Why do blacks in America call themselves "African" American? (chinese, latin, etc.)?

Question

I was born in America - therefore, I am a WHITE (I'm not ashamed of it) AMERICAN WOMAN. Yes, I do have ancestors who are from Germany, Scotland, Ireland - so does that make me a German/Scotch-Irish American - hell no! If you were born in America, you're an American. Chinese, Mexicans, Iraqui, etc. - quit calling yourself an American if you're not an American - you were not born here, you came here to get rich off of Americans - go home or if you are going to stay here - LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH - OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THE UNITED STATES! Blacks, where did this bullshit come about of calling yourselves "African"-Americans??!! You are black, I am white - we were born in America, so we're Americans --plain & simple. I am so sick of your whining about opression & being the minority, GET OVER IT! If anyone is the minority, it's the white race. I'm so sick of hearing about racism - you want to talk racism: BET channel, African-American book section in Wal-mart, NAACP, etc., etc.

It's ironic, when I say that I am proud to be white - that so many people would construe this as racism - and a select few called me a biggot, honkee (what?), and ignorant. How is it that I'm ignorant for having an opinion and stating what I believe and feel? There were also a "select few" who (I knew it was going to come up) brought up slavery - as I stated in my original email: GET OVER IT! Slavery so many friggin' years ago - I'm not going to kiss your *** because your ancestors kissed *** 5,000 years ago - it was way before any of our lives. This question was posed because I am angry at the state U.S., how "minorities" are afforded many luxuries where I have to work to get anything. I don't hate blacks, chinese, or anybody for that matter -- I just hate that some of you take advantage/use the race card to get what you want. I have been laid off 4 times in the last 10 years - could I get public assistance? Why, hell no!

Answer 1

this is a funny joke. your funny.

**please god let this be a joke and not a real thought..amen.**

Answer 2

If you trace the existence of the human race as far back as known, then we are all African. Therefore, if you live in America, then you are an African-American. I know that is not exactly what you are talking about, but a label is just a label. I mean, it shouldn't matter how a person labels themself if they cause no harm, right?

I can't believe you actually admit your family lineage, and then turn around and say, "quit calling yourself an American if you're not an American - you were not born here, you came here to get rich off of Americans - go home..." Would you have told that to the first person in your family to come here?

There is no official language in America. Congress is trying to pass legislation to make English the common, unifying language, but not the official one. You should do your homework before speaking.

The Caucasians in America are not yet the minority that you speak of either. It will happen someday, but as you have already stated, "we're Americans --plain & simple." So race doesn't matter as long as we all believe in what this country can offer anyone who wants to work hard.

I don't see how BET can be called racist. Look at the history of television. Caucasians have owned the spotlight on TV since the beginning. Why is it a problem for any minority to take the initative and start a channel highlighting their cultural interests? As far as the book section thing goes; I suppose they should just put all the books together by author to avoid any discrimination suits. I can't believe that people haven't gotten mad that romance novels are not put in with the rest of the fiction.

All in all, I think you are taking things a bit to seriously. I admit that I do not know what situation you might be living in, and you might be speaking out for a certain wrong done to you. If that is the case, you can't blame an entire race for the few a**holes within it. If that were true, everyone would hate white people because of you.

Answer 3

This sound like a case of the pot calling the kettle black. ;) Just because you are unhappy with your life, you are doing the EXACT same thing that you are accusing others of doing; Blaming others for your own problems in this life. It's wrong no matter who does it.

You may feel that minorities think that because you are white, you are privileged and live the good life and you may feel that because of social services, black people are living in luxury. This is a point of view that comes from a lack of knowledge for neither are entirely true.

I know that blacks make up less that 13% of the US and white people make up about 75%. This means that blacks are a minority.

It's so nice of you to include blacks as Americans. For so long, blacks weren't even considered human.

Racism is BET, not because it is a network that shows blacks all day but because it shows the WORST crap all day. It is negative programing that promotes poor values.

Perhaps you should stop focusing on what you don't have and what others have and figure out what YOU do have in your own life. You'll be happier that way.

Answer 4

Well, being that you are white, you have never been called a ni@@er before. We never volunteered to be called anything other than American. African American sounds alot better than ni@@er, *****, spook, porch monkey, etc. Unfortunately, the need to classify things by race, financial status, or sex, was NEVER any idea of any black man. We merely seek to find middle ground, meaning something we could live with being called that people would actually use. By the way, people were speaking Spanish, Chinese, French, etc... on this continent long before there was an America, which is why we stopped calling Natives Indians and started calling them Native American. Realizing that all these thing. Also, there are sections for Blacks, Hispanics, Chinese, etc.. in stores because all the stores that don't have those sections, do not carry anything that is of their choosing. It is an advertisement strategy to get minorities to shop there. If you could just simply realize that in most cities, there are limited minority resources, such as BET (which is only available in certain areas) and people, like NAACP, struggle to provide for minorities in those areas so we can go to any store, like WalMart, and find what we are looking for instead of searching countless stores just to find out we were better off looking on the Internet. I've lived in over 10 different states, and I've actually moved 3 of those 10 times because things that I prefer (being black myself), like a decent radio station, a place to buy music, clothing, or even places to go out to, like a basketball court; was impossible there. Chances are, by the time you read this, it'll be removed because I offended someone. But it is what it is. I live in California, and there is one Hip Hop Radio station in 100 mile radius. Do you have that problem? Is it hard to find a classic, new age, alternative, hard rock stations?

Answer 5

Well black people didn't come to America willingly the way some other people did. And any American can call themselves any hyphenated name they choose as long as they realize that they are in fact American. Also the U.S. has no official language so you can't really do anything about other languages except for become bilingual, why not,you get payed more anyway. Furthermore, you can't complain about media and literature that represents a certain culture, because that's similar to a British person becoming aggravated by a book store that only sells American literature. If you don't want it don't buy it, if you don't like it don't watch it.

Answer 6

I can't believe this room--how about we call ourselves People.
If ask where you from -America-or where ever

I am sick of the way Nationality is handled too.

And Unless their is a universal Language (hasn't been since Babylon)Speak the language or the country your in. Here the language is English. Take you time but learn it. And just because some Bozo in Washington didn't know that is the Language doesn't mean the rest of us didn't know what it was.

And yes what if we had White TV or White Miss America Or White loans . White Scholarship Or the White Museum.Or White Bla Bla Bla. People would holler.

How about the people here of all national backgrounds just wanting to protect our country from others promoting their nation as special.

Answer 7

I'm not going to thump on you. It is fashionable to attempt to separate one's self from the white race to collect the bennies. Each group wants to be special to have a unique identity a bit narcissistic. They all feel whitee didn't have to struggle as much as they are doing now. Our society preaches entitlement, & we've all learned it well.

The US citenzens should stop calling themselves American, because all western hemisphere people are American. We should proudly call ourselves US citizens. We should be as proud as our black, brown, red, & yellow breatheren

The environmentalist are preaching free energy they done acknowledge the cost of the infrastructure. The only economic disaster for the investor greater than not making Renewable Energy economically viable is for there to be no replacement for fossil fuel. Without a replacement expect the economy of 1850 by 2050. The start of the change over has to start before the baby boomers retirement bill collides with the energy crisis. Without the change over already under way the economies of the 1st World will never recover.

By the way I'm a mutt.

Answer 8

The term African American is used to replace the repulsive and nasty names that whites used to call black people. And you are not an American, even if born here, until the third generation of a family is born here, My Grandparents were Italian, my folks were Italian Americans and so am I. My children , on the other hand are Americans and so are my grandchildren. Also,if racism was gone than we wouldn't need to talk about it.

Answer 9

You date African American men don't u? Naw, you to angry for them. Girl, chillax

And I thank u, oh great and mighty white woman for defining my existence in America again. I mean, when u brought us here - we were slaves, then nigs and then Negroes, and then colored or coons and then we got the privilege of being black (thank u again for that privilege) . I know we got out of pocket and named ourselves African American, sorry. But u have just set us straight. We are blacks and we best just shut up and accept that, right? I'm glad u know your true heritage, I can't find mine, ya'll weren't keepin that many record at the time of my immigration. And I speak the language quite well, when I'm not using Ebonics. I know u hate Ebonics, but I like to have a little culture in my community. Dang, there I go again, trying to have a culture that is not European -- I forgot, I'm American -- the country full of foreigners.

I apologize again for not making your freaking day -- white girl, why don't you roll up into an all black event and ask your question. I'm sure everyone will be as happy to answer it as I am ,if not more.

To your addendum : You act like African, Asian, Hispanic Americans have never been laid off. Don't blame economic strife on a race. Check congress out, it is predominantly white! They are the ones writing and approving legislation to send job out to the country, do nothing about soaring energy cost, and in adequate availability of affordable training and education.

And I want u to be a white American, be proud of it, but don't question what I call myself.

Also, if you think the effects of slavery are over and done, you need to do some research. You can trace families and communities that never recovered from slavery today. You can also trace wealth in families and community that originated at slavery and still are benefiting from that sad legacy.

And guess what, I don't qualify for public assistance either and I sit in my house worrying about my kid's lunch money and medical care all the time. I don't even go to the doctor until I'm just about on death door cause I can't afford it. I'm an well educated public worker with jacked up benefits. My car is on the blinks and I think my AC is messing up. We all got problems, but during the last fiscal year, I earned too much to qualify for public assistance today -- u know what I call that -- a blessing. I actually made to much money to be helped.

You need to stop blaming the victims here (yourself included) and look at the powers behind all of the problems. They are not the people on welfare or the people who identify their American heritage by their ethnicity. They are the people who are in power and not worried about u or me. Get a tight grip on your reality and open your eyes. It is about the have and have nots, not race. I could call myself a Martian American and still suffer the same things that u are cause I have no power or money.

And just for the record, I don't think you're a racsit, I think your frustrated and overwhelmed and needing a place to lay blame. You just choice the wrong place to lay that blame.

Answer 10

You seem to be an extremely hateful and spiteful woman. Why would you care what someone else chooses to call themselves? How does this affect you at all? So what if someone chooses to call themselves African American? Why do white folks get so bent out of shape over the term African American?! There's a war going on in Iraq, people are still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, crime is still occurring and you complain about what we Blacks call ourselves! I think you should get your priorities in order and find something more worthwhile to get worked over.

Answer 11

What do you mean get rich off americans. HAven't americans gotten rich off the backs of slaves and others who have come here, done hard work with minimal pay? Hell, even done work like cleaning your neighbor's toilet whch you've probably never had the courage to do? Stop whining!! And as for us calling ourselves 'Whatever- American', this was your government's doing, by trying to be politically correct. Hell, I am who I am and I hate being called African American. As I've said on here before I've never been to Africa, nor do I consider myself American. I am just living with who I am, a person trying to make a living, and taking care of my family like everyone else. And as for the specialised sections in stores and so forth go talk to the store managers. What's good for the goose is good for the gander!! You are a closed-minded, ignorant, bigoted fool. Whatever you want to call yourself is your business, but leave the rest of us alone to get on with our lives.