The term African-American.

[Great Zavi]

Okay people of NationStates, here's a point I would like to bring up for discussion. Recently I've been thinking, why are African-Americans called such a name and not just Americans? What is the need for that prefix? (The people who were unwillingly brought through the slave trade, just to clarify) I read a different thread and it said once you've been in America after 3 generations the prefix of where ever you're from (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc) is no longer used and your just American. So why, are African- Americans still called such when they've been here for 400 years? And why are White people not called European-American, or German-American etc? Its just another way to separate them from the rest and makes it easier to outcast them. Do these people, after 400 years of separation and a lack of resources to re-connect to Africa, really have any connection to the continent ( which is in it self very culturally diverse) at all? What's your take on this, NSG?

***And why are North Africans considered white?****

[The Scientific States]

Okay people of NationStates, here's a point I would like to bring up for discussion. Recently I've been thinking, why are African-Americans called such a name and not just Americans? What is the need for that prefix? (The people who were unwillingly brought through the slave trade, just to clarify) I read a different thread and it said once you've been in America after 3 generations the prefix of where ever you're from (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc) is no longer used and your just American. So why, are African- Americans still called such when they've been here for 400 years? And why are White people not called European-American, or German-American etc? Its just another way to separate them from the rest and makes it easier to outcast them. Do these people, after 400 years of separation and a lack of resources to re-connect to Africa, really have any connection to the continent ( which is in it self very culturally diverse) at all? What's your take on this, NSG?

Who knows. It's not a racist term, we call people Mexican-Americans, European-Americans, etc.

Unless it's often used in a racist context, then I don't see the problem.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

I asked my black friend what black people want to be called and he said they want to be called "Gods of Sex".

So now you know.

[The Liberated Territories]

Okay people of NationStates, here's a point I would like to bring up for discussion. Recently I've been thinking, why are African-Americans called such a name and not just Americans? What is the need for that prefix? (The people who were unwillingly brought through the slave trade, just to clarify) I read a different thread and it said once you've been in America after 3 generations the prefix of where ever you're from (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc) is no longer used and your just American. So why, are African- Americans still called such when they've been here for 400 years? And why are White people not called European-American, or German-American etc? Its just another way to separate them from the rest and makes it easier to outcast them. Do these people, after 400 years of separation and a lack of resources to re-connect to Africa, really have any connection to the continent ( which is in it self very culturally diverse) at all? What's your take on this, NSG?

Such terms are utterly useless and serve nothing more than an "ethnic" identifier, even though they are pigeonholed into narrow categories. For example, isn't a Boer an African American too? What about an Egyptian? So why is the term reserved for only black people in America? Truly frustrating, and you can see how dividing such labels are, further perpetrating the idea and concept of races and hierarchies that are associated with them.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I see it as an identity thing. They want to be referred to as African-American because that's part of their identity.

[Great Zavi]

Okay people of NationStates, here's a point I would like to bring up for discussion. Recently I've been thinking, why are African-Americans called such a name and not just Americans? What is the need for that prefix? (The people who were unwillingly brought through the slave trade, just to clarify) I read a different thread and it said once you've been in America after 3 generations the prefix of where ever you're from (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc) is no longer used and your just American. So why, are African- Americans still called such when they've been here for 400 years? And why are White people not called European-American, or German-American etc? Its just another way to separate them from the rest and makes it easier to outcast them. Do these people, after 400 years of separation and a lack of resources to re-connect to Africa, really have any connection to the continent ( which is in it self very culturally diverse) at all? What's your take on this, NSG?

Who knows. It's not a racist term, we call people Mexican-Americans, European-Americans, etc.

Unless it's often used in a racist context, then I don't see the problem.

Those terms seem to disappear for those after several years, but its stayed with black people for their entire stay.

[Frisivisia]

As it would turn out, people still feel that where their ancestors came from is part of their identity and that there's nothing wrong with that as well as nothing that contradicts with them being American.

[Libertarian California]

I had a black guy tell me that he wishes the term "colored" was still use because he says it's classy. I have to say, I agree. But obviously, I can't say "colored".

I just call them blacks.

[Great Zavi]

I see it as an identity thing. They want to be referred to as African-American because that's part of their identity.

Its only apart of their identity in genetic terms, other than that their no more African than Sun Tzu. They have virtually no cultural ties with any African nation.

[Siaos]

I just call African-Americans black unless I'm in a formal or official setting; it takes too long otherwise. That's especially true if you refer to blacks from other countries, and what he has duel citizenship? Imagine calling someone an African-British-Italian!

But the reason they are referred to as African-American is the same reason we refer to Mexican-Americans as Mexican-Americans or Asian-Americans as Asian-Americans. It's not racist at all.

[Siaos]

I see it as an identity thing. They want to be referred to as African-American because that's part of their identity.

Its only apart of their identity in genetic terms, other than that their no more African than Sun Tzu. They have virtually no cultural ties with any African nation.

They do, however, have ancestral ties.

[New Connorstantinople]

I prefer the term United States-American, or Shaded, thank you very much.

[Great Zavi]

I just call African-Americans black unless I'm in a formal or official setting; it takes too long otherwise. That's especially true if you refer to blacks from other countries, and what he has duel citizenship? Imagine calling someone an African-British-Italian!

But the reason they are referred to as African-American is the same reason we refer to Mexican-Americans as Mexican-Americans or Asian-Americans as Asian-Americans. It's not racist at all.

I never said it was racist, It just seems to me as a way to seperate them. As if people can't get past appearance. The argument I'm presenting can be applied to any minority that doesn't look white because there'll be a visual difference that I guess causes the need for distinction.

[United Dependencies]

Excuse me, the term is persons of color not "African-Americans". Get it right.

[Great Zavi]

Its only apart of their identity in genetic terms, other than that their no more African than Sun Tzu. They have virtually no cultural ties with any African nation.

They do, however, have ancestral ties.

In that case, aren't we all African-american? This tie is 400 years removed.

[Geilinor]

Okay people of NationStates, here's a point I would like to bring up for discussion. Recently I've been thinking, why are African-Americans called such a name and not just Americans? What is the need for that prefix? (The people who were unwillingly brought through the slave trade, just to clarify) I read a different thread and it said once you've been in America after 3 generations the prefix of where ever you're from (Mexican-American, Chinese-American, etc) is no longer used and your just American. So why, are African- Americans still called such when they've been here for 400 years? And why are White people not called European-American, or German-American etc? Its just another way to separate them from the rest and makes it easier to outcast them. Do these people, after 400 years of separation and a lack of resources to re-connect to Africa, really have any connection to the continent ( which is in it self very culturally diverse) at all? What's your take on this, NSG?

What about an Egyptian?

Here's a hint: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab-American Why would an Egyptian associate with the African-American community when they have a community of people who have the same language and likely the same religion?

[Libertarian California]

Is an Afrikaner who moves to America and becomes a citizen an African-American?

[Geilinor]

They do, however, have ancestral ties.

In that case, aren't we all African-american? This tie is 400 years removed.

If you don't want people to say African-American, stop saying Mexican-American, European-American, and Asian-American.

[Great Zavi]

What about an Egyptian?

Here's a hint: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab-American Why would an Egyptian associate with the African-American community when they have a community of people who have the same language and likely the same religion?

As if the rest of African shares the same language and culture, yet they're all grouped.

[The Liberated Territories]

What about an Egyptian?

Here's a hint: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab-American Why would an Egyptian associate with the African-American community when they have a community of people who have the same language and likely the same religion?

But they ARE from Africa.

Sure, there is the word "Egyptian-American." But that doesn't make the label "African-American" any less correct. They are both African-American and Egyptian-American, but only one of them will work. They are discriminated from being associated with the label, "African-American" in that way.

Besides, the black people from Africa living in America today came from a whole bunch of different tribes and cultures. What is the difference?

[Siaos]

They do, however, have ancestral ties.

In that case, aren't we all African-american? This tie is 400 years removed.

It's an outdated term, as you have shown. It's the same for the term Asian-American for example. It's still a useful term, though.

[Geilinor]

Is an Afrikaner who moves to America and becomes a citizen an African-American?

He'd be an Afrikaner-American, because we know the specific background. African-American tends to be used when we don't know. If you know what country someone or someone's ancestors are from, use the name of the country or the ethnic group.

[America Libertaria]

If you are a United States citizen you are an American. Just American. Not African American, not European American, etc. Nothin. annoys me more than that. Calling yourself other than American is just a sign of ethnic pride and failed assimilation. You should be proud of your country not the ethnic origins of your genetic ancestors.

[Great Zavi]

In that case, aren't we all African-american? This tie is 400 years removed.

If you don't want people to say African-American, stop saying Mexican-American, European-American, and Asian-American.

My point is that these other terms seem more appropriate at that time because they actually have ties to whatever the prefix may be. The people who were brought in through the Atlantic Slave Trade do not, but are still called so. The people who brought the enslaved Africans aren't called European-American, they're just American.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Is an Afrikaner who moves to America and becomes a citizen an African-American?

Nope. He's Dutch.