I think it is stupid unless they are actually from Africa. Those same people usually call white people white. Since, there is Italian, German, Irish, and Cherrokee in my family I guess that makes me a Italian German Irish Cherrokee American, but the people who expect you to say African American wouldn't call me that. I've heard some people say its because we white people took them from Africa. Correct me if I'm wrong, because I might be, but wasn't it the Africans that sold their people to us anyway. Don't get mad at me about this if it affends you I just want to know because I am not very educated in this type of stuff.
Why do people always say we should call black people African Americans?
Political correctness is my guess. I don't actually know any black people that refer to themselves as African Americans. My relative is black and Mayan. She does not in any way connect herself to African Americans. She is from Central America. Even my cousin's husband, who is an African American refers to himself as black.
Reply:You are correct that many African tribes sold their own people or their captured enemies into slavery. Not all of the slaves got here that way, but a good many did. A lot of people would counter though that white people made them an offer they couldn't refuse. I don't know ... I wasn't there.
Reply:Personally, I believe if you were born in America you are an American. I can't stand when people say "I'm Italian" or whatever their ancestors were. no my friend you are an American, your Granny, she was Italian. As for the term African American I can't say why, but if my ancestors were taken out of their country I would want to keep a part of that as mine I guess. On the other hand my white friend moved here from Africa and became a citizen so he is African American.
Reply:Because this hippie propaganda "PC"-ness is a sick virus which's purpose is to erradicate the very notion of free thought and to slowly phase out Freedom of Speech in a manner that, relying heavily on guilt-inducing tactics and brainwashing, ensures that by the time it is gone, no one thinks to miss it.
I refuse to use the term until I am addressed by the blacks as a European-American, which is something that I am very proud to be.
Reply:I am Black, Cherokee, and a Christian. May God's Peace Be With You!
Reply:Because it's "Politically correct" and people don't want to seem rude, but in reality almost everyone calls them black.
Reply:I also think the term African American is stupid. I would rather just be an American, black or my name. The heritage I identify with is Jamaican (indigenous), Irish and Indian so being called African American annoys me. In response, to the latter part of your question, no Africans didn't just randomly sell each other. Tribes were put against each other, so in order to protect themselves they had to sell out another tribe, and some tribes were also bribed. Regardless of how slaves were obtained, Europeans shouldn't have gone to Africa with the intention of buying people.
Reply:It seems like that's what they want to be called.
Reply:Friend,
Neither "black" nor "African American" are suitable terms to describe the people in question. Why? Race is fiction; a term purportedly used to describe biological characteristics when in fact it is politically driven.
"Black" only exists to describe what "white" is not. "African American", while perhaps politically correct, is incorrect. It is a useless term, because it attempts to describe race in terms of nationality. Race =/= Nationality, as you seem to have said yourself. Blacks born in North America are not African American; they are North American.
You ask "but wasn't it the Africans that sold their people to us anyway"? Yes, to some extent that is true. However, you must realize the concept of slavery that many Africans held. (Even the term "Africans" is problematic, but let's leave that alone for now.)
In Africa, slavery existed, but it was not the profit-driven, racially-based system of the United States. Rather, it was a system that treated slaves with a measure of respect and dignity. Slaves had rights. Contrasted with slaves in the United States, African slaves were treated quite well. Moreover, there was not an ideology in place stating that one group of people was superior to another.
Feel free to ask more questions.
May God bless you.
Reply:I have a problem calling anyone anything except an American unless they do not have citizenship. We are not African American, Mexican American, Oriental American, Irish American, German American, Italian American etc. we are AMERICAN. I am sorry that there were slaves but Pharaoh finally had to let GODS people go. I am quite positive that the Egyptians did not apologize for or pay money to generations of people later who claim to have been descendants of slaves which is what is happening now in this country. I was not here when slavery was a custom, nobody asked me if I approved or disapproved of the practice so I don't think I or my country should pay or apologize for it to any one person or race. To anyone who does not wish to be called just an AMERICAN I bid you return to the country which you claim loyalty to as it certainly is not the USA.
Reply:because your a racist who should die and go to hell your horrible horrible person!!!!
just kidding. i agree.
kinda.
actually i just don't give a damn. :)
whenever someone asks a question about race, a random person always always always calls them a racist. makes me laugh.
Reply:umm i think that black people are black and unless you were born in Africa then your not an African american
Reply:well you would assume african american is right because they have origins from africa, hence the name african americans... however you do make a point signaling the roots of whites in america, which range from italian greek german irish and a lot more... it would be absurd to call someone an italian german irish american... so just say white... i guess it would better if you call african americans blacks for the fact that you point out
Reply:The Africans couldn't have taken tribes and sold them when they didn't belong to them.. So technically we took them from Africa. But from what I'm aware, black people is just as acceptable as African American and I hear this from basically everyone black or white.
Reply:Here we go again! I had a very nice friend and she wanted me to call her a black African American...I simply stated that I wanted to call her by her given name...I was young at the time and I still respect that girl.
Reply:If you don't want to call us African-Americans, by gosh, don't do it. Doesn't matter to us either way.
Reply:African American is our formal name. You can call us Black also. No, Africans did not sell themselves to whites. Of course there were some Africans who would sell their soul for a buck at that time, but that is with every culture. There are white Americans who sell secrets to the Russians, etc. right now. Some people will sell their soul for a buck and don't care about the consequences. Also, some Africans were captured and forced to sell others into slavery.
African American is mostly used as a formal term. You can feel comfortable by calling us Black people.
Reply:well there is race and heritage. I'm black and South African get it?
Reply:I think it's not to big of an ask for us to refer to any people who have been abused in a manner which they do not find offencive. It's a matter of respect %26amp; I don't find it to much troubled at all!! If this is what helps them to heal, then why not?
Reply:African American is used I think to be more polite and correct as to not affend those of the ***** race
Reply:Black, white, tan, short, tall, skinny, bald, blond, etc.
All just descriptive adjectives. I try not to offend anyone too. But I don't know where my ancestors are from, and half of the people I know don't know either. That said, I am from North America and born and bred and live in the US of A. White and not quite skinny, average.
People come from all over the world and we are everywhere. I wish it wasn't such a deal about being politically correct. Yes some wicked white men both tall and short stole slaves from Africa and other places. That happened pretty bad, and some white people from all over the world, not just the us, continued that slavery and discriminated against not only "African Americans".
Meanwhile I think this is awefull and don't like being refered to as "we" in the history. My grandparents may have never been in the us at that time, and I am already paying for the mistakes of our ancestors with the state of the world in both nature and humanity. I wish I knew more about my ancestors and where they came from, but I would still be the me that thinks this is all a little excessive. Really.
That all said, and sorry for the rambling, I have some friends that call themselves black, but wouldn't welcome that from a white girl. I'd just say African decent and they laugh.
There are descriptive adjectives, and there is ancestorial history.
Reply:b ecause saying black is racist
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