BS: The term Afro American?

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 09:58 AM

"...people trying to describe someone who has darkish skin but there not sure whether he's from India, an Arab state, even southern Mediterranean."

I'd have thought "darkish skinned" would be more helpful when describing appearance. Using the country of origin as a way of indicating colour of skin in this case would be about as helpful as saying that someone "looked American". Indians, Arabs, and people living round the Mediterranean come in all colours, the same way Americans do.

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: jeffp
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 09:27 AM

I hear African American far more often than I hear Afro-American. I hear Black about as often as African American. That is, of course, when I hear anyone making any distinction at all, which is fairly seldom any more. Folks is folks where I live.

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: GUEST,Bardan
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 08:00 AM

An american family i know had a friend from somewhere in africa. (Can't remember exactly where now.) Anyway, apparently some woman who needed to put his race on a form wouldn't accept 'african'. She was like 'african american?' and somehow couldn't come to terms with the idea of a black person who wasn't american.
I personally feel that the whole PC thing has gone too far these days. (And I'm not just reffering to what to call black people.) I'm quite happy to be called white or beige or European or anything else really, and my feeling is that so long as blatantly offensive terms are avoided, (eg, n****r, f****t etc) people shouldn't make such a fuss. The worst is watching people trying to describe someone who has darkish skin but there not sure whether he's from india, an arab state, even southern mediteranean. (And before people jump on me, I'm not suggesting that they're 'all the same' or something.)

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: John Hardly
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 07:46 AM

Afro American? Did we just step into a time warp?

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: Wolfgang
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 07:37 AM

Well, Shambles, as it has been said, the intention counts more than what is actually said. Having said that, the thread title looks a bit suspicious to me for it singles out the term African American out of many possible terms like Irish American.

The idea to say USAmerican (my preference too) to describe a person and not to make a further distinction by referring to racial background is a good one. If I bring a friend or a visitor to a party no one needs to know in advance what shade of skin to expect.

However, there are situations in which a reference to racial background makes sense (describing a perpetrator, referring to differential admission quota,...). What term would suggest to use in these situations instead of African American, Shambles?

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: freda underhill
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 07:22 AM

and as those great Australian musicians, the Wiggles, say, "fruit salad, yummy yummy" ..

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: freda underhill
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 07:19 AM

The term Afro American is significant because it's a term taken by black Americans to describe themselves in terms of their cultural and historical roots, just as Irish Americans acknowledge their cultural and historical roots in the same way. In Australia people refer to Greek Australians, Vietnamese Australians etc.

These terms describe a cultural reality. We live in societies comprised of many people of different backgrounds. As an Australian writer said recently, we don't want to be blended (into juice or a smoothie) - we're a fruit salad.


freda

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: GUEST, anthroshards
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 07:07 AM

Usage or non-usage of the term is only racist if one means it to be. Insisting that a racial definition be used evidences a concern with "race," but is based in misunderstanding of pertinent facts and issues.

America in the early and broadest sense comprises what are now North America, Central America, and South America. My opinion seems to be in the minority, but I am disssatisfied by the making of America and United States of America synonymous, although I am a citizen of the USA.

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: Cluin
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 06:57 AM

FWIW, a Wikipedia entry on the subject.

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 06:53 AM

Though of course it'd be quite possible to have someone who was at the same time a Texan, a New Yorker, an Irish-American and an Afro American...

Subject: RE: BS: The term Afro American?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 06:31 AM

If you're talking about Americans in general obviously you wouldn't use the term. If you were talking about one section of Americans specifically, it might. Just as you might say "New Yorkers" or "Texans", or "Irish Americans".

Subject: BS: The term Afro American?
From: The Shambles
Date: 27 Jan 07 - 03:56 AM

As a non-American - I would prefer not make a distincion on the grounds of race and refer only to Americans.

Is it racist of me to avoid the use of this term or is it racist for others to insist that I do use the term?