What is the difference between "white" and "caucasion" as it refers to people.?

Question

My son told me the other day after coming home from school that he didn't want to be called "white" anymore. I asked him why, and he said it was because "white" people have done so many bad things since coming to America that he didn't want to be associated with them. (our family came to America in the early 1900's i.e. we didn't partake in slavery) He said he told his teacher we were "caucasion" and she said it was the same thing. He was very upset. As we are Italian and Austrian (not from down under), I think we could be considered "caucasion". Is that the case or am I just grasping for straws for him?

Answer 1

The actual words mean the same thing.

However, I think you and your son need to sit down and have a heart to heart about, of all things, American history. He obviously feels wounded about something that was said in school and, as the grown-up, you need to explain to him that the American forefathers, who happened to be white, didn't necessarily think before they acted and didn't stop to consider that their behavior might have hurt someone else. You should tell him that all people regardless of their skin color make silly and hurtful mistakes time after time after time because they may have some mistaken notions or because they only see a quick way of getting what they want. You should tell him that we study history so that we can learn from the silly things people have done in the past and maybe think through our own behavior in the future. We don't study history so that we can associate all the bad things that have ever happened with one particular group of people because that would just make us do more silly things.

Answer 2

There is no diffrence between caucasion and white. Caucasion is a non-offensive way to say white.


Dictionary: For the term "Caucasian" referring to all white people, see Caucasian race.
The term Caucasian peoples is used to describe a people speaking native Caucasian languages, as well as various other peoples that live in the Caucasus region and that speak languages which belong to the Altaic or Indo-European language families, rather than to a Caucasian language family.

Answer 3

I think you are grasping for straws, caucasion means the same as white I am afraid but if you really are desperate you could say you are Italian, or if you are more Austrian than Italian you are Austrian get the jist!

Answer 4

This is what we parents call a teachable moment! I hope you'll discuss this broader question with your son. I think using Caucasian instead of white is splitting hairs. The semantic difference doesn't address the underlying issue.

Besides, the teacher was technically correct, since in the United States, Caucasian has primarily been used as a distinction based on skin color, for a group commonly referred to as White Americans, as defined by the government and Census Bureau. In any case, if you take the literal definition, you folks aren't Caucasian. In Europe (especially in Russia and the surrounding area), Caucasian usually refers exclusively to people who are from the Caucasus region or speak the Caucasian languages.

So let's get back to the earlier problem. Son wants to disassociate himself from white people because of the bad things they've done. Shall you identify yourselves with your ancestors - Italians (like Mussolini?) or Austrians (like Hitler)?
Do you really think these civilizations didn't partake in slavery? We're all descended from the human race, and I don't know of any group who didn't commit atrocities at one time or another. We're not responsible for that - even if it was something done by our own parents. I would tell my son that he is white, and there are many fine people who are/were white. There are also many fine people who are/were other than white.

As MLK Jr. said, "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Please encourage your son not to judge people by the color of their skin. In seeking to disassociate himself from white people, he is doing just that. Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

Caucasion refers to people who resemble people from a mountain range in central europe with the same name. It was an anthropologcal tern used with "Oriental", "*****" and "Other"
We dropped the otehr terms a long time ago, I dont know why we still say Caucasion?
I'm all for using the same terminology for all people. If you want to use color than ok. White. Black. Yellow even tho that one is weird) If you want to use a nationality with ethnic origin that is cool. African-American. European-American. Asia-American.

If you want to start a politically and Biologically correct trend, use Haplogroup terms. (these are DNA based ethnic groups)

Do a google.

Answer 6

What? You get called 'She'? Lucky you! I'm more likely to be called 'The', as in 'The Wife'. Reminds me of a guy I dated many years ago. I hated his name, but I liked him a lot. But when he started introducing me to his friends, he'd say something like, "You know What's Her Name here, don't you?" Finally, I asked him if he had trouble remembering my name, and he told me that he just didn't like it. When I got through, there was no chance that I'd ever see or hear from him again. Lucky me.

Answer 7

I think what's happening is the school system is becoming to liberal for its own good. There is no difference between white and caucasion just like there is no difference between black and African-American in the US.

Answer 8

Well, basically, they are the same thing.. but at the same time, it's ridiculous that people still call people "white" or "black" when we are all people. That's all that matters, right?
Tell your son that it doesn't matter what they say. He can be called caucasion if it makes him feel better. And, also, I agree with your son. Whites have done so many horrible things, and I hate it when people call me white.
Also... that teacher is just a little bit racist, don't you think?

Good luck.

Answer 9

You have a big problem with his teacher. The problem is that if you complain about a (black?) teacher, then you're called a racist. Can you transfer your son to a Catholic or private school? The only other thing is: Can you go to his school? The principal? Can you ask why children are demanded to identify themselves by race? I don't know what size town you live in. Can you go to a newspaper?

Answer 10

Nothing. Caucasian comes from the word "Caucasus" where it is believed the "white" people of Europe came from. If your son is ashamed of being "white", I think you need to have a long talk with the teacher for making white people look bad unnecessarily.