we come from helps us know where we're going to - but it isn't who you are, it's who you were.

 

[Dave A]

If we are where our families lineage originated from I'm at least Danish English, I'm probably actually German English but I might still be something else before that but I know as far back as me being Danish English. If someone were to call me that Danish English guy they'd be classed as idiot's, I'm English, I was born here, I was raised here, I've been to Denmark once and it's been over 200 years since any member of my family has been Danish.

 

[Omnis]

As you said, you are what you are. You are American. African is what you were, many (at least 5/6) generations ago. It's good that you're proud of your heritage, and so you should be - knowing where we come from helps us know where we're going to - but it isn't who you are, it's who you were.

...Or, in that case, what just one past pluripotent cell of you once was. You were what your parents were, living in them as two halves of the zygote... Well, living in your mother until your other half was produced in your dad's bag.

However, there's really no need to get into that level of technicality when the issue regarding "race" in the first place lies within something as shallow as the media and general "racial" categorization in the first place.

 

[Dave A]

This could get complicated, now I'm Danish Irish English, Danish from my dad's line, Irish from my mum's and me being English.

 

[Diego440]

But then again, I have German, American, British, Greek and Spanish background, but I was born in Venezuela, and I consider myself Venezuelan.

I don't follow any of the background traditions, except perhaps some American ones, but mainly because a large portion of my family lives there (and has since the late 70s). So would I be Latin American, European American, Hybrid Earthling?

 

[FAOLIU05]

However, there's really no need to get into that level of technicality when the issue regarding "race" in the first place lies within something as shallow as the media and general "racial" categorization in the first place.

Thank you! Exactly what I was trying to point out.

 

[Swift]

However, there's really no need to get into that level of technicality when the issue regarding "race" in the first place lies within something as shallow as the media and general "racial" categorization in the first place.

Then why say African American? that's a pretty signifcant level of technicality.

 

[Canadian Speed]

Depending on what you think happened as far as creation/evolution (not to start that up) we'd all be African-Americans/Canadians/Germans/what ever... Just a thought...

 

[Dave A]

If you believe in creation we wouldn't all be African, the garden of Eden wasn't located in Africa, it's precise location isn't known but we do know that there was a river that parted into 4 when it left the garden and thoes 4 were the Euphrtes, Gihon, Pishon and Hiddekel, none of which run into Africa and the one river that all thoes merged into that ran through the garden, leads into the Persian gulf. Some people think that the garden was covered over when the Persian gulf's level rose. So we should all be Persian whatever if we believe in the biblical account of creation.

 

[Canadian Speed]

/\/\/\ I was going more with the evolution theory... With Africa being the cradle of life...

 

[Swift]

There is a racial classicification for everyone.

And we constantly need to make a big deal of that why?

No. I don't call people "black" because this guy and this guy do (among other things ). But not only that... "black" is a color, not a race, not a heritage, not a bloodline. There is nothing behind "black" in comparison to African American. That's where I come from. Offense is not the ultimate facet of my reasoning.

Yeah, that's just fine, until you meet a dark person that isn't African. I understand where you're coming from, but let's not walk on eggshells.

Not to mention the wide array of minority support out there. So is it redundant or not?

It is redundant and support should NOT be given by the government just because of color. Private companies are a different story. But I can't stand it when the government discriminates with support that they SHOULD NOT be given in the first place.