Does the term African-American annoy you?

I think "Black American" is much more fitting. "African American" makes it sound like they just immigrated from some country in Africa.

I'm Caucasian and my heritage is Irish and German, so would that make me a European American?

Yes...just seems so unnecessary.

I would hateto live in a place where I had to call every-one by ______ American (German, Mexican, French, English, etc)
-it is wrong most of the time to call someone a _____ American
-we don't call white people from Africa 'African-Americans'
-seems divisive (we are all just American now)

rawsavon

There are many different people of different skin colors in Africa, be it olive, black, white or brown (those from Egypt have brown skin mind you). I have known blacks from Africa and they despise Americans using the term African-American. If you were born on US soil, you are an American no matter your skin color. If you have immigrated to the US from a different country and have become a naturalized citizen (sworn allegience to the US by taking the oath), then one can call oneself -American.

I call blacks black, white's white and Asians Asian not yellow. What is worse is civil rights leaders who fought for black equality still find it necessary to hold seperate black events and use the term African-American. Way to show that you really want to be treated equal.

[QUOTE="SgtKevali"]

An African American is an American who's "roots" are in Africa, just like an Asian American is an American who's "roots" are in Asia. What's so complicated about that?

Eleckidding

Obviously, but for the discussions around race you have to be able to describe race or origin.

If it's developing some negative connotations then understandably people will take offense. If it isn't, then well I'm sure there are far grater things to worry about in this world…

YES! It bothers me a lot. I'm sick of people calling themselves hyphenated Americans. What is wrong with just being American?

Asian-American

Mexican-American

African-American

etc.

They are all ridiculous. If you are African, you are African. If you are American, you are American. If you happen to have dual citizenship, then you are both, but other than that you aren't.

I just say "black".

Hell yea, I hate it...Anti-Venom

YES! It bothers me a lot. I'm sick of people calling themselves hyphenated Americans. What is wrong with just being American?

Asian-American

Mexican-American

African-American

etc.

They are all ridiculous. If you are African, you are African. If you are American, you are American. If you happen to have dual citizenship, then you are both, but other than that you aren't.

[QUOTE="Anti-Venom"]Heck yea, I hate it...Bloodseeker23

Yeah, I black (Technically mixed) and I hate the phrase to death.Mythomniac

[QUOTE="JadeNic"]

YES! It bothers me a lot. I'm sick of people calling themselves hyphenated Americans. What is wrong with just being American?

Asian-American

Mexican-American

African-American

etc.

They are all ridiculous. If you are African, you are African. If you are American, you are American. If you happen to have dual citizenship, then you are both, but other than that you aren't.

mattbbpl

African-American IS NOT a race. It is a title given to an American of African decent...

Yes, So Does European American, Asian American, Candian American, Mexican American etc.. You move to America, you're an American.

i dont like it , if you call European Americanto the others then maybe

It doesn't make sense when referring to people such as Martin Luther King who wasn't born in Africa, and makes even less sense when referring to Africans. Is a black man who is born in England an African-American? Is a black man who has never been outside Africa an African-American? I just think the term is incredibly stupid, I'm not trying to offend anyone.Eleckidding

Is a black man who is born in England an African-American?

He'd be an Afro/Anglo-American.

Is a black man who has never been outside Africa an African-American?

What? Of course not.

[QUOTE="mattbbpl"][QUOTE="JadeNic"]

YES! It bothers me a lot. I'm sick of people calling themselves hyphenated Americans. What is wrong with just being American?

Asian-American

Mexican-American

African-American

etc.

They are all ridiculous. If you are African, you are African. If you are American, you are American. If you happen to have dual citizenship, then you are both, but other than that you aren't.

African-American IS NOT a race. It is a title given to an American of African decent...

Yeah it's stupid since black people come from other places besides Africa namely the West and East IndiesToriko42

Yeah it's stupid since black people come from other places besides Africa namely the West and East IndiesToriko42

And where did they originate from?

[QUOTE="Toriko42"]Yeah it's stupid since black people come from other places besides Africa namely the West and East IndiesSgtKevali

And where did they originate from?

The Japanese and Koreans came from China and Japan respectively, are they not Korean and Japanese or are they generally considered Chinese?

C'mon y'all...

I guess on a personal level I just hate that African-American is considered synonomous with black in the U.S.

I was born in South Africa. When I was 14 I moved and became a citizen of the United States. That would technically make me an African-American. But I'm white.

I guess on a personal level I just hate that African-American is considered synonomous with black in the U.S.

I was born in South Africa. When I was 14 I moved and became a citizen of the United States. That would technically make me an African-American. But I'm white.

JadeNic

I hate the fact that 25 years from now I won't be using African-American as a term for black people.

Just like negro, just like colored, and just like black... African-American is going to eventually have a negative stigma to it, and black people will want to be called something else.

Really what the black community needs to do is stop being a bunch of wimps and man up. I mean how many racial slurs stick to white people??? why cause they adopt it right away, and don't let it bother em. Call em honkies, crackers, rednecks, gaijin, farang, or gringo they'll wear it w/ pride.

I just absolutely stopped saying anything that may note a person's skin color. No matter what you say it can and perhaps will be interpreted as racist. Stupid people, demonizing freaking everything....Pyro767

[QUOTE="Pyro767"]I just absolutely stopped saying anything that may note a person's skin color. No matter what you say it can and perhaps will be interpreted as racist. Stupid people, demonizing freaking everything....Toriko42

I hate the fact that 25 years from now I won't be using African-American as a term for black people.

Just like negro, just like colored, and just like black... African-American is going to eventually have a negative stigma to it, and black people will want to be called something else.

Really what the black community needs to do is stop being a bunch of wimps and man up. I mean how many racial slurs stick to white people??? why cause they adopt it right away, and don't let it bother em. Call em honkies, crackers, rednecks, gaijin, farang, or gringo they'll wear it w/ pride.

jrhawk42

It doesn't make sense when referring to people such as Martin Luther King who wasn't born in Africa, and makes even less sense when referring to Africans. Is a black man who is born in England an African-American? Is a black man who has never been outside Africa an African-American? I just think the term is incredibly stupid, I'm not trying to offend anyone.Eleckidding

I don't refer to them as that.I say call us all americans.The funny thing is that even though we fight with each other all the time when the need comes to pull together we sure can do it mighty fast LOL! Then we go back to fighting with each other.See thats why we are so good at war!

Not exactly. It annoys me if people think it's offensive to use any term except that. I say black. It's more accurate, shorter word, and I'm used to it.

It's all divide and conquer...I second the no hyphens comments! People are people regardless of race.

One America, one people :P

I have actually noticed a lot of 'African Americans' preferring to be called black. I mean there are blacks from countries like Jamaica, Trinidad, France, etc. Why should they be called African American when they are clearly not?

I do not think it is bad. It is better than some other names, as I feel offensive when I call others their colour, eg, Black people, or Brown people. optiow

Do you find it offensive to call caucasians white?

Do you find it offensive to call caucasians white?BPoole96

Yup. I hate it when members from my various family branches refer to themselves as "Jewish-Americans/Canadians" and "Native Americans/indians/First Nations." I just want to be Canadian, not be distinguished by where my ancestors came from and what cultures they belonged to.

...Well, you need to describe their skin color somehow. I just call them black, and i call myself white. There is nothing wrong with that.

[QUOTE="optiow"]I do not think it is bad. It is better than some other names, as I feel offensive when I call others their colour, eg, Black people, or Brown people. BPoole96

Do you find it offensive to call caucasians white?

I'm hispanic and I notice the fact most Hispanics(and Indians/Arab) embraced the term "brown" and decide that they would call themselves brown people.

But, Africans never decided to be "black" people, the were told by their uppers that they were "black" people. It's the same with calling Native Americans "Red" people or calling Asians "Yellow" people, the only difference is "red" and "yellow" died out decades ago from mainstream use, while "black" is still a pretty mainstream term.

[QUOTE="BPoole96"]Do you find it offensive to call caucasians white?optiow

I'm white as well and I have actually been corrected in the past when I've used the term African American. Certainly there are African Americans, but I don't see why a black person who was born in the US should be referred to as that. Their nationality is simply American

This has always been a weak argument. No group of people stumble upon Caucasians and decided "From now on you people will be called white", Europeans/Caucasians started calling themselves "white" and embraced the term.

I'm hispanic and I notice the fact most Hispanics(and Indians/Arab) embraced the term "brown" and decide that they would call themselves brown people.

But, Africans never decided to be "black" people, the were told by their uppers that they were "black" people. It's the same with calling Native Americans "Red" people or calling Asians "Yellow" people, the only difference is "red" and "yellow" died out decades ago from mainstream use, while "black" is still a pretty mainstream term.

the_new_guy_92

But why is it offensive to be called "black"? It is just a fact. I guess I don't really understand.

It is not like it is being used as a derogatory term.

African-American just doesn't make sense.

I'm white as well and I have actually been corrected in the past when I've used the term African American. Certainly there are African Americans, but I don't see why a black person who was born in the US should be referred to as that. Their nationality is simply AmericanBPoole96