Please Don't Call Me African-American....Im BLACK

[Jordan8]

Im a Martian

 

[Jordan8]

Im a Martian

 

[antonlavey]

I probably wouldn't care because I'd be dead, and it's not that serious...but down the road from now this would be the equivalent of my descendants insisting on not being referred to as Nigerian American, while complaining about their loss of heritage. They may not know where/ what tribe in Nigeria they are from, but by removing that little detail they're killing their last shot at tracing their lineage.

Nigeria is an arbitrary nation constructed by colonialism...but it still serves as a landmark to heritage (tribal affiliation)
and even provides a sense of nationalism, albeit artificial in a sense. I am more than just a "black" man.....I have loyalties to my two countries of citizenship

, my ethnic group, village, and then my "race".


Calling someone an Uncle Tom gives more power to a very effective tool of manipulation and control, racism. We do not all have to act or think the same.

 

[antonlavey]

I probably wouldn't care because I'd be dead, and it's not that serious...but down the road from now this would be the equivalent of my descendants insisting on not being referred to as Nigerian American, while complaining about their loss of heritage. They may not know where/ what tribe in Nigeria they are from, but by removing that little detail they're killing their last shot at tracing their lineage.

Nigeria is an arbitrary nation constructed by colonialism...but it still serves as a landmark to heritage (tribal affiliation)
and even provides a sense of nationalism, albeit artificial in a sense. I am more than just a "black" man.....I have loyalties to my two countries of citizenship

, my ethnic group, village, and then my "race".


Calling someone an Uncle Tom gives more power to a very effective tool of manipulation and control, racism. We do not all have to act or think the same.

 

[fantastic4our]

I identify with the term "Black" because as far as my roots, the past few generations of my family have all been from America. There's Black, White (not sure what countries), American Indian all in MY ancestry. These are things I KNOW for sure as my sister has done extensive research into my family's ancestry. So the term African-American seems a tad out of place. MY people have as much claim to America as people who simply claim themselves to be "American."

 

[fantastic4our]

I identify with the term "Black" because as far as my roots, the past few generations of my family have all been from America. There's Black, White (not sure what countries), American Indian all in MY ancestry. These are things I KNOW for sure as my sister has done extensive research into my family's ancestry. So the term African-American seems a tad out of place. MY people have as much claim to America as people who simply claim themselves to be "American."

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by RavageBX

Originally Posted by Keithdajuiceman

Originally Posted by DaNiKeRhiNo

Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey


Ironic, how African Americans complain about their culture and roots being stripped from them....yet insist on taking measures like this to erase all traces of their origins.

hit the nail on the !++%%%% head

Preach.

anton you're African right ? if so shut up, why wouldn't you accept the "African American" title it fits you.......my orgin is montgomery, alabama....my moms orgin is montgomery alabama...my dad orgin is nyc..his mom orgin is montgomery alabama...his dad orgin is nyc...get my drift


let's not get on the Africans that migrate here, most of them don't even consider us equal to them..kill all that 'Black folks disowning their orgin" my orgin is America just like my parents and grand parents and great grand parents

You don't really think America is your origin do you?

He does, and it's his choice. I am very scornful of Africans who think they're better than African American. A lot of first generation immigrants, not just Africans think see African Americans in a negative light. Part of it is foolish pride, and a lot of it has to do with the media/television/ sheer ignorance.


Just in case people missed my point in this thread....I don't wanna hear some of yall talk about how you've been stripped of your heritage if you've made the decision that your origins are in this America. A person's origin and heritage is pretty arbitrary. It's up to you to decide for early in your lineage you place the stamp of "origin".

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by RavageBX

Originally Posted by Keithdajuiceman

Originally Posted by DaNiKeRhiNo

Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey


Ironic, how African Americans complain about their culture and roots being stripped from them....yet insist on taking measures like this to erase all traces of their origins.

hit the nail on the !++%%%% head

Preach.

anton you're African right ? if so shut up, why wouldn't you accept the "African American" title it fits you.......my orgin is montgomery, alabama....my moms orgin is montgomery alabama...my dad orgin is nyc..his mom orgin is montgomery alabama...his dad orgin is nyc...get my drift


let's not get on the Africans that migrate here, most of them don't even consider us equal to them..kill all that 'Black folks disowning their orgin" my orgin is America just like my parents and grand parents and great grand parents

You don't really think America is your origin do you?

He does, and it's his choice. I am very scornful of Africans who think they're better than African American. A lot of first generation immigrants, not just Africans think see African Americans in a negative light. Part of it is foolish pride, and a lot of it has to do with the media/television/ sheer ignorance.


Just in case people missed my point in this thread....I don't wanna hear some of yall talk about how you've been stripped of your heritage if you've made the decision that your origins are in this America. A person's origin and heritage is pretty arbitrary. It's up to you to decide for early in your lineage you place the stamp of "origin".

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by AZwildcats

Originally Posted by kix4kix

Originally Posted by RavageBX

Originally Posted by Keithdajuiceman

Originally Posted by DaNiKeRhiNo

Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

You don't really think America is your origin do you?

Yeah, Dude is from America. Do you guys know what Origin means?

  

In realistic terms, yeah dude is from America. His family is from America and has been for generations. There is nothing wrong with saying he is purely American.

In theoritical terms, unless you are Native American, most of our families did not originate from America. At some point there was an immigration to America. Whether it be forced immigration (slavery) or opportunistic immigration, most of our ancestors came from somewhere else. So technically he originated from somewhere else but i understand it isn't necessary for people to look back that far.

As for Africa being invented by white people i disagree. "African" is not a term that stripped individual cultures and societies of their identities. I believe it is the opposite. It is a unifying term that brings a continent together. Just like the term American can be used to describe people of all different backgrounds, African can be used to describe people from Nigeria to South Africa to Egypt and so on. Its more of a geographic thing than a racial thing.

   Africa isn't a unifying term, it is a geographic label. Africa is the English word for a continent of people that don't necessarily share the same language, values, religions, cultures, traditions etc etc.

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by AZwildcats

Originally Posted by kix4kix

Originally Posted by RavageBX

Originally Posted by Keithdajuiceman

Originally Posted by DaNiKeRhiNo

Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

You don't really think America is your origin do you?

Yeah, Dude is from America. Do you guys know what Origin means?

  

In realistic terms, yeah dude is from America. His family is from America and has been for generations. There is nothing wrong with saying he is purely American.

In theoritical terms, unless you are Native American, most of our families did not originate from America. At some point there was an immigration to America. Whether it be forced immigration (slavery) or opportunistic immigration, most of our ancestors came from somewhere else. So technically he originated from somewhere else but i understand it isn't necessary for people to look back that far.

As for Africa being invented by white people i disagree. "African" is not a term that stripped individual cultures and societies of their identities. I believe it is the opposite. It is a unifying term that brings a continent together. Just like the term American can be used to describe people of all different backgrounds, African can be used to describe people from Nigeria to South Africa to Egypt and so on. Its more of a geographic thing than a racial thing.

   Africa isn't a unifying term, it is a geographic label. Africa is the English word for a continent of people that don't necessarily share the same language, values, religions, cultures, traditions etc etc.

 

[steve212]

African booty scratcher...

 

[steve212]

African booty scratcher...

 

[Nouss]

hella handsome wrote:

Im not a color. you can't find me in a crayon box... Im African American... I'm not sure which part of Africa my ancestors came from, but even still in the end, thats where they came from.
If I knew, i'd be like Anton, and put "______ American" but, I don't so I go with the next best thing, which is African American...
I agree with this guy.

If you were born in the United States, then you're American, plain and simple.
My younger sister was born in America but her parents are African, shoot shes in Africa right now on vacation visiting the village that her family is from. You couldn't tell anyone in my family that she is in fact American and not African. 


America is a young country, just like Israel, and more than 90% of its inhabitants can be traced back to somewhere that isn't the US.
Plus I thought it was our Black leaders during the the civil rights movement that claimed the moniker African American for our group instead of being called negro.  


  

 

[Nouss]

hella handsome wrote:

Im not a color. you can't find me in a crayon box... Im African American... I'm not sure which part of Africa my ancestors came from, but even still in the end, thats where they came from.
If I knew, i'd be like Anton, and put "______ American" but, I don't so I go with the next best thing, which is African American...
I agree with this guy.

If you were born in the United States, then you're American, plain and simple.
My younger sister was born in America but her parents are African, shoot shes in Africa right now on vacation visiting the village that her family is from. You couldn't tell anyone in my family that she is in fact American and not African. 


America is a young country, just like Israel, and more than 90% of its inhabitants can be traced back to somewhere that isn't the US.
Plus I thought it was our Black leaders during the the civil rights movement that claimed the moniker African American for our group instead of being called negro.  


  

 

[afivedollarsbuster]

I agree, and im white. It kills me when people say african american. unless u use to live in africa and came over....or maybe your parents are from africa, then maaybe.

 

[afivedollarsbuster]

I agree, and im white. It kills me when people say african american. unless u use to live in africa and came over....or maybe your parents are from africa, then maaybe.

 

[theemperor45]

Originally Posted by bittersweet

Are Whites called European-American? No they are not ... they're called AMERICAN. That's it.

That's the problem I have with it.

They don't say European-American but they say $#*% like

Albanian American
French American
German American
Irish American
Italian American

all the titles are just another way to say where has your family came from
y'all negro are reaching

 

[theemperor45]

Originally Posted by bittersweet

Are Whites called European-American? No they are not ... they're called AMERICAN. That's it.

That's the problem I have with it.

They don't say European-American but they say $#*% like

Albanian American
French American
German American
Irish American
Italian American

all the titles are just another way to say where has your family came from
y'all negro are reaching

 

[solewoman]

agree with op. this really grinds my gears.

 

[solewoman]

agree with op. this really grinds my gears.

 

[diego]

If we left it up to NT to decide on an appropriate name that white people should call people of color (for lack of a better term), you all would confuse the *$++ out of white people.

The man won.

 

[diego]

If we left it up to NT to decide on an appropriate name that white people should call people of color (for lack of a better term), you all would confuse the *$++ out of white people.

The man won.

 

[torgriffith]

Originally Posted by ksteezy

i think you are looking too deep into it....its really not that big a deal....then again im not african-american...so...

enough said...
Leo Africanus

The continent was named after this guy

There's alot in a title. That's why they have all been changed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Africanus

 

[torgriffith]

Originally Posted by ksteezy

i think you are looking too deep into it....its really not that big a deal....then again im not african-american...so...

enough said...
Leo Africanus

The continent was named after this guy

There's alot in a title. That's why they have all been changed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Africanus

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Originally Posted by StylishStef89

A lot of us West Indians/people of West Indian descent don't like being called African American, mainly because they established and created their own culture in that region. That's what they are familiar with so that's what they wish to be recognized as, which is why most of them prefer to be referred to be called black. It could also be because of the "beef" between West Indians/Africans/Black Americans

Do you or anyone else have any background info on this beef? I hear it often but never knew what it stemmed from/

Thanks