Id like to start off by declaring that i am NOT a racist. But i often pondered upon this question. Is it offensive to point out a guy as being black? For example, 'Yo mate, can u hand this to the black gentleman over there...' ?
2006-06-17 01:48:26 · 25 answers · asked by NeXuS 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
For ppl who might have misunderstood. Whats wrong with calling him black? I mean theres nothing wrong is there, so y should he be offended? Its like saying (to me) hand this over to the white guy there
2006-06-17 01:53:56 · update #1
not racist on its own, but it carries the 'us them' mentality which leads to racism. Hey, Morgan Freeman called on Americans to stop referring to eachother as 'blackman' 'whiteman'. Who can disagree with wise morgan freeman? :)
2006-06-17 01:54:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 4⤋
First off I'm white so its up to a black person to determine whether its offensive. IMO, one should be proud of their heritage.
This question reminded me of a funny story a few months back. There were about 20 of us away for work at a conference. During breakfast a few of us were sitting around the table. Me, I'm early 30s; a white woman, late 50s; a white guy in his 40s; and a black woman in her late 30s. the 50 yo and myself are east coast, the black woman is from California, so i didn't know her that well.
Anyway, that morning we were talking about American Idol. It was the morning after Paris Bennet got voted off. The older woman asked which one that was. My instinct was to say "The black girl" but I didn't want to offend. I said, oh she was really young, she had a squeaky voice, she was really short. The oldere woman kept saying "I don't know who that is..." She wouldn't let it go either - she made me squrm. I was so afraid of offending the other woman but it would have been easier to say the black girl.
Bottom line - I guess better to be overly-sensitive than not sensitive at all.
2006-06-17 10:32:12 · answer #2 · answered by Alberto 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is NOT racist! What is wrong with this world when people are so damn sensitive that saying something like that is considered racist! Next time I am at a bar and there are a bunch of black people around me and someone says "hand this to the white person over there" Is it my right to get pissed and call them racist?
2006-06-17 08:54:12 · answer #3 · answered by onewithred23 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unless that person has some other prominent feature unrelated to race, how else are you supposed to refer to them? "Yo mate, can U hand this to the guy over there... no, I cannot tell you what he looks like, other than that he's one of the fifty guys standing over there..." Imagine how long that silliness could go on!
I think we need to consider the source, & consider how the words were intended. If you meant no harm, but others insist on taking offense anyway, perhaps they are the ones with the problem, yes?
2006-06-17 09:00:46 · answer #4 · answered by 'Schmod 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe that it's racist, though a lot of people will say that it is. It's not done with malicious intent, obviously. It wouldn't be any different if the black gentleman asked, "Can you hand this to the white gentleman?" It's just a decription, the same as noting someone by their haircolor or clothing.
2006-06-17 08:53:59 · answer #5 · answered by misskittypti 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is not a racist question.
The fact that he is black allowed you to point out something that was evidently unique and obvious to that individual. if you were in a crowd of people all wearing blue shirts and and blue Levis jeans. and there was only one white person in the crowd. and you said excuse me. can you get that white person's attention for me. it is not being racist. we have become a society that is so worried about being politically correct and worried about offending some one that we cannot even state the obvious.
for example; housewife is now domestic engineer, drag Queen , is now Gender illusionist. The question that you ask is just fine.
2006-06-17 09:00:53 · answer #6 · answered by tb72 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sort of, but not as bad as some other things you can say.
Instead of say that BLACK gentleman over there, say something like "the gentleman wearing the red shirt" or any other fitting description.
2006-06-17 11:01:18 · answer #7 · answered by Juicy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, when you say "black" gentleman you a distinguishing them as being a different kind of gentleman. Just as we say black Doctor or woman Doctor. The implication is that all doctors are white males and somehow a black or woman doctor is different. They are doctors, period. Also, we are all Americans, not "African Americans. " By separating ourselves, we contribute to our own demise as we now will be viewed as different from other Americans.
2006-06-17 18:28:34 · answer #8 · answered by -Tequila17 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it is racist if there are lots of people around and you want to zero in on who you are talking about. Believe me, the man knows he's black. If someone said, "hand this to the blond guy" it wouldn't matter. You would know you were blond. If it makes you uncomfortable change it to what they are wearing. "Hand this to the guy with the red tie", or "the gray jacket".
2006-06-17 08:59:54 · answer #9 · answered by Mache 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you must know the history to understand this. white have not been mishandled in past human history but when you call a person black it relates to slavery in past. so it is a racist remark depending on whether you say it to the dog or the underdog.
2006-06-17 09:20:14 · answer #10 · answered by Pinky Patel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IMO, it's not racist, but if it's the only way to identify the person then that's your only option. Why not just say 'Could you hand this to the guy in the blue coveralls' or something similar?
2006-06-17 09:00:19 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋