African American but not African? Can someone explain this to me?

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Chicken453

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

European- Anbody who lives in America who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asian- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

I don't use the term African American to describe black people. It's stupid and makes no sense. Every black person I ask says the same thing.

The term African American can be largely incorrect and I'm wondering why Americans still use it. Simply saying black works just fine, honest. And, to answer your question, the term African American refers to a black person born in the US; the term African refers to anyone, regardless of skin colour, who was born in Africa.Shottayouth13-

People and their damned hurt feelings. We need some more Red Forman in this world.

Arguing PC semantics on a video game forum is like...arguing PC semantics on a video game forum.

PC = politically correct

I don't use the term African American to describe black people. It's stupid and makes no sense. Every black person I ask says the same thing.

Toxic-Seahorse

It just means somebody with dark skin living in the U.S.

[spoiler] Yeah it's stupid. [/spoiler]

I would take offense to somebody telling me I'm not African, but African-American. I shouldn't have to own your ignorance. Just call me black, I call them white, the others hispanic, and the others asian and we call it a f***ing day.

[QUOTE="Jebus213"]

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Rattlesnake_8

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

White people- Anbody that lives in America who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asians- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

Europeans aren't called "white people" on a regular basis until they move to America. :P

That's what I mean.

The police and media call you caucasian. A white person who's of European decent.

[QUOTE="Chow_Mein_Kampf"]

[QUOTE="JML897"]You should've just said black.hiphops_savior

Apparently not P.C...............

Everything goes based on skin color in America. Not where you were born.

[QUOTE="hiphops_savior"][QUOTE="Chow_Mein_Kampf"]

Apparently not P.C...............

worlock77

It depends on which country he was born in. A white man born in, say Kenya, would likely be called "Kenyan-American", and so on.

No... He would be called white or caucasian.

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday

Chicken453

African american means that his roots come from Africa, but he is american. Think about this . Italo-Americans. There are guys whose great grand parents came from Italy, however both their parents and grandparents are American. They call themselves Italo-Americans (cajuns for short) because their origin is not American.curono

cajuns are french descendents...sailed down the river from canada to settle in LA.

creole are a mix of french and african, hence jambalaya...jambon is french for ham, and laya is Swahili for rice

You should've just said black.JML897

Apparently not P.C...............

You should've just said black.JML897

Well, I'm apparently Caucasian even though my family is originally Scottish, not from the Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, etc.)

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Jebus213

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

White people- Anbody who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asians- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Jebus213

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

White people- Anbody that lives in America who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asians- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

African American is a stupid term in my opinion. You don't have to be from Africa to have dark skin like that but everybody who has skin that color is called African American. And what, are we going to start having African Canadians? African Mexicans? African Russians? It's all a bunch of stupid BS.

[QUOTE="Jebus213"]

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Rattlesnake_8

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

White people- Anbody that lives in America who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asians- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

See bolded. That's the joke.

[QUOTE="Jebus213"]

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen. 

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me. 

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Chicken453

Let me help you with American definitions. 

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

White people- Anbody who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asians- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.

Oh and these aren't real definitions. Just explaining what people(Americans) mean.

[QUOTE="Shottayouth13-"]The term African American can be largely incorrect and I'm wondering why Americans still use it. Simply saying black works just fine, honest. And, to answer your question, the term African American refers to a black person born in the US; the term African refers to anyone, regardless of skin colour, who was born in Africa.danjammer69

People and their damned hurt feelings. We need some more Red Forman in this world.

[QUOTE="Shottayouth13-"]The term African American can be largely incorrect and I'm wondering why Americans still use it. Simply saying black works just fine, honest. And, to answer your question, the term African American refers to a black person born in the US; the term African refers to anyone, regardless of skin colour, who was born in Africa.danjammer69

People and their damned hurt feelings. We need some more Red Forman in this world.

You do know that the term "African-American" pre-dates the Clinton era by a long time right?

[QUOTE="JML897"]You should've just said black.Chow_Mein_Kampf

Apparently not P.C...............

[QUOTE="Chow_Mein_Kampf"]

[QUOTE="JML897"]You should've just said black.hiphops_savior

Apparently not P.C...............

It depends on which country he was born in. A white man born in, say Kenya, would likely be called "Kenyan-American", and so on.

I think the connotation and denotations tend to confuse people.

When you say African, people tend to think of Black Africans.  Spears, shields, face paint, skin the color of a moonless night sky, saggy boobs in national geographic

When you say African American, people tend to think of Black Americans, often intermixed (but not always) with another ethnicity (often white).  Boomboxes, rap, afros, big booties

The two cultures are significantly different enough to warrant the "proper" term, as African brings to mind some sort of tribal witch doctor, whereas african american brings to mind Snoop Dogg

And, to be fair, white brings to mind Kid Rock :P

[QUOTE="JML897"]You should've just said black.Chow_Mein_Kampf

Apparently not P.C...............

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

[QUOTE="hiphops_savior"] What do you call a white person who was born in an African country and immigrated to America, becoming an American citizen?Jebus213

It depends on which country he was born in. A white man born in, say Kenya, would likely be called "Kenyan-American", and so on.

No... He would be called white or caucasian.

I would take offense to somebody telling me I'm not African, but African-American. I shouldn't have to own your ignorance. Just call me black, I call them white, the others hispanic, and the others asian and we call it a f***ing day.

TacticaI

[QUOTE="TacticaI"]

I would take offense to somebody telling me I'm not African, but African-American. I shouldn't have to own your ignorance. Just call me black, I call them white, the others hispanic, and the others asian and we call it a f***ing day.

Mink

Red?

I'd have just said "You all know what I mean, now get back on topic".

[QUOTE="curono"]African american means that his roots come from Africa, but he is american. Think about this . Italo-Americans. There are guys whose great grand parents came from Italy, however both their parents and grandparents are American. They call themselves Italo-Americans (cajuns for short) because their origin is not American.mrbojangles25

cajuns are french descendents...sailed down the river from canada to settle in LA.

creole are a mix of french and african, hence jambalaya...jambon is french for ham, and laya is Swahili for rice

... Thanks for the info. But your point is, besides trolling...[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

[QUOTE="curono"]African american means that his roots come from Africa, but he is american. Think about this . Italo-Americans. There are guys whose great grand parents came from Italy, however both their parents and grandparents are American. They call themselves Italo-Americans (cajuns for short) because their origin is not American.curono

cajuns are french descendents...sailed down the river from canada to settle in LA.

creole are a mix of french and african, hence jambalaya...jambon is french for ham, and laya is Swahili for rice

my point is

[QUOTE="curono"]... Thanks for the info. But your point is, besides trolling...[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

cajuns are french descendents...sailed down the river from canada to settle in LA.

creole are a mix of french and african, hence jambalaya...jambon is french for ham, and laya is Swahili for rice

mrbojangles25

my point is

[QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

[QUOTE="curono"]curono

my point is

exactly

[QUOTE="curono"][QUOTE="mrbojangles25"]

my point is

mrbojangles25

exactly

[QUOTE="danjammer69"]

[QUOTE="Shottayouth13-"]The term African American can be largely incorrect and I'm wondering why Americans still use it. Simply saying black works just fine, honest. And, to answer your question, the term African American refers to a black person born in the US; the term African refers to anyone, regardless of skin colour, who was born in Africa.Shottayouth13-

People and their damned hurt feelings. We need some more Red Forman in this world.

You all must be young. The PC movement is from the 60's. :lol:

[QUOTE="Chicken453"]

So I was on the Injustice Gamefaqs forum yesturday and made a topic about the game needing more African characters, as Black Adam and Cyborg were the only ones. I asked for someone like Vixen.

Then People started saying how Cyborg isn't African, he's African American, then I said yes So he's African then they all started saying how he wasn't African at all but African American, so i asked how could you be both but only one at the same time. Then they started going on about ho it was ignorant to think all African people come from Africa? Which then confused me.

If someone is of African descent they are African right or am I crazy?

Jebus213

Let me help you with American definitions.

African- A black person who lives in Africa.

African American- A person who's black that lives in the United States.

Middle Eastern- Anybody who's brown that lives in a desert or arid country.(That includes North Africa)

European- Anbody who lives in America who's lighter then the tanning mom except Asians.

Asian- Anybody from Asia that has an Epicanthic fold.