I'm doing a project for school, and it includes telling the race ratio of a country in South America. Part of the ratio is Black/Malutto. I seem to have an unforunate tendicy to use scottish names, having a scottish mother. I tend to call blacks ******. Not in a condesending way, but some people at my school think that it is racist-The boy is from CA. I just want to know if the majority agrees. Again, I don't mean in a condesending way. I don't want opinion, please. I would like to know if this is considered racist. I use the spanish term for 'black'. So what?
Thanks!
2007-03-28 09:46:54 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
I agree, so bloody what.
In the UK, "black" also refers to people from the Indian subcontinent, or from Australia. Neither of those are Negroes. And of course, not all Negroes are African American (especially in the UK).
Caucasian, Mongoloid all that stuff is just the scientific term.
Racists are people who wear sheets and hang people from trees, or who wear bowties and say that "whitie is the devil".
Just misunderstood. But, when you're aware of the difference, use it. I mean, I don't call Asians "Chinamen" like granny used to (and I think we used to call Scottish people "Turkeys").
I think all this word changing though, this political correctness, it's agism. After a certain age you just don't change the way you talk.
2007-03-28 10:13:56 · answer #1 · answered by dude 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't think you're racist...maybe a little behind the times with what is "politically correct" to call people. ***** is not a term that is often heard. It was a negative term used in the 40s-50s by whites towards Blacks. The preferred term now is African American, although I don't mind being called Black.
2007-03-28 09:56:42 · answer #2 · answered by debz81 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In English (at least the American dialect) "negroe" is not proper and to many is derogatory.
In Spanish "*****" is acceptable because it literally means "black" (no different to how many in English still say "black").
I'm assuming you don't want to offend people, and you want to act in such a way that uplifts your character. Just train yourself to not use such words.
Language is tricky because its not always so much what or how you say something not even what you meant to say, but how the listener receives it.
I grew up with a Cuban mother who reffered to asians as "orientals". In spanish of course this is ok (yet kinda over-generalized) as it simply means "someone from the east". I used the same term in school and shortly learned that it's inappropriate to refer to people as such.
I had to work really hard at changing my habit. My mother has the excuse that she is not only foreign but from another time era, whereas I don't. I'm from this generation and educated here in America, I have no such excuse.
2007-03-28 09:56:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't really matter how you mean it; ***** is an outdated, obsolete term that, to most people, conjures up images of segregation and race hatred. So, even if (and this is a big if) you are completely innocent in your use of the term, you're still bringing up terrible connotations. If I were you, I'd work damn hard to get that word out of my vocabulary, immediately.
2007-03-28 09:53:20 · answer #4 · answered by stmichaeldet 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
it doesnt make you a racist, but it does make you inconsiderate. Notwithstanding the fact that you dont mean any harm by it, if it clearly causes discomfort or offense to another person, i dont know why you have to go to "YAHOO ANSWERS" to get "permission" to continue to use the word.
In America, the term is an offense to many, so just be considerate and dont use it.
2007-03-28 09:57:23 · answer #5 · answered by zeke58 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Like others have said, I don't think how you use it is racist, but it does bring unpleasant thoughts. I know I definitely would not appreciate someone describing me as a *****.
2007-03-28 09:55:49 · answer #6 · answered by Serenity 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Misunderstood, but still, try to make an effort to say "black." ***** sounds archaic, and it does bring back unpleasant associations.
2007-03-28 09:56:12 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's not racist to call someone a *****. It's just a word that brings up an unpleasant time period.
2007-03-28 09:51:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
if you have already noticed that your using the word '*****' has offended somebody and you say that you don't mean it then why do you continue to use it?
2007-03-28 09:59:14 · answer #9 · answered by Deni 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
well, if you said that you have LIVED almost your entire life in another country where this word is commonly used then you would be more credible.
2007-03-28 10:16:21 · answer #10 · answered by souperhandsome 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋