first of all, I don't think "black people" is a racist term at all, since you're just describing their skin color in the same way one would describe hair color like "Redhead" or "blonde girl".\n\nBut how in the hell is anyone to know if a black person is african just by looking at them? We ALL originated from Africa, but there are also jamaican and haitian and maybe other nationalities black people come from. \n\nIt's like calling every white person german-american
133281
African-American is a politically correct term for black people, you need to look back at the history on how black people were called before becoming P.C. term.\n\nGeneration ago, black people or black slave are capture in Africa and sold as slaves by the white people, they were called slave, but a degratory remarks or name were used to called these black people, there were called Negro, which is the earliest name used before Nxxxxr were derive from this.\n\nAs America become more civil with human right and equality laws, black protest and civil right movement, the term slowly evolve to African-America to denotes the black people came from African origin but are now American citizen.
397800
I don't think it's racist if you're just describing someone and it's relevant (for example, there's a group of people, and there's a black girl or a black guy, and you say: "You know John? The black guy standing over there?" works for white/Chinese/etc). Or if you're talking in general (then, it will depends on what follows, obviously).\n\nI'm French and lived in a French tropical island (Reunion Island, in case you know it) when I was a teen (that's where my dad was from). There, the population is mixed: white (straight from metropolitan France or from Reunion itself), creoles, black (and then, there are different types of black people depending on where they come from: Madagascar and the Comores, usually), Indians, Chinese, Arabs (who are from Pakistan),... I think I got it all covered! Anyway. We often said things like: "you know, the white guy..." or "the Chinese girl...". \n\nIt's not racist: it's just easier than saying: \n"The girl with the blue skirt and the white shoes..."\n"Can't remember.."\n"The Chinese girl"\n"Ah! Ok."
481603
nope. you're right, not everyone is born in Africa. so just say black. great question!
137674
I agree with you and wonder why some people are Racist, too.\n\nI believe that racism arises when people get lazy and want to feel superior to others: It is easier for people to judge people based on the OUTSIDE of the person instead of taking the time to get to know the INSIDE of a person.\n\nIn fact, a vast majority of evolutionary/ biological/ psychological scientists argue against the definition or label of "race".\n\nIt is true that, genetically speaking there are certain similarities between ethnic subgroups of people but this does NOT change the fact that overall, we are the same (Homo sapien sapien) and we are all equal in the eyes of our loving Creator!\n\n:)
456764
I agree with you somewhat....its confusing of how white people should address them: black, colored or african american? All the political correctness is really confusing.
666028
When you aren't really white as you put it, you are more insecure and want to highlight your whiteness by downplaying anyone "less" white than you.  That goes for a lot of cultures that are not northern european yet still not african.  They try to distance themselves from black.  After all, who wants the plight of the African-American.  Also, "Traditional" implies less wordly, less educated, so you'd tend to be more racist.  Racism and ignorance are correlated.
459315
they are brainwashed into thinking that is either bad to be from Africa, or that its better to say well I'm this and that instead of black.   They are ignoring the fact that most of the different cultures in the Caribbean have African roots, while mixed with other races, the base of their heritage is African.   Plus when most people look at them, they are black,  And the idea of race these days is based of color.  And in the past also they would be considered black, for example during slavery they would be a slave in America just like people that came directly from Africa to America, instead of the Caribbean,  Maybe they need to study their history or something.  Its just like how on the Spanish channel they show mostly white or lighter Hispanics, when brown, black and darker Hispanics also make up a significant portion of the Spanish world.   Brainwashing..  there's a negative stigma associated with Africa, or having a darker skin tone.
45052
Categorizing people by their heritage or race is not racist. There is a right way and a wrong way to refer to ones race. Common sense should tell you the difference between a racial slur as opposed to a description.
76101
People actually love blacks and often try to mimic our style and culture.(Contrary to the other answer you received). Don't look anywhere in particular, just out your window and you will see what I mean. People perish for lack of knowledge, and thats what its all about. Lack of knowledge of other cultures. There are stereotypes of disease and sickness from Africa, which can be said of just about every other nation. Again, just be yourself and don't worry about trying to integrate.
267715
I agree that it sounds kind of racist...as does the census.  I think that we should break down racial barriers and stop identifying people on the basis of their skin color.  Granted, having a heritage is important, but when it comes right down to it, would you not rather simply say that you are an American, instead of trying to separate yourself from the country that you inhabit?  I also believe that calling people [or yourself] "African-American" is designed as a racist term, as about half of the people that I know who came to the U.S. directly from Africa are white and from South Africa.  Yet, this term is generally used to refer to skin color and a history of slavery [which ended about 140 years ago].  In short, multiculturalism is not bad, as long as people remember where it is that they live, and the freedoms granted to them by the government where they live.  Although heritage is important, you should always remember that you define who you are, not whether your ancestors were refugees from Russia, or slaves from Sierra Leon, or immigrants from Italy.  So, perhaps the next time someone asks you what you are, if you have dual citizenship, then say both country names.  But, if you are American, then answer with "I am American."  If they want more details, then say "I am of ____ heritage."
436629
That is a good question.  Most of you are looking at it wrong.  Yes there are racist people all over.  He just asked about one group of people, white people.  In your opinion why are white people so racist?  In my opinion most of the racist white people I have met are that way because of history.  History teaches us that the white man or Caucasian or what ever they want to be called accomplished everything.  Even to the discover of America, but how can you discover something that was not lost.  The Indians where there to greet them.  If society stop asking about a person race it would be a step toward stopping racism.  What does the color of my skin have to do with the knowledge I have.  I don't like being called an African American, because what do you call a white person from Africa, they are African descent but now lives in America.
525592
When people think of black people, they think about the majority of blacks they have seen in person or in the media: they are ghetto, loud, rude, use slang, act hard, etc.\n\nThese are the images that are out there in the mainstream. These are the people that some see when they go to the mall or to the movies. They see blacks being loud and talking on the cell while people are trying to watch the movie. They see blacks speaking heavy ghetto slang and wearing clothing that hangs below their butts.\n\nWhen they see a black who does not fit that stereotype, they see that as an except and not as the norm. They see that as a black, trying not to be "black". They have a hard time understanding that there are different classes and types of blacks and that being black does not mean just acting one type of way. They just see someone not following the norm or trying to be "white".
67563
A few points of clarification.\n\nFirst an etiquette suggestion. People from Africa don’t “have hair different from ours”. You should realise that people from Africa are ‘allowed’ to use the internet too. Whatever hair type you have, you need to realise that it isn’t shared by everyone else reading.\n\n\nSecondly you need to realise that people of African decent don’t have any common hair type at all. People of African descent have straight blond hair, wavy brown hair, curly black hair and every other possible combination. In short people in Africa don’t have hair “have hair different from ours” It becomes a real problem when people speak of ‘Africa’ as though it’s some sort of united whole. People in Africa include:\n\nTypical white-skinned people of Egypt or Libya who regularly have blue eyes and blond hair.\n\nAsian Malay people of Madagascar who have the typically ‘Asian” brown skin, epicanthic fold and straight black hair.\n\nGolden-brown skinned San and Hottentot people of southern Africa who normally have an epicanthic fold and very tightly curled hair of extremely determinate growth.\n\nAnd of course all those groups blend with one another seamlessly. As a result there is simply no basis in saying that there is any typical African hair type.\n\nBeyond that I’m not quite sure what you are asking. \n\nDo you want to know why people of African descent have evolved to have that hair type?\n\nOr do you want to know what makes hair grow in that fashion? \n\nThe first question entails a very complicated answer. The first I assume you are asking why many  African Americans, who are mostly of West African Negro descent, have a common curly hair type. But even that is somewhat misleading because people who have lived in northern Europe for millennia also have the same hair type occasionally, it’s just rarer there.\n\nAs for why that hair type, the answer probably lies in our ancestry. Humans evolved in Africa and spread out from there to cover the rest of the world. The first humans are assumed to have had hair similar to the modern San and Hottentot groups. That is tightly curled coarse hair, but hair of determinate growth. In some ways San hair is more like pubic hair or many types of beard in that it grows for relatively short periods of time before it falls out. As a result the hair always stays short. That make sit very easy to manage. For our first human ancestors that was probably advantageous since it reduced the opportunity for parasites like lice to take hold and made it very easy to manage since it never requires cutting.\n\nLater humans, still confined to Africa, developed head hair of the same basic tightly curled type, but of indeterminate growth. What that means is that it will keep growing for months or years before it falls out. As a result the hair needs to be trimmed or it will grow into an ‘Afro’ or dreadlocks. Exactly why this change from short to long hair occurs is a mystery, but it was probably simply because people find long hair sexually attractive. \n\nAfter a few people moved out of sub-Saharan Africa a hair type developed which was less tightly curled leading to wavy or even straight hair. Once again there is no sensible reason why this occurred, though it has been speculated that the fact that straight hair becomes greasy may have aided in cold tolerance or may have assisted in parasite control in climates where the head was covered with clothing.\n\nSo in short African Americans commonly retain the ‘second’ type of human hair, being long and tightly curled. Many other people have a third hair type that \n\nAs for why African-American hair grows in that manner, it’s largely genetic. Hair is produced from hair follicles, which almost ‘squeeze’ the hair out of a hole in the skin like tooth paste being squeezed out of a tube. In people with straight hair the hole is round and so the hair is round. People with curly hair have flattened holes and the hair i
612937
It's a personal choice.  If you don't want to be called African-American, then tell them so.  I myself am Black and I also use the term African-American.  I may be wrong, but I don't think the politicians came up with this term.  I believe we started using this term as a way to honor our ancestors.  Check on wikipedia.com for the origin of the term African American.
567334
This question is a perfect example. Around other races I rarely even notice race. Around most Blacks today there is such a hyper sensitivity about race that it's hard to be yourself. You have to watch every word you say or it'll be construed as "racist" . You have to watch what you do or it'll be construed as "racist".  A great example is the LA contraversy. Blacks are actually calling for computer terminology to be changed because they are "offended" that it is called Master Slave. This kind of insane thin skinned innanity is aggravating.  The terminology has NOTHING to do with race or culture. Nobody I have ever heard of even associated the terms with race! But they want companies to spend millions of dollars to change it. A great example of the gross selfishness displayed by the culture. \n\nLets see the Rebel flag. To me it's always meant anti-Government sentiment. Rebelliousness, thus it's called the REBEL flag. I've even known Blacks who wore it for the same reason as I do. Yet somehow it mysteriouslly became a racist symbol. Sorry folks the Cival war was NOT about slavery. In fact slavery was a minor issue in the whole thing, not even a major factor. How DARE they call me a racist because I wear a Rebel flag, carry a Maltese cross on my lighter or who knows what other innocent symbol will suddenly become racist to Blacks. \n\nCan you somehow read my mind? No, I don't care about ethnic origions. Would rather not hear or think about it. I treat folks by how they treat me and my friends. I don't want to have to watch every word I say to avoid offending somebody. I just avoid talking to Blacks at length any more because there is just too much out there that offends them. I could see the N word if they didn't use it themselves. Every race has little triggers and you can insult somebody just by tone rather than a given word. There are aholes of every race get over it. Every race experiences some prejudice. Why keep it going with all this hypersensitivity? \n\nAfrican-American??? Get real. Besides being way to long to use it's also putting Africa in front of America. Nor is it even accurate as it leaves out Hispanic Blacks, Blacks from the Carrabean, Australia, UK and so on. It's an insult to Americans in general. What is wrong with Black? I'm White, I'm not Caucasian, I have no Russian ancestors within 3 generations. Anglo Saxon would be closer but you know what? I'm American. I might have Irish and German ancestry but who cares? \n\nAnother thing that disturbs me is that as a race they vote something like %90 or more for the same party. That is damaging to Democracy and  racist.  You don't see %90 of Whites, Hispanics, Asians or any other ethnic group voting for a single party. When somebody votes by thier race they undemine Democracy and feed corruption. Which makes life worse for ALL of us. \n\nAnd finally, quit laying YOUR probs at my door. I didn't do it and am getting to where I really dont care anymore. You with this post accused all non-blacks of being racist. Whites in particuler are getting a really serious complex about this and it is becoming a major irritant. If your goal is to make racism acceptable continue to take this tact as people will no longer really care about being labeled a racist since your going to be labeled that no matter what you do anyway for the mere sin of being born with a certain color. You want to see racism die quit being so sensitive. There is no grand plan or hatred among most cultures. In fact I see more prejudice against Blacks from Hispanics than Whites nowdays. They are just more sublte about it. You get one loud mouthed White idiot out of million and stereotype the rest of us with it. Then have a media crusade, wheel out Jessie Jackson to make a ton of speaches about it, then go on tv and places like this saying how mistreated you are. That just plain gets old man. Really old. I can match ev
377811
"Natives" of this country refer to themselves as OP's (original people). This country wasn't named America by them. They are labeled by their being here first. As far as the descriptions that you gave you used Asian as an ethnic description but used a color as a description for African American. Why? Also the Op's have different genetic makeups just like every other ethnic group. I know African Americans who have slanted eyes and they are not mixed race. The darker skinned Natives are obviously from the hotter regions just like darker skinned caucasians and African Americans and any other race who live there. The colder the climate year round the paler the skin tone.
512477
Jesse Jackson has a point.  By black-media's (not all of course) insistence on adopting the term in order to (fill in whatever justification you have heard over the years) they have basically stripped away the true negative meaning of the word.   It's just a word that non blacks think is a "term of endearment" among blacks.  While that couldn't be further from the truth it does make clear the fact that African Americans do have some measure of control of how the world views us.  Personally I feel that rap artists and black comics share a major role in this.  These are the two main groups that are capable of influencing our young ones.  If no one was using the word in the first place a person wouldn't be able to play off their racial outbursts as just using the words they have heard used.  \n\nUnfortunately this goes way beyond just the use of a word.  The negative aspects of black culture gain far more attention then the positives.