The term African-American.

[Estado Paulista]

It's not a racist term. African-Americans are a subset of the Greater American ethnic group, like Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, and etc.

There's no such thing as "American" ethnicity.

Aren't "Americans" an ethnic group?

[Utceforp]

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?****

I don't like the term "African-American" either. "African-American" makes it sounds like a person is less than American, like he's some foreigner. He's not "African-"American; he is American. You're right, we don't call whites "European-Americans."

If you need to describe the person's skin color, say "black" or "white" or "Mexican" or whatever."

While "Mexican" could refer to a specific ethnicity, (The Mexica people) I don't think it's a skin colour as much as it is a nationality.

[Utceforp]

There's no such thing as "American" ethnicity.

Aren't "Americans" an ethnic group?

Not really, since there's no common homeland for the average citizen of the USA. Some Americans are from Europe (the majority from England), some are from Africa, some are from central America, etc, etc.

[Chinese Regions]

"Yes I was born in America true
Does South Central
Look like America to you?" - Ice T

[Chinese Regions]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

[Ashmoria]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

is she a citizen?

she is a south African American. or maybe there is some south African ethnicity she might use to describe herself.
she's from SA, right?

[Magna Libero]

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

On the streets of the shaded ghetto you can meet shaded people. Sounds like a criminalizing word. And Slim Shady would sound like a black person, too.

[The Greater Ohio Valley]

I don't refer to someone as an African-American unless they were born on the African continent and became an American citizen, otherwise I refer to them as black.

[The USOT]

It is just practical. If for instance you are describing someone (no, not just in the case of a police report) it gets a LOT out the way to state their ethnicity. Say for instance I am reading a character bio from which to design a character, it makes sense to state them as "african american" or "european/caucasian american" because there will be all sorts of differences, from clothing (based on time/stereotypes) or facial structure etc.

[AiliailiA]

Black is better, we should just use the colour people look. White, Black, Brown, Red or Yellow.

Except that would be Champaign Pink, Taupe, Beige, Apricot and Lemon Chiffon.

Also, I reserve the right to define my own skin color.

I am proud to say I am Suede Blotch (Mistint, discounted, no return). I come with a free tray and roller.

[Estado Paulista]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

As I've said, African-Americans are Americans whose ancestors were African slaves brought to America. Charlize Theron is a South African-American. I'd really to see her speaking ebonics, though.

[Estado Paulista]

Aren't "Americans" an ethnic group?

Not really, since there's no common homeland for the average citizen of the USA. Some Americans are from Europe (the majority from England), some are from Africa, some are from central America, etc, etc.

I see.

[Magna Libero]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

More like mixed/mulatto.

[Leningrad Union]

It's not a racist term. African-Americans are a subset of the Greater American ethnic group, like Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, and etc.

Ashkenazi-Swedish-Irish-French-Canadian-Belarussian-Iroquois-Finnish-Americans FTW!

[Leningrad Union]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

More like mixed/mulatto.

Isn't that a derogatory term?

[Utceforp]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

More like mixed/mulatto.

Isn't "mulatto" a bit of an offensive term now? Or am I way off the mark?

[Leningrad Union]

More like mixed/mulatto.

Isn't "mulatto" a bit of an offensive term now? Or am I way off the mark?

Beat you to it.

[The USOT]

Except that would be Champaign Pink, Taupe, Beige, Apricot and Lemon Chiffon.

Asians sound delicious!

[Estado Paulista]

It's not a racist term. African-Americans are a subset of the Greater American ethnic group, like Italian-Americans, Irish-Americans, and etc.

Ashkenazi-Swedish-Irish-French-Canadian-Belarussian-Iroquois-Finnish-Americans FTW!

Why do you feel the need to make this up? I mean, you can't just pick ethnic groups you like and pretend your ancestors were part of them.

[Ashmoria]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

heres the thing about the term "African American"

most americans of African descent come from people who did not immigrate from Africa, they were imported. they were imported from countries that mostly don't still exist today. they were imported from unknown areas by people who were utterly uninterested in their family histories. they were brought to America and denied any use of their native language, religion, customs. they were not allowed to stay with other people of their own ethnicities but were sold piecemeal to whoever had the money to buy them. they weren't even allowed to stay with their own children and spouses.

their experience of assimilating into American culture is utterly different than that of someone who immigrated here, even those who were treated like crap when they got here. an irish immigrant might have had a hard time finding a job here but he could still pick where he wanted to live and get together with other family members and irish immigrants to work toward mutual improvement. they could keep their language, religion, customs, food, family connections. they could stay proudly irish with no one having the right to tell them that they had to forget all that.

[Leningrad Union]

Ashkenazi-Swedish-Irish-French-Canadian-Belarussian-Iroquois-Finnish-Americans FTW!

Why do you feel the need to make this up? I mean, you can't just pick ethnic groups you like and pretend your ancestors were part of them.

I'm not. This is a mix of what ethnic groups family was from and nationalities they were.

[AiliailiA]

Except that would be Champaign Pink, Taupe, Beige, Apricot and Lemon Chiffon.

Asians sound delicious!

They're al delicious. Some day, the paint industry will be sued to death for all the times they have encouraged consumers to drink paint.

At the very least, there should be a warning on the can. "Not a racial reassignment product. Drinking this paint may cause serious digestive and other health problems".

I bought a can of brown fence paint. I swear, it smelled of chocolate. That should be fucking illegal.

[The Fascist American Empire]

Personally, I don't see the point and I enjoy the presence of black people. I don't call myself a Scot-Irish-American, why call a black guy or gal an African American?

Unless they themselves actually came from a country in Africa, then I'd understand why.

[AiliailiA]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

heres the thing about the term "African American"

most americans of African descent come from people who did not immigrate from Africa, they were imported. they were imported from countries that mostly don't still exist today. they were imported from unknown areas by people who were utterly uninterested in their family histories. they were brought to America and denied any use of their native language, religion, customs. they were not allowed to stay with other people of their own ethnicities but were sold piecemeal to whoever had the money to buy them. they weren't even allowed to stay with their own children and spouses.

their experience of assimilating into American culture is utterly different than that of someone who immigrated here, even those who were treated like crap when they got here. an irish immigrant might have had a hard time finding a job here but he could still pick where he wanted to live and get together with other family members and irish immigrants to work toward mutual improvement. they could keep their language, religion, customs, food, family connections. they could stay proudly irish with no one having the right to tell them that they had to forget all that.

Well said. I think you had something more to say but cut it short?

[Chinese Regions]

Who here considers Charlize Theron to be African-American?

As I've said, African-Americans are Americans whose ancestors were African slaves brought to America. Charlize Theron is a South African-American. I'd really to see her speaking ebonics, though.

So why is Obama (his father was a Kenyan) or people/the descendants of people who moved from Africa to the USA after slavery ended considered African-American?