Why are black people, called African American? Options

[Kontroll]

I never really liked the term African American, first of all because its just an easy way out instead of calling a person black. Because saying some one is black is closely related to racism, some how.

Technically all people who come from Africa aren't black. If you're Egyptian and you live in America, what are you?

Another problem is that if you're born in the US and you're black, then you're not at all African American. That term only denotes that you previously resided in Africa and moved to the US.

Please discuss to further my knowledge and understanding. Thank you. Oh, and if there is already a topic about this, then close this one. Thank you.

[Kontroll]

I'm just trying to make a point here.

We should be living in a place where we shouldn't be afraid to say what we want to. The United States wasn't formed on "freedom of speech only when it doesn't offend your neighbors." I should be able to call anyone anything I want. I mean, when it's not used in a demeaning way, then it can't be wrong. Right?

[viugiufgjhfhjfhg...]

I'm just trying to make a point here.

We should be living in a place where we shouldn't be afraid to say what we want to. The United States wasn't formed on "freedom of speech only when it doesn't offend your neighbors." I should be able to call anyone anything I want. I mean, when it's not used in a demeaning way, then it can't be wrong. Right?

Theorically you are totally correct; however in practice your personal freedom ends where other people's begin. So there's always a kind of tacit agreement with regards to what can be said about certain topics in order to not cause unwanted or unnecessary controversy.

Of course, this can be easily exploited under the premise of political correctness; but it seems that the general tendence in communications is towards a bigger liberalization of contents as long as subjects that were treated as taboo topics are being talked about more openly.

This would imply that eventually the euphemisms coined along the way will fade and possibly disappear, but that's a strictly hypothetical conjecture.

[Kontroll]

Theorically you are totally correct; however in practice your personal freedom ends where other people's begin. So there's always a kind of tacit agreement with regards to what can be said about certain topics in order to not cause unwanted or unnecessary controversy.

Of course, this can be easily exploited under the premise of political correctness; but it seems that the general tendence in communications is towards a bigger liberalization of contents as long as subjects that were treated as taboo topics are being talked about more openly.

This would imply that eventually the euphemisms coined along the way will fade and possibly disappear, but that's a strictly hypothetical conjecture.

Yeah, absolutely. I know what you're talking about. I guess it really only does work in theory, but hey, it can't hurt to try and make a point and then make something happen from that, right?

I just wish people weren't so tense about the whole race issue, cause it really isn't as in depth as everyone says it is in regards to actual races and not racism.

Well, if there is only one race, the human race, shouldn't the word 'Racism' be changed?

[viugiufgjhfhjfhg...]

Yeah, absolutely. I know what you're talking about. I guess it really only does work in theory, but hey, it can't hurt to try and make a point and then make something happen from that, right?

I just wish people weren't so tense about the whole race issue, cause it really isn't as in depth as everyone says it is in regards to actual races and not racism.

Well, if there is only one race, the human race, shouldn't the word 'Racism' be changed?

The concept of racism as we understand it would have to disappear, that is for sure.

What I tried to say in my previous post, though, is that this limitations in language do tend to disappear as long as the people using them become more open in the moral sense. For example, in Spain joking about catholicism is not as frowned upon as it was 60 years ago; however in some places you're still going to get nasty looks if you joke about the Monarchy.

[Kontroll]

The concept of racism as we understand it would have to disappear, that is for sure.

What I tried to say in my previous post, though, is that this limitations in language do tend to disappear as long as the people using them become more open in the moral sense. For example, in Spain joking about catholicism is not as frowned upon as it was 60 years ago; however in some places you're still going to get nasty looks if you joke about the Monarchy.

Oh, yeah. Again. I totally understand. You're basically saying what I am, but ten times better. Haha.

You get my point though right? That's all I'm trying to get across. If I can reach one person then I'm happy. That's what lifes all about. Spreadin' the word, ma man.