Black

[Cerina]

So did anybody else notice in the past few weeks that the media has gone back to calling them black and not African Americans? Has this been going on for a while now but I just noticed?

 

What other ridiculous PC thing can we expect to go away next? Can we call them mentally retarded again? Will people give up the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays bullshit now?

[Lucas1138]

But "retarded" is offensive. It has extremely pejorative connotations. Doesn't matter whether it started off as a medical term, what it is now (and has been for a while) is an insult.

 

I'm not convinced Merry Christmas v. Happy Holidays was ever actually a thing - like, a real thing that any non-rabble-rouser actually cared about. Rather, something which occurred in random locations and was then latched onto by weird relatives who sent chain e-mails (before graduating to sharing anything and everything on facebook).

[Pong Messiah]

I'm not convinced Merry Christmas v. Happy Holidays was ever actually a thing - like, a real thing that any non-rabble-rouser actually cared about. Rather, something which occurred in random locations and was then latched onto by weird relatives who sent chain e-mails (before graduating to sharing anything and everything on facebook).

Agreed. I think that at first, it was rabble-rousers and a few people who were genuinely concerned about offending people of other religions or whatever. But nobody worth worrying about cared much, and now it's just the rabble-rousers (partisan hacks, trolls, and/or genuine conspiracy theorists).

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

As for the term black VS African American, I haven't noticed until you pointed it out, Cerina. But now that I think about it, I think it probably started around 2010, about the same time it became acceptable in the news to refer to Latino or Hispanic people as "brown," when the immigration debate started heating up.

 

Short answer on what term to use when its black VS African American: it depends on who you are talking to, and in what context.

 

Long Answer: In my experience, for most black people, the term black is generally not perceived as a bad term to use. Not all black people identify with Africa (IE some prefer to recognize their Caribbean ancestry), and not all people of African ancestry are black (IE Northern Africa) . Some black people actually from Africa are offended that black Americans call themselves African Americans. Black people who prefer the term African American, usually do so because the want to honor their ancestors who were enslaved and brought to America. But I think for most black people, the terms black and African American can be used interchangeably, as long as no offense is intended. In my experience, its more about intent, and people can kind of just sense when a term is being used pejoratively or not. I've found that if someone prefers to be called African American to black, or vice versa, they will usually just politely correct you, and the polite thing to do would be to at that point use the term they prefer.

 

As far as the term retarded, I think in most circles now, that is considered offensive. Especially when you encounter a parent who has a kid with a learning or developmental disability. Which is understandable.

 

Anyone who is genuinely and deeply offended when you say Merry Christmas instead of happy holidays, usually has issues (I find they are usually militant atheists) and that is just something that gives them a license to act out their craziness. The flip side to that are the uber Christians who DEMAND the term Merry Christmas be used instead of happy holidays, and get overtly offended at the term happy holidays, likewise has issues.

[Darth Krawlie]

this thread is retarded

[The Kurgan]

In my experience, its more about intent, and people can kind of just sense when a term is being used pejoratively or not.

This. A handful of decidedly pejorative terms and vulgar slang have no place in polite, public conversation. Beyond that, I think the vast majority of so called political correctness is manufactured controversy. One side gets "offended" by some turn of phrase or another and a crusade is declared against some form of prejudice or discrimination while another group whines about how "out of control" all this political correctness has become. The ensuing s**tstorm is good for ratings, viewership/readership and so forth and that's what advertisers want.

[The Kurgan]

[Guest]

There was a pretty big deal in Central Ohio where recent immigrants from Africa, especially those who became citizens, were very upset about the term African-American, because they felt that using it for all blacks completely negated and mocked their experience as true African-Americans, or it misidentified them as American, when they were still hoping to someday return to their home countries. Simply put, it's a dumb term because if assumes that every black person is both African and American, neither of which is true.

The flip side to that are the uber Christians who DEMAND the term Merry Christmas be used instead of happy holidays, and get overtly offended at the term happy holidays, likewise has issues.

I don't think I personally know anyone who actually goes to church who gets upset about it. It's more the "cultural Christians" who get upset, mainly, I think, as a way of showing that they are Christians. Similarly, I don't think I know any atheists, Jews or Muslims who are offended by "Merry Christmas." I tend to say holiday when speaking to customers at any time of year, whether it's the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving.

[Ryn]

That first sentence I know as a fact from working with African immigrants.

[Copper]

I have always used black mostly because I have met a few folks who were Dominican and Haitian who were black and hated being called African American.

 

also my Mom calls every asian she meets/sees Chinese and I'm trying to break her of that habit. At least she doesn't call them oriental anymore.

this thread is retarded

I appreciate you Krawlie.

[Lucas1138]

I kind of laugh sometimes at how obtuse we can be about things, especially older generations.

 

And then I remember that we didn't stop using gay as an insult until like 5 years ago.

 

caveat edit: I suppose that could be generational and that's just when every generation stops (19-22ish). I dunno 'bout you old folks.

 

double edit: Or ***, for that matter. Jeez. That's cringe-worthy, right?

[Good God a Bear]

I am OFFENDED you used the term old folks. How dare you?!?!?! The Association of People Against People Calling People Old Folks will be protesting at your house soon. I hope you're happy.

[RelentlessMalice]

I could care less if the media calls them black or African American.

 

I am more concerned with the media once again using "race" as the center of these stories to stir the pot and to cause an issue to be bigger than it should be. Get the media trucks and reporters out of these places and things calm down because the protesters do not have cameras to show off too.

[Evolence]

Is it just me, or were things not much simpler when we didn't fret over all of these ethnic nuances and any black (regardless of origins) could just be called a ******?

[Ms. Spam]

Negroes.

[Pong Messiah]

Is it just me, or were things not much simpler when we didn't fret over all of these ethnic nuances and any black (regardless of origins) could just be called a ******?

I'm sure that in some ways things were a lot simpler. A lot of older, simpler things are kinda sucky when you look back on them though.

[DANA-kin Skywalker]

What about Afro-American? Is that still a thing? I remember that in school as a kid. It was even in textbooks, and was thinking it was silly to name a race of people after a fleetingly popular hairstyle in the 70s.

[David]

I don't even understand how people can be offended by the word 'black'. At all. You can call me white all day long.

[Pong Messiah]

because u r privilege

[David]

I don't consider myself privileged. I'm a single father with full custody of my son and I work my ass off in a blue collar job system to pay my bills to provide for me and my son. I don't have much, and i don't get handouts. I'm far from privileged.

[The Kurgan]

I don't consider myself privileged. I'm a single father with full custody of my son and I work my ass off in a blue collar job system to pay my bills to provide for me and my son. I don't have much, and i don't get handouts. I'm far from privileged.

You're a white male, David. You're privileged. The social science gospels say so.

[Guest]

I'm unapologetic, have no desire to castrate myself or anything, but it's true to a degree. It's easier for me to get a job, and to move up. I've got a friend who started in a similar position, has similar education and background. I see it all the time at work, too, and I work in an office and talk to customers regularly, but never see them face-to-face. I can legitimately talk to a customer and they'll listen to me over any woman. I can say the exact same thing and they'll believe me and yell at her.

 

So, yes, I believe there is something to be said about the privilege we have as white men, but I mainly think that it allows me to keep in mind that I'm just lucky. Sure, I work hard, but there's a lot of my career and family life that is just plain luck.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

I'm unapologetic, have no desire to castrate myself or anything, but it's true to a degree. It's easier for me to get a job, and to move up. I've got a friend who started in a similar position, has similar education and background. I see it all the time at work, too, and I work in an office and talk to customers regularly, but never see them face-to-face. I can legitimately talk to a customer and they'll listen to me over any woman. I can say the exact same thing and they'll believe me and yell at her.

 

So, yes, I believe there is something to be said about the privilege we have as white men, but I mainly think that it allows me to keep in mind that I'm just lucky. Sure, I work hard, but there's a lot of my career and family life that is just plain luck.

Here's a question. Do you find that all groups of people will listen to you over a woman minority person, or is it only certain groups of people (IE white men)?

[Guest]

All groups. Although women and minorities are actually the least likely to listen to the women.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

Interesting. I would have assumed women would tend to listen to women more, and men would listen to men more.