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"Black" or "African-American"?
***I realize that this is a sensitive subject for a lot of people. I'm not trying to ruffle anyone's feathers or hurt anyone's feelings. I just have a strong opinion on the subject, and I feel like sharing it.***
I believe that the term "African-American" is a dangerous one. It is usually used instead of "black." First, what would you call a "black" person in a different country? An "African-Australian" or an "African-Czech Republican?" That's just silly. More importantly: HOW DO YOU KNOW THEY'RE FROM AFRICA? People from Haiti and Samoa and Brazil and France (and many other places which are NOT Africa) have dark skin and other features similar to black people from Africa. Also: There are white people in Africa, too. There have been for centuries. Charlize Theron is African-American. Seriously, look it up.
The term "African-American" actually seems presumptive and ignorant to me. It would make sense that we should call basketball player Dikembe Mutombo "African-American," because he is truly from Africa. It does NOT make sense, though, to just call every black person "African-American," simply "because they look African-ish" -- or, in other words, because they're black. Few P.C. alarms are sounded when people are called "white," so what's wrong with calling people "black"? It seems to me to be no different than calling someone "blonde," "brunette," or "ginger."
People have raised concerns in the past about terms like "black" and "redskin" and "kraut." The word "kraut" is purely stereotypical and negative in nature. It makes no attempt to describe, but rather makes a flippant and broad-based assumption about the lifestyle of a whole group of people, and is not altogether different from other disgusting words like "wetback." Therefore, that term should not be used.
The word "redskin" is an attempt at a description, but cannot be separated from its negative connotations, and is therefore not dissimilar from words like "negro." Neither word was originally an insult. "Negro" is simply the Spanish language word for the color black. However, since both words ("negro" and "redskin") are inexorably linked to the derogatory context with which they came to be used so widely, neither should be used.
The word "black," however, is truly an empirical description, even if it is not a specifically accurate one. For example: "White" people are not white, they are pink-ish. "Red" hair is not (usually) red, it is (usually) orange. Similarly, "black" people are not (usually) black, they are (usually) some shade of brown. It is not my intention to convince everyone to use the word "black" to describe dark-skinned people that have visual similarities to the dark-skinned natives of Africa. I only suggest the word "black" as one possible alternative to using the term "African-American" when we really mean "dark-skinned people."
Two final thoughts, which are much more important than anything I've written so far here:
***If something you are saying offends someone else, DON'T SAY IT. It's called "sensitivity" and "common decency." These two things are in short supply these days, but the supply is only as short as we allow it to be.***
and,
***If it is not important information to the sentence you're speaking or writing or typing that the person is a "black person" or a "white person" or a "fuchsia person," then just say "person" -- or call them by their NAME.***
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"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
"Rarely do we find [people] who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think."
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
"Our loyalties must transend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective."
"All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem."
"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
--MLK
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Comment by: macayle - 2007-09-12 12:15
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I agree with tcbswan when she says that "the most important thing is to let people name themselves--determine what they want to be called rather than someone outside their culture determine that name." However, my whole point in writing this article (or commentary, or whatever you call it) was that not all "black" people share a common culture. It is therefore ignorant (in my opinion) to call someone "African-American" simply because of the color of their skin.
Actual native Africans (to my knowledge) tend to consider themselves to be "Africans." There is absolutely no good reason to come up with some other name for them. However, in this country, the term "African-American" is simply thrown like a blanket over anyone who has "black" skin. It is VERY rarely used to honor the African heritage that most black Americans share. It is predominantly used as nothing more than a "euphemism" of sorts. The overwhelming majority of the time that the term is used in this country, the person using it simply means "black," but they know that saying "black" isn't politically correct. Two hundred or a hundred (or even fifty) years ago, most people who said "negro" didn't mean it as an insult -- they just didn't know what else to say.
As I said in the original piece: If a person's color is not an issue, then don't make it one. If you are giving a description of a missing person or a bank robber to the police, it would be important to mention skin color -- as well as height, build, etc. But, if you want to tell someone what Bill did at the office, just say "Bill wigged out and threw his Swingline stapler at the supervisor." -- instead of "Bill (who is a white guy, by the way) wigged out and threw his Swingline stapler at the supervisor (who is a Pakistani woman)."
I've gotten some good, thoughtful comments on this. That by itself kinda makes me proud. |
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Comment by: tcbswan - 2007-09-12 01:50
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i think the most important thing is to let people name themselves--determine what they want to be called rather than someone outside their culture determine that name.
there is much history to the association of people of color with Africa--most of this tied to the historical fact that the majority of 'black' people in the americas (even those in haiti, the afro-brazilians, afro-cubans etc--the islands in the atlantic) came to be where they were because of the trans-atlantic slave trade--they were from Africa--most from the western parts of the continent, but from all over.
political correctness maybe an effort to over correct--the way one does when swerving in a car.
still, i have always found it interesting when reading a book written by a white person, the characters aren't described as white--it is understood that they are. oh, a character maybe described as having blond hair or blue eyes, but i've never read a book where the characters where called white when the author was also white. however, any character who is not white has their race indicated.
african-american is a term that seeks to step away from the practice of a group of people being identified solely by the color of their skin--and instead embracing a collective history and shared identity. it is an attempt to (in my opinion) step away from the negative history and embrace the positive. negro (the spanish word for black) was a name given to africans--black was another term, later co-opted by many people of african descent, a term of empowerment, was also a name 'black' people were called by others.
i should mention that indentifying oneself as african-american has little to do with skin color (as you mention--i know many african americans whose skin is light); it has to do with an identification with the history and the culture of a people and to say it's only about race is too simplistic.
but anything is better than the alternative of not respecting an individual or group's right to be called what ever they want. thanks for an interesting blog. |
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Comment by: macayle - 2007-09-11 16:58
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This is a touchy subject, but I have a big mouth. Also, I have a tendency to open that big mouth even more quickly when I think an injustice is being done. I can't stand it when political correctness is so backwards. Political correctness is WAY out of control, and has begun to pervert itself. In cases like the one I talk about here, it has even begun to OFFEND some of the very people it is trying to protect from offense. You can't please everyone all of the time, but... Is it so hard for us to GENUINELY and SIMPLY appreciate diversity?
Audiogeist -- thanks for the catch on the typo. |
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Caveat aside, you've picked a hot topic. (and a touch of the Devil's Advocate..?)
There've been a few 'PC' laws laid that've made roll my eyes and bash the table. Although, some have had me sighing with relief. Ultimately Race, Political Correctness and Prejudice will always fuel strong public debate.
One point:
"The word The term" - typo
A thought provoking read. |
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| This is an issue that I constantly think about. I'm never sure how to explain someone who has dark skin. And I never know what offends who? And I have definitely said many times that people are brown and peach. This is a very touchy, and confusing subject, I must say. |
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