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.

[espressive]

There aren't different races. We're all human. It's the human race. I don't know why people don't understand that.

If you have a Labrador and a Collie are they different species? No they are variations within a kind. Still one species. Why is it so hard to understand that people are all one race?

I understand that their ancestors are from Africa, but my ancestors are from Canada, France, Ireland and what not. You're not going to call me an Irish, French Canadian American. Are you? I really think that people should just loosen up and treat their skin color as a blessing instead of a burden.

So I guess you could say that we are all race, technically, but "black" or "African American" can be used as description, just as if you're describing somebody's hair color/eye color...etc. In that sense, I don't really see anything wrong with being more specific within a broad subject. Is it necessary bad that we'll call a collie a "collie" instead of a "dog"? No. So what's wrong with calling people "African Americans"?

I tend to steer away from saying "blacks", because I just feel bad when I say it, but "African Americans" is so long. I don't know, I guess with the whole US History and just how the term "blacks" has been used makes me feel like it's a deragatory word.