... the other Black experience
Why are we called african american?, Why Are we caled black? were brown
In the late 1980’s it was settled that African American was the best term for “blacks”. I’m a “black” but I don’t get how I’m African American. I’m American, I was born here so were my parents. Ancestors however I’m not sure? Say they were slaves from Africa..I was still born in America. Isn’t that one way how you become an American? Whats really crazy is a “black” person born in the UK is still at times call a African American? What? Their not even from America. The term is just switched up so much.
Thats why I just say I’m American. The term “black” doesn’t fit any human in this world. We should be called if any color brown. We are different shades of brown. “Brown American” has a ring to it? But that’s what we really are. Does the term “white” fit too? Everyone is a “colored” Right?
A white, yellow or “brown” man and their parents are born in Africa so they are African. No way around that. But say that white man comes to America with a white woman also a African and they have children. What are his children then? They should be what we are called right? But no its not like that.
Whites aren’t called European-Americans? On test at school when we have to mark our race (which is so silly…why does that even matter) the only option for whites is “white”, while “browns” have “black/African American”
I just don’t get how other humans can say what people are and it settled. while it doesn’t apply to all.
African-American vs. American-- youtube.
Please leave any feedback.
-Thanks Travarus.
Thats why I just say I’m American. The term “black” doesn’t fit any human in this world. We should be called if any color brown. We are different shades of brown. “Brown American” has a ring to it? But that’s what we really are. Does the term “white” fit too? Everyone is a “colored” Right?
A white, yellow or “brown” man and their parents are born in Africa so they are African. No way around that. But say that white man comes to America with a white woman also a African and they have children. What are his children then? They should be what we are called right? But no its not like that.
Whites aren’t called European-Americans? On test at school when we have to mark our race (which is so silly…why does that even matter) the only option for whites is “white”, while “browns” have “black/African American”
I just don’t get how other humans can say what people are and it settled. while it doesn’t apply to all.
African-American vs. American-- youtube.
Please leave any feedback.
-Thanks Travarus.
Tags: Are, Why, african, american?, are, black?, brown, caled, called, we, More…
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by William Brave on -
yeah! somebody on this thread got some damn sense! ya'll kill me with all this "I resent being called African American" How many times are you ACTUALLY CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN in a day? probably as many times as you are wanted for crime, taking a standardized test or filling out a census form. Its not like someone is following you around your house calling you African all day. White Americans are called white americans and asian americans are called asian americans just as often.
A. Matsimela said:categories aren't exclusive. african-american is just a name that does justice to an historically discriminated against heritage. denying it just essentially means you're okay with marginalizing the continent and its significance in humanity and making sure it remains economically irrelevant in the future to be further exploited by neo-colonial powers; to condone genocidal atrocities and sexual and gender discrimination; to condone religious political exploitation.
accentuating oneself by saying i'm 'african-american' is to say that 'i show solidarity to the people of the african continent; their economic exclusion, racial subjugation, marginalization and exploitation are also my struggles' furthermore, saying that 'i'm black' emphasizes the same political notion at a global, non-african level. It goes to say that 'no matter my skin color, i am not inferior, nor are you superior--we are equal'.
but claiming neutrality and individuality in a world that functions politically and with partisanship either makes you a silent accomplice or a person for justice. however, just being a 'token' anything benefits no one.
commercialism is great but it feeds off of the establishment and escapism which is producing cultural and material casualties everyday... and its violence isn't always via guns. often times its by the lack of currency circulation and job development that leads to a subtler violence of apathy, ignorance and starvation.
'i'm/ you're black' is a complex statement. say it responsibly and in the correct context, please. otherwise stay silent.
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Permalink Reply by Fashionfreak on -
so? raised as a west indian by west indian parents in a west indian community although i was born here does not make me african american just bc i am black. african americans and west indians are culturally different. on the census they ask if you are a black hispanic or african american what happened to us carribbean folk? i mean if you are gonna separate us by cultural classification atleast put us down too.
Dragon of the Ghetto! said:yeah! somebody on this thread got some damn sense! ya'll kill me with all this "I resent being called African American" How many times are you ACTUALLY CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN in a day? probably as many times as you are wanted for crime, taking a standardized test or filling out a census form. Its not like someone is following you around your house calling you African all day. White Americans are called white americans and asian americans are called asian americans just as often.
A. Matsimela said:categories aren't exclusive. african-american is just a name that does justice to an historically discriminated against heritage. denying it just essentially means you're okay with marginalizing the continent and its significance in humanity and making sure it remains economically irrelevant in the future to be further exploited by neo-colonial powers; to condone genocidal atrocities and sexual and gender discrimination; to condone religious political exploitation.
accentuating oneself by saying i'm 'african-american' is to say that 'i show solidarity to the people of the african continent; their economic exclusion, racial subjugation, marginalization and exploitation are also my struggles' furthermore, saying that 'i'm black' emphasizes the same political notion at a global, non-african level. It goes to say that 'no matter my skin color, i am not inferior, nor are you superior--we are equal'.
but claiming neutrality and individuality in a world that functions politically and with partisanship either makes you a silent accomplice or a person for justice. however, just being a 'token' anything benefits no one.
commercialism is great but it feeds off of the establishment and escapism which is producing cultural and material casualties everyday... and its violence isn't always via guns. often times its by the lack of currency circulation and job development that leads to a subtler violence of apathy, ignorance and starvation.
'i'm/ you're black' is a complex statement. say it responsibly and in the correct context, please. otherwise stay silent.
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Permalink Reply by kifaru on -
What are you writing everything in bold for? We could read what you say just as well and appreciate it in a regular font. Bold type is for emphasis but when everything is in bold it just looks like you're shouting. The same goes for typing in all caps. If that's your style rock on but it's as hard to read stuff that is all bold as it is stuff in that little type. Thanks for the link.
I don't think that the definitions you used are accepted by anyone other than the author. Black is not a race. The percentages you have quoted seem skewed. If you do a quick internet search or if you have access to a JSTOR account you will see that black people (as a group) in america are overwhelmingly African. I'll post some links later.
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Permalink Reply by AllPeople on -
.
LOL -- I'm not "writing small". =D
The system used on this board seems to shrink the
letters whenever any of the text uses different fonts.
Also -- the 'sources' for the data are found
within both the links and also the sub-links.
http://community.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-africa...
kifaru said:Where are you getting these numbers from all people? Why do you keep writing small?
AllPeople said:.
Actually -- that is not accurate.
It should always be remembered that the ETHNIC term of African-American was originally designated for application to ONE (1) VERY SPECIFIC GROUP of people -- and to that one
very specific group of people alone.
In addition, just as every single 'member of the Black "Racial" group
that is found in the United States of America' is NOT a member of
the 'African-American' (AA) ETHNIC group --- every single member
of the 'African-American' ETHNIC group is NOT a 'member of the
Black "Racial" group that is found in the United States of America'.
Very much like the 'Latino' CULTURAL group -- the AAs are NOT a
"Race" group -- but rather -- they are actually an ETHNIC group and
are composed of no less than the following four (4) "race" groups:
** Multiracial=+70% of the AAs;
** Black=-20% of the AAs;
** Biracial=+/-5% of the AAs;
** White, Amerindian, etc.=+/-5% of the AAs.
As has been stated, a person simply being a citizen or resident of
the United States of American and also having a Black "racial"
lineage and /or having previously been a citizen or resident of
a nation found on the African continent does NOT and cannot
make them a member of the unique AA Ethnic grouping.
The members of the African-American (AA) ETHNIC
Grouping are ONLY the people (who happen to fit
into any number of "racial" categories) who are:
"THE "DESCENDANTS-OF-THE-SURVIVORS OF
the CHATTEL SLAVERY System that took place
ON THE CONTINENTAL United States during the
antebellum era of the history of the nation."
Anyone who happens to have been a "black" categorized person
and is also a citizen of the United States, BUT does NOT fit the
description noted, is NOT a member of the African-American (AA)
ETHNIC grouping, but rather, they are simply members of the
'Black American' (BA) RACE grouping (ex. Afro-Latino Americans;
Black-Caribbean Americans; the Black former citizens of various
nations found on the African continent, and / or other continents
who then become American citizens / residents; etc. and so on).
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?comm...
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/2059274:Topic:18140?commentId=...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/2059274:Topic:18140?commentId=...
Of the 30 Million "black" categorized
people in the United States of America:
** 17 Million --- are members of the BA RACE group
and ONLY
** 13 Million --- are members of the AA ETHNIC group
Yes --- there are actually more BAs in the U.S.A. today
than there are AAs (as there are ONLY 13 Million AAs
in total in existence throughout the entire world today)
and this statistic (of more BAs in the U.S. than AAs)
has been rising since the late 1970's / early 1980's.
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-african?commentId=2...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?comm...
.
paul pelt said:
african american is divisive ...
.
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Permalink Reply by AllPeople on
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.
LISTED BELOW ARE LINKS TO ESSAYS THAT SOME
PEOPLE MAY FIND TO BE OF SOME INTEREST. =D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE 'AFRICAN-AMERICAN' (AA) ETHNIC GROUP IS NOT THE
SAME GROUP AS THE 'BLACK AMERICAN' (BA) RACE GROUP
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
http://community.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-africa...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?comm...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al5eeK2CFwcv4rD5U5qzvE...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiebDu.tSshJzQ0wS5fMp7...
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
THE MIXED-RACE LINEAGE OF ‘MANY’OF
THE PEOPLE OF THE AA ETHNIC GROUP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1034
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1290008?cookieSet=1
QUOTE
“African Americans, on the average, have … 30% European ancestry.”
SOURCE:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0005/ai_2699000597/
”Some so-called “Black” Americans have less DNA admixture of
African ancestral origin than do some so-called “White” Americans.
Second, the admixture range of Black Americans spans the
entire chart … some have little or no African admixture …
Finally … the range of genetic admixture in those
who self-identify as “White” is … significant.
Many so-called “White” Americans have as much as
20 percent or more of African genetic admixture … and
some so-called “Black” Americans have little or none.
Indeed, other studies have found that approximately
5.5 percent of members of the U.S. Black community
have no detectable African genetic admixture.”
SOURCE:
http://knol.google.com/k/afro-euro-genetic-admixture-in-the-united-...
THE HISTORY OF THE VERY RACIST /
PRO-EUGENICIST ‘ONE-DROP RULE’
http://boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=35284580&po...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjwuxYj8agKY7yGgqaJ7i....
RELATED LINKS ON THE TOPICS NOTED ABOVE:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
http://www.mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=art...
http://www.ourfilmspace.com/forum/topics/2045657:Topic:42413?commen...
http://diverseeducation.com/article/7469/1.php
http://mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article...
.
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Permalink Reply by kifaru on
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The links you posted are not scientific studies.
AllPeople said:.
LISTED BELOW ARE LINKS TO ESSAYS THAT SOME
PEOPLE MAY FIND TO BE OF SOME INTEREST. =D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE 'AFRICAN-AMERICAN' (AA) ETHNIC GROUP IS NOT THE
SAME GROUP AS THE 'BLACK AMERICAN' (BA) RACE GROUP
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
http://community.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-africa...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?comm...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al5eeK2CFwcv4rD5U5qzvE...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiebDu.tSshJzQ0wS5fMp7...
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
THE MIXED-RACE LINEAGE OF ‘MANY’OF
THE PEOPLE OF THE AA ETHNIC GROUP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1034
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1290008?cookieSet=1
QUOTE
“African Americans, on the average, have … 30% European ancestry.”
SOURCE:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0005/ai_2699000597/
”Some so-called “Black” Americans have less DNA admixture of
African ancestral origin than do some so-called “White” Americans.
Second, the admixture range of Black Americans spans the
entire chart … some have little or no African admixture …
Finally … the range of genetic admixture in those
who self-identify as “White” is … significant.
Many so-called “White” Americans have as much as
20 percent or more of African genetic admixture … and
some so-called “Black” Americans have little or none.
Indeed, other studies have found that approximately
5.5 percent of members of the U.S. Black community
have no detectable African genetic admixture.”
SOURCE:
http://knol.google.com/k/afro-euro-genetic-admixture-in-the-united-...
THE HISTORY OF THE VERY RACIST /
PRO-EUGENICIST ‘ONE-DROP RULE’
http://boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=35284580&po...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjwuxYj8agKY7yGgqaJ7i....
RELATED LINKS ON THE TOPICS NOTED ABOVE:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
http://www.mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=art...
http://www.ourfilmspace.com/forum/topics/2045657:Topic:42413?commen...
http://diverseeducation.com/article/7469/1.php
http://mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article...
.
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Permalink Reply by Q.A.Bradford on -
I always just thought that you people would be called "afro-caribbean".
the basis for the term "west indian" also still revolves the eurocentric notion that columbus discovered the usa--for thinking humanity--and that Hindu people call themselves and their land india. trusting white people on everything is great, right? actually "hindu, india" are greek/ persian alien names for the people who call themselves Bharat.
I linguistically trust no map and people who do may as well think of the world as flat.
saying afro-caribbean is more empowering. it addresses the ancestral carib and african roots. saying west indies just kinda sounds like you're still working on the plantation... yeah, white people take such good care of us...
Juicyincouture said:so? raised as a west indian by west indian parents in a west indian community although i was born here does not make me african american just bc i am black. african americans and west indians are culturally different. on the census they ask if you are a black hispanic or african american what happened to us carribbean folk? i mean if you are gonna separate us by cultural classification atleast put us down too.
Dragon of the Ghetto! said:yeah! somebody on this thread got some damn sense! ya'll kill me with all this "I resent being called African American" How many times are you ACTUALLY CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN in a day? probably as many times as you are wanted for crime, taking a standardized test or filling out a census form. Its not like someone is following you around your house calling you African all day. White Americans are called white americans and asian americans are called asian americans just as often.
A. Matsimela said:categories aren't exclusive. african-american is just a name that does justice to an historically discriminated against heritage. denying it just essentially means you're okay with marginalizing the continent and its significance in humanity and making sure it remains economically irrelevant in the future to be further exploited by neo-colonial powers; to condone genocidal atrocities and sexual and gender discrimination; to condone religious political exploitation.
accentuating oneself by saying i'm 'african-american' is to say that 'i show solidarity to the people of the african continent; their economic exclusion, racial subjugation, marginalization and exploitation are also my struggles' furthermore, saying that 'i'm black' emphasizes the same political notion at a global, non-african level. It goes to say that 'no matter my skin color, i am not inferior, nor are you superior--we are equal'.
but claiming neutrality and individuality in a world that functions politically and with partisanship either makes you a silent accomplice or a person for justice. however, just being a 'token' anything benefits no one.
commercialism is great but it feeds off of the establishment and escapism which is producing cultural and material casualties everyday... and its violence isn't always via guns. often times its by the lack of currency circulation and job development that leads to a subtler violence of apathy, ignorance and starvation.
'i'm/ you're black' is a complex statement. say it responsibly and in the correct context, please. otherwise stay silent.
-
Permalink Reply by AllPeople on
-
.
You may not have noticed that the posting referred to
them as being 'ESSAYS' (and not as 'scientific studies'). =D
Each of the ESSAYS, however, contain numerous links which
make note and provide references to various 'scientific studies'
by such noted scientists as Dr. Luigi Cavelli-Sforza (Executive
Director of The Human Genome Project and the world's foremost
authority in human genetics);E. J. Parra and numerous others who
are looked upon as being experts in the field of genetics worldwide. =D
kifaru said:The links you posted are not scientific studies.
AllPeople said:.
LISTED BELOW ARE LINKS TO ESSAYS THAT SOME
PEOPLE MAY FIND TO BE OF SOME INTEREST. =D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE 'AFRICAN-AMERICAN' (AA) ETHNIC GROUP IS NOT THE
SAME GROUP AS THE 'BLACK AMERICAN' (BA) RACE GROUP
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
http://community.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-africa...
http://www.afropunk.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?comm...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Al5eeK2CFwcv4rD5U5qzvE...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiebDu.tSshJzQ0wS5fMp7...
http://afropunk.ning.com/forum/topics/why-are-we-called-african?com...
THE MIXED-RACE LINEAGE OF ‘MANY’OF
THE PEOPLE OF THE AA ETHNIC GROUP
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1034
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/3331
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1290008?cookieSet=1
QUOTE
“African Americans, on the average, have … 30% European ancestry.”
SOURCE:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0005/ai_2699000597/
”Some so-called “Black” Americans have less DNA admixture of
African ancestral origin than do some so-called “White” Americans.
Second, the admixture range of Black Americans spans the
entire chart … some have little or no African admixture …
Finally … the range of genetic admixture in those
who self-identify as “White” is … significant.
Many so-called “White” Americans have as much as
20 percent or more of African genetic admixture … and
some so-called “Black” Americans have little or none.
Indeed, other studies have found that approximately
5.5 percent of members of the U.S. Black community
have no detectable African genetic admixture.”
SOURCE:
http://knol.google.com/k/afro-euro-genetic-admixture-in-the-united-...
THE HISTORY OF THE VERY RACIST /
PRO-EUGENICIST ‘ONE-DROP RULE’
http://boards.mulatto.org/post/show_single_post?pid=35284580&po...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjwuxYj8agKY7yGgqaJ7i....
RELATED LINKS ON THE TOPICS NOTED ABOVE:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1400
http://www.mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=art...
http://www.ourfilmspace.com/forum/topics/2045657:Topic:42413?commen...
http://diverseeducation.com/article/7469/1.php
http://mgmix.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article...
.
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Permalink Reply by kifaru on
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Dr. Luigi Cavelli-Sforza is not an expert of African American population genetics in particular.or new world blacks population genetics in general. The most current reasearch is that African Americans are overwhelmingly descended from West Africans. The Overwhelming amount of African Americans mitochondrial DNA (matrilineal descent) is derived from Africans. There is a higher percentage European Y Chromosomal DNA ( patrilineal descent) incursion of in African Americans. Based on the fact that European Americans are overwhelmingly European patrilineally and matrilineally we can see that gene flow was generally one way i.e.European men breeding with African women.
Your argument seems to be that "Blacks" and "African Americans" are two separate, mutually exclusive populations of differing origins. The fact is you cite other peoples opinions which means not much of anything other than the fact that you agree with them. Black and African American are arbitrary terms. The same way someone tagged on those definitions you cited someone else could tag on another definition. Regardless of that as long as we understand what is being talked about the name doesn't matter.
Here's a joke to illustrate that:
A packed airlplane leaves Heathrow filled with passengers of several ethnic groups aboard but mostly white Europeans. About 700 miles out over the Atlantic ocean the plane starts experiencing severe turbulence. After several attempts to get the plane to climb to high enough altitude the pilot realizes that the pressure from one of the fuel tanks is low and the plane is too heavy to make the trip. The pilot tries ejecting the luggage. The plane still won't climb. After surveying the cabin the pilot decides what he has to do. He announces to the passengers the dilemma. He then says
"In order to save the greatest number of passengers we will have to eject some people for the greater good. To make the process equitable we will announce ethnic groups in alphabetical order and we eject them from the plane. May god bless uss all."
There is a hush in the plane. Then the pilot says
"Will all Africans, African Americans, and Asians come to the front!"
A sad looking Indian woman, a couple from Ghana, and a Korean family of four stand up and begin to protest but are quickly subdued and ejected from the plane.
The pilot surveys the passengers. There's still too many.
The pilot picks up the mic and says
"Will all Blacks come to the front!"
The passengers seize a light skinned woman with an Afro who begins to protest "But I'm a Puerto Rican!" She is silenced and thrown off the plane. Miraculously the plane gains enough altitude. A black woman with a child sitting calmly in their seats at the back of plane breathes a sigh of relief. The child asks,
"Mama how come we didn't have to go up front? They called our people two times."
The mother looks at the child and says
"'Cause today we is Negroes"
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Permalink Reply by Fashionfreak on
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well yea caribbean i use both terms. there are descendants of india in trinidad tho where my dad comes from as i stated a few posts back....they make up 50% of the population there.
A. Matsimela said:I always just thought that you people would be called "afro-caribbean".
the basis for the term "west indian" also still revolves the eurocentric notion that columbus discovered the usa--for thinking humanity--and that Hindu people call themselves and their land india. trusting white people on everything is great, right? actually "hindu, india" are greek/ persian alien names for the people who call themselves Bharat.
I linguistically trust no map and people who do may as well think of the world as flat.
saying afro-caribbean is more empowering. it addresses the ancestral carib and african roots. saying west indies just kinda sounds like you're still working on the plantation... yeah, white people take such good care of us...
Juicyincouture said:so? raised as a west indian by west indian parents in a west indian community although i was born here does not make me african american just bc i am black. african americans and west indians are culturally different. on the census they ask if you are a black hispanic or african american what happened to us carribbean folk? i mean if you are gonna separate us by cultural classification atleast put us down too.
Dragon of the Ghetto! said:yeah! somebody on this thread got some damn sense! ya'll kill me with all this "I resent being called African American" How many times are you ACTUALLY CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN in a day? probably as many times as you are wanted for crime, taking a standardized test or filling out a census form. Its not like someone is following you around your house calling you African all day. White Americans are called white americans and asian americans are called asian americans just as often.
A. Matsimela said:categories aren't exclusive. african-american is just a name that does justice to an historically discriminated against heritage. denying it just essentially means you're okay with marginalizing the continent and its significance in humanity and making sure it remains economically irrelevant in the future to be further exploited by neo-colonial powers; to condone genocidal atrocities and sexual and gender discrimination; to condone religious political exploitation.
accentuating oneself by saying i'm 'african-american' is to say that 'i show solidarity to the people of the african continent; their economic exclusion, racial subjugation, marginalization and exploitation are also my struggles' furthermore, saying that 'i'm black' emphasizes the same political notion at a global, non-african level. It goes to say that 'no matter my skin color, i am not inferior, nor are you superior--we are equal'.
but claiming neutrality and individuality in a world that functions politically and with partisanship either makes you a silent accomplice or a person for justice. however, just being a 'token' anything benefits no one.
commercialism is great but it feeds off of the establishment and escapism which is producing cultural and material casualties everyday... and its violence isn't always via guns. often times its by the lack of currency circulation and job development that leads to a subtler violence of apathy, ignorance and starvation.
'i'm/ you're black' is a complex statement. say it responsibly and in the correct context, please. otherwise stay silent.
-
Permalink Reply by Q.A.Bradford on
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immigrants! hehe...
Juicyincouture said:well yea caribbean i use both terms. there are descendants of india in trinidad tho where my dad comes from as i stated a few posts back....they make up 50% of the population there.
A. Matsimela said:I always just thought that you people would be called "afro-caribbean".
the basis for the term "west indian" also still revolves the eurocentric notion that columbus discovered the usa--for thinking humanity--and that Hindu people call themselves and their land india. trusting white people on everything is great, right? actually "hindu, india" are greek/ persian alien names for the people who call themselves Bharat.
I linguistically trust no map and people who do may as well think of the world as flat.
saying afro-caribbean is more empowering. it addresses the ancestral carib and african roots. saying west indies just kinda sounds like you're still working on the plantation... yeah, white people take such good care of us...
Juicyincouture said:so? raised as a west indian by west indian parents in a west indian community although i was born here does not make me african american just bc i am black. african americans and west indians are culturally different. on the census they ask if you are a black hispanic or african american what happened to us carribbean folk? i mean if you are gonna separate us by cultural classification atleast put us down too.
Dragon of the Ghetto! said:yeah! somebody on this thread got some damn sense! ya'll kill me with all this "I resent being called African American" How many times are you ACTUALLY CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN in a day? probably as many times as you are wanted for crime, taking a standardized test or filling out a census form. Its not like someone is following you around your house calling you African all day. White Americans are called white americans and asian americans are called asian americans just as often.
A. Matsimela said:categories aren't exclusive. african-american is just a name that does justice to an historically discriminated against heritage. denying it just essentially means you're okay with marginalizing the continent and its significance in humanity and making sure it remains economically irrelevant in the future to be further exploited by neo-colonial powers; to condone genocidal atrocities and sexual and gender discrimination; to condone religious political exploitation.
accentuating oneself by saying i'm 'african-american' is to say that 'i show solidarity to the people of the african continent; their economic exclusion, racial subjugation, marginalization and exploitation are also my struggles' furthermore, saying that 'i'm black' emphasizes the same political notion at a global, non-african level. It goes to say that 'no matter my skin color, i am not inferior, nor are you superior--we are equal'.
but claiming neutrality and individuality in a world that functions politically and with partisanship either makes you a silent accomplice or a person for justice. however, just being a 'token' anything benefits no one.
commercialism is great but it feeds off of the establishment and escapism which is producing cultural and material casualties everyday... and its violence isn't always via guns. often times its by the lack of currency circulation and job development that leads to a subtler violence of apathy, ignorance and starvation.
'i'm/ you're black' is a complex statement. say it responsibly and in the correct context, please. otherwise stay silent.
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