was i wrong for this?

Question

OK yesterday day i got fired from a job because i refused to call person an African American. like i told my boss right before he fired me to me there is no African Americans out there we are all American. and u don't see me calling myself a German American so why should i have to call them a African Americans. and further more none of them are even from Africa the guy that had me fired was from Chicago he was an American the same as me. i think that that term just causes a a bigger rift in us as a nation by that term because it still them rubbing the slavery issue in our face

sorry the whole reason it got started was i refured to one of my friends as black and this guy got all bent out of shape and and demanded i call my Friend African American. my Friend told me it didn't matter and we walked away but he went to the boss

Answer 1

By the way, this never happened

Why would your boss want you to call someone anything

Answer 2

I don't think you're wrong about believing we should all be called "American" but depending on where you work there is a "proper" way to address a person for that reason. It's too bad some "african americans" still get bent out of shape about the whole issue but the fact still remains that they do. So it is our responsibility to be aware of other people's feelings and treat them the same way we would like to be treated. Sorry you got fired over this it's rather rediculous it's not like you called him some slang word pointed at african americans. Good luck finding a new job :).

Answer 3

It the day of political correctness we have to watch our P's and Q's. It might not bother your friend, but it obviously bothered the person who ratted you out and your boss.

A lot of people don't feel it's a big deal. I choose not to say black, but I don't like African American either for the same reason you don't. I don't particularly want to be called Asian American/Native American (Since I am both). But that's my personal preference. I choose to call them brown skinned. I only do that now because my ex was brown skinned and that's what he asked me to do, since they aren't really black.

If this bothers your boss so much, I would have liked to hear him call hispanics "mexican americans" etc... People are sensitive, but we have to live with that sensitivity and try and work around it.

Answer 4

well i think you should refer to colored people as African Americans since they originated from Africa not Chicago. you are German so you should be proud to be American and German because if you think about it the only natives of America is Indians so we are all not American.. i also don't think you should have gotten fired for what you did. i think maybe you should find a new friend.

Answer 5

Well, if you truly believe you were right, and you were taking a stand for what you believe in, then I guess you were right, even though it cost you your job.
Now, if the reason you refused was sheer stubborness, and now you have no job and a stack of bills that need to be met, then I guess you were wrong.
Depends on your perspective, because you are the only one to which it really matters.
If you are asking if your boss was wrong to fire you over this, then you would have to look at your company policy referring to
1) racial slurrs and
2) insubordination
I'm not saying it was either.
but I'm guessing you got fired for one of those reasons.

Answer 6

F@#K it. Basically you stood by your grounds, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions. It's not like you called your friend a racial slur, some people are just more sensitive then others. It's sounds like your boss is a tool, either that or he was just following company guidlines. Either way, it's in the past and it doesn't matter now, so just look at it this way, it wasn't meant to be, there are plenty of jobs out there...... Good Luck! ♣

Answer 7

One.....this is certainly contestable with the labor board.
Two...I have to laugh...."Call us ******...no...black...no...african American...no...black...no...african american"

This is ever changing. Then again.....some knuckleheads even wanted to make Ebonics a "language"

Shameful. But.....there are some people in this world that don't seem to mind to look like idiots and be scorned by the intelligent classes.

Answer 8

I do agree that we should not refer to someone as African American or German American or any other disclaimer. America is suppose to be a melting pot not a stew. If we add the disclaimer it is just adding to the separation of our country.

However why would you refer to your friend as "black"? If he really is your friend then color doesn't mean anything and he is just a friend. You don't want to add the disclaimer that someone is "African" American then you should add the disclaimer that he/she is your "black" friend.

Answer 9

O.k...........I wouldn't say you were wrong for not wanting to call him African American but if thats what he wants to be called it's his preference. I consider myself as African American because the term black has so much conflict behind it

Answer 10

you were not wrong to hold to your personal convictions, I would have told the other guy, that it was none of his damn business as to what you called your friends.
I would go talk to a lawyer about illegal firing practices.
It may not get you anywhere, but it won't hurt to ask.

BTW, I agree with you, in that we are all AMERICAN, unless a person is an imigrant, and has become a nationalized citizen.
Thus a person could be any national-American, but considering that most imigrants wish to assimilate rather quickly, they tend to not hyphen their nationality.

Answer 11

If your story is true, it shows only that we never get justice, we only replace one injustice with another. You used language that felt and sounded neutral, but you got shafted for it. The so-called victim was reading something into it, and an idiot manager bent over backwards to soothe his feelings. Well, he's been left with the grade of workforce that he deserves. Good luck, keep your head high, and keep your right to your own opinions.