The term African-American.

[Leningrad Union]

We all know that the joker had various problems throughout his life, such as racial misidentity

Yes. That's the problem we all remember the Joker best for; racial misidentity.

Indeed. His most famous line was to batman: "I AM NOT EUROPEAN-AMERICAN!"

[German-Spanish Empire]

I like the term.

[Luziyca]

I personally call them blacks in a non-racist context (in Canada, we don't usually use the term, African-Canadians, and most of us use the term Black, since African-Canadians and Caribbean-Canadians of African descent don't really get along well with each other).

[The Archregimancy]

Hidden away in a not particularly well-written OP is a decent enough discussion point regarding some of the inconsistencies inherent conceptions of race, ethnicity, and identity in the United States.

Take the current president of the United States.

His mother was white, of mainly English ancestry, with some German and other British Isles ancestry thrown in. His father was indisputably African, but the president is not a descendant of enslaved African Americans through his father*.

So is Barack Obama African American? Is he even black?

Does the term "African American" refer to all Americans of sub-Saharan African descent, or only those who had ancestors enslaved in North America?

And why did Tiger Woods cause so much controversy for rejecting the term "African American" and referring to himself as "Cablinasian"?

Again, the OP may not be the most coherent I've ever come across in NSG, but there's a fairly serious point buried in there.


*Ironically, there's some evidence he may be descended from enslaved Africans through his mother, possibly the very first enslaved individual in what would become the United States.

[The Time Alliance]

Look. Short answer.

If you are a citizen of America you are an American. It doesn't matter your race. So long as your a citizen you are American.

[Lipline]

I just call them africans. I even call jamaicans that.

[Siaos]

The problem is, I would have to call myself Anglo-German-Irish-Italian-American.

I'm part Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Dutch, Danish, Algonquin, and probably black and/or Chippewa. I still use Anglo-American because there is a lot of English in there and it is something that I identify with in a cultural sense.

Well, your background puts my background to shame! xD I would have more.. except that my mom's side of the family happened to be completely made up of racist German Texans who refused to marry anyone except other Germans. On the bright side, they became rich on being the first people to bring Hereford cows to Texas... until they drank away the money. But I digress.

[Great Zavi]

Hidden away in a not particularly well-written OP is a decent enough discussion point regarding some of the inconsistencies inherent conceptions of race, ethnicity, and identity in the United States.

Take the current president of the United States.

His mother was white, of mainly English ancestry, with some German and other British Isles ancestry thrown in. His father was indisputably African, but the president is not a descendant of enslaved African Americans through his father*.

So is Barack Obama African American? Is he even black?

Does the term "African American" refer to all Americans of sub-Saharan African descent, or only those who had ancestors enslaved in North America?

And why did Tiger Woods cause so much controversy for rejecting the term "African American" and referring to himself as "Cablinasian"?

Again, the OP may not be the most coherent I've ever come across in NSG, but there's a fairly serious point buried in there.


*Ironically, there's some evidence he may be descended from enslaved Africans through his mother, possibly the very first enslaved individual in what would become the United States.

Well put.
& i'll take the criticism, though I question why it was needed.

[The Time Alliance]

I just call them africans. I even call jamaicans that.

Jamaica is a long ways away from Africa.

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Yes. That's the problem we all remember the Joker best for; racial misidentity.

Indeed. His most famous line was to batman: "I AM NOT EUROPEAN-AMERICAN!"

Call a half-Puerto Rican clown a European American and nobody bats an eye. But call him a Freakin' Rican and everybody loses their minds!

[Leningrad Union]

Indeed. His most famous line was to batman: "I AM NOT EUROPEAN-AMERICAN!"

Call a half-Puerto Rican clown a European American and nobody bats an eye. But call him a Freakin' Rican and everybody loses their minds!

Well if a half black is african-american, you're european american

[Lipline]

I just call them africans. I even call jamaicans that.

Jamaica is a long ways away from Africa.

Slavery unfortunately made it closer.

[The Time Alliance]

Jamaica is a long ways away from Africa.

Slavery unfortunately made it closer.

So all Jamaicans are Africans?

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Call a half-Puerto Rican clown a European American and nobody bats an eye. But call him a Freakin' Rican and everybody loses their minds!

Well if a half black is african-american, you're european american

Referencing my first post on this thread, Half black would be a Sex Demigod. *nod*

[Luziyca]

I'm part Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Dutch, Danish, Algonquin, and probably black and/or Chippewa. I still use Anglo-American because there is a lot of English in there and it is something that I identify with in a cultural sense.

Well, your background puts my background to shame! xD I would have more.. except that my mom's side of the family happened to be completely made up of racist German Texans who refused to marry anyone except other Germans. On the bright side, they became rich on being the first people to bring Hereford cows to Texas... until they drank away the money. But I digress.

Well? On my mother's side, I am part German, German-American, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. On my father's side, I am British (my dad is from the UK, but his parents were born in Canada), Irish, and Norwegian. Maybe some French as well.

[Leningrad Union]

Well if a half black is african-american, you're european american

Referencing my first post on this thread, Half black would be a Sex Demigod. *nod*

I wonder what 2% Iroquois makes me

[Lipline]

Slavery unfortunately made it closer.

So all Jamaicans are Africans?

No.. Not all

[The Black Forrest]

So when did the Americans start running away from the "melting pot" of their history.

Listening to some Conservative Tea Party Republicans talk; you would think Caucasians have always been in the US.

It almost seems like some people who want them labeled, segregated, etc., are annoyed when they use a "label" which suggests they aren't part of the whole.

How many decades (or should I say centuries) before the color blind society happens?

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Referencing my first post on this thread, Half black would be a Sex Demigod. *nod*

I wonder what 2% Iroquois makes me

Dutch?

[Leningrad Union]

I wonder what 2% Iroquois makes me

Dutch?

I'm Ashkenazi Jew, Nordic Swede, Iroquois and Finnish in that order.

[The Time Alliance]

So when did the Americans start running away from the "melting pot" of their history.

Listening to some Conservative Tea Party Republicans talk; you would think Caucasians have always been in the US.

It almost seems like some people who want them labeled, segregated, etc., are annoyed use a "label" which suggests they aren't part of the whole.

How many decades (or should I say centuries) before the color blind society happens?

*nods* All American citizens are American.

[Leningrad Union]

So when did the Americans start running away from the "melting pot" of their history.

Listening to some Conservative Tea Party Republicans talk; you would think Caucasians have always been in the US.

It almost seems like some people who want them labeled, segregated, etc., are annoyed use a "label" which suggests they aren't part of the whole.

How many decades (or should I say centuries) before the color blind society happens?

I'm opposed to racism but we shouldn't be colourblind. We are all diverse and we need to celebrate it, not all of us are the same and we have the gift of difference

[Lunatic Goofballs]

Dutch?

I'm Ashkenazi Jew, Nordic Swede, Iroquois and Finnish in that order.

Hmm... Have you ever considered clowning? It's a culture in and of itself and would eliminate a lot of hyphens.

[Page]

If someone prefers to be referred to as an African-American, then I refer to them as such. If someone prefers to be referred to as black, then I refer to them as such. In my experience, I have never in my life known anyone who thinks being called black is offensive and I have met a few people who say they would rather be called black than African-American.

But I as a white person have no place judging the legitimacy, appropriateness, or necessity of the term African-American. I have no opinion on it because I have no need to have an opinion on it.

There are always semantics to go in circles about, sure. An American citizen whose parents were Afrikaner immigrants from South Africa or Arab immigrants from Egypt could be called African-Americans in a geographical sense (as could a person of African-ancestry living in Brazil or Argentina for that matter, since those places are as much "the Americas" as the USA). But they would almost certainly not be called such. But fuck the semantics, what the hell is the point?

[Ancient Magmia]

It's for ethnic identification purposes I guess...