Do blacks have just as much to call themselves Americans as whites,and if so why are they called AfricanAmeric

Question

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Answer 1

Whoopie Goldberg calls herself an American, period.

I don't say it, because it can sound racist, but anyone who says that they are an African American should spend some time in Africa, maybe the summer months. If they don't then they aren't African Americans. My ancestry is Portuguese and Irish, yet I don't call myself an Irish-Portuguese American. Have you ever heard of someone calling people Afro-Britians, or African Canadians? Should we call people African-Africans?

If you are an American citizen, then you are an American, get over the identity crisis. I don't need to know that you are an African American, or an Eskimo. I agree with Ms. Goldberg--you are an American.

I am sure to be called a bigot for this one: Sometimes I think that black people are a people in search for and identity. Yes there are racial groups that live together; almost every major city has a "China Town," even if a lot of people besides Chinese live in the area. In the Southwest there are a lot of "Little Mexicos." But, the only blacks that live in an ethnic group seem to the poor, and are forced to live together. When blacks get money they escape the neighborhood, typically to live in the better off white groups.

I got no problem with that; I would like to see more of it. The best way to stop racism is for people of different races to come together. I was raised in the Deep South in the 1960s. My parents weren't racists, but I was raised in a culture that was. They even ridiculed me because I was born in the North. When I joined the Army I was in a truly color-blind organization. I was exposed to blacks for the first time and learned that they were just like other people. I confess it took a little time, but I lost my racial prejudices. Now I don't pre-judge a person, I let their actions speak for them, no matter what their race or creed. (I left out “color” in this old line, because color falls under race and highlighting it is only showing that you are thinking; “and especially black people.”)

If you want to get rid of racism then you need to stop calling people African Americans. You are only highlighting the difference, a difference that is pretty obvious to most people. There is nothing wrong with having an identity, but a racial identity only generates more racism. Look at pre-WWII New York. People lived in segregated communities. So they called each other names, Kike, Whop, Slant Eyes, and so on. In WWII they were forced to work and live together and that helped to stop the racism. But, blacks were segregated in their units so racism against them continued.

By calling sticking a subhuman name on a group it makes it easier to demonize them, and so hate them. When the White Christians living in the New World needed cheap manpower to work the plantations they imported slaves. They thought of them and treated them as animals. If they didn’t then they couldn’t enslave them. They had to do this so they could have their crops harvested cheaply, so to soothe their conscious they thought of blacks as subhuman. This also made sure that racism was thoroughly ingrained in the American Culture. We are trying to change this. All enlightened Americans know that racism is wrong, and only breeds more hate. People who keep using the term African Americans are only trying to continue this racism, and don’t think that there are no African American racists.

Answer 2

Everybody born here in the American soil are called Americans that is natural born Americans or of American parents w/ American citizenship if born abroad. I complain about this too.I don't know why blacks want to be called African American a mouthful when thy are not born in Africa. Something to do about heritage. But if every American insists on being called by their ancestry roots as there are no such pure Americans except the Native Americans or the I ndians, there would be a lot of confusion . Being called American of African roots or American of German roots is suffficient, enough. Why muddle the issue?
Identity crisis?

Answer 3

African American is a respectful way to address them as a American. I have several friends and color to me doesn't have any bearing on race or color. Now you do have your racist that will say different, but it's mostly out of fear and not being able to have any understanding or care about other people and their right ot live....Your Republican party in the U.S.A. runs their theory's like this..I am a Democrat and over 95% of the African American population also are part of the Democrat party in America...This is how through political parties the Republicans will dehumanize ethnic groups such as African Americans and any one that opposes them...I read and posted an answer to your other question which if you read what I left for you, you will understand the difference...

Answer 4

As far as I'm concerned anyone who was born and raised here is American. Skin color doesn't matter one way or the other. Until people realize that, (whether they are white or black) then there will always be racism. Just like beauty, color is skin deep, beyond that we're all the same. If you were to skin everyone you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Of coarse that would be gross but probably what it would take in order to get rid of the evilness of racism.

Answer 5

Blacks in England are Not American. Come to think of it, Blacks in Africa are not American.

However, Blacks in Mexico, Haiti, and Brazil ARE American, it is the American Hemisphere.

Does a Black Person in Mississippi have more in common with a White Person in Mississippi or a Black Person in Uganda?

Answer 6

They want to set themselves apart for other Americans, specifically white americans.

Answer 7

I'm Black, White and Native American. I consider myself Black and not African-American. That's not a title I would call myself, but I do consider myself American. If I went to Africa, they wouldn't consider me African. I would be American. American is a culture that we have adopted.

Answer 8

Because Blacks contrary to whites have had to go through struggles that whites coulden't imagine, so by saying african american you remember all the stuggles a african american person has gone through compared to the oppressing white man

Answer 9

just as much???? there are as many "better off black groups just as well as white groups". I hate it when someone say they are not a racist and then they go on to rant off on how they are" Contradiction??? Identity crisis??

They are called that because the govt. got told off whenever they put black on certain correspondence and refer to other races as caucasion, asian, native indian, and other. America is a country founded by a lot of immigrants, research you U.S. History.

Answer 10

to differentiate between Joe white guy and Joe black guy...and to be politically correct we call them African American...so for me a white woman...politically correct would be...Scottish German English Native American.