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.

[kimmytree]

^ Well, someone has to be described some how. If I'm the only "white" girl standing with a group of people of another race, how else would I be reffered to as? Like if someone was talking about me with someone else, they would refer to me as like "the white girl over there". Or Caucasian, whatever. Instead of that, reffering to one as being "light skinned" just sounds weird to me. So what's wrong with calling a Caucasian white, or someone black? I dont think its any different that describing someone by their hair color. Like, saying "the guy over there with the long brown hair".

I know if I was talking to someone about a black person, and they were standing where we could see them, I'd tell the person that "its that black girl over there". Nothing racist implied. But what If I referred to her as being African American? What if she isnt? "Black" wouldnt really be offending, at least I hope not, because I wouldnt have to worry about getting her exact country of orgin correct. Same with calling someone white, you wouldnt have to worry about figuring out if they were a European American, a South American - American (lol), a Russian American, ect. ect.

That's awesome. It's stereotypical because we're fitting a group of people into this boundary and it's not always necessarily so.

Then how do you suggest people go about describing a person?

I have a question then... Is it possible for a white person to be African American?

Yes, it is. Dave Matthews is from South America. Therefore African American.

But we stereotype people when we call them African American because we assume they are from an African heritage. Not always the case. So, is it right to call some one African American out of ignorance?

Okay. So if its proper to refer to a black person as being African American, then in return we should refer to whites as European Americans, correct? That seems to be what you're implying. Dave Matthews is white, so then the typical stereotype then for him would be European American instead of White. But Dave Matthews ISNT a European American. He's an African American. So how the hell is someone who just seems him on the street supposed to guess that he's indeed a African instead of European? Thats why we shouldnt have to refer to someone as "African American" or "European American". Its like an offensive guessing game.

[sweetangel2128]

^ Well, someone has to be described some how. If I'm the only "white" girl standing with a group of people of another race, how else would I be reffered to as? Like if someone was talking about me with someone else, they would refer to me as like "the white girl over there". Or Caucasian, whatever. Instead of that, reffering to one as being "light skinned" just sounds weird to me. So what's wrong with calling a Caucasian white, or someone black? I dont think its any different that describing someone by their hair color. Like, saying "the guy over there with the long brown hair".

I know if I was talking to someone about a black person, and they were standing where we could see them, I'd tell the person that "its that black girl over there". Nothing racist implied. But what If I referred to her as being African American? What if she isnt? "Black" wouldnt really be offending, at least I hope not, because I wouldnt have to worry about getting her exact country of orgin correct. Same with calling someone white, you wouldnt have to worry about figuring out if they were a European American, a South American - American (lol), a Russian American, ect. ect.
Then how do you suggest people go about describing a person?
Okay. So if its proper to refer to a black person as being African American, then in return we should refer to whites as European Americans, correct? That seems to be what you're implying. Dave Matthews is white, so then the typical stereotype then for him would be European American instead of White. But Dave Matthews ISNT a European American. He's an African American. So how the hell is someone who just seems him on the street supposed to guess that he's indeed a African instead of European? Thats why we shouldnt have to refer to someone as "African American" or "European American". Its like an offensive guessing game.

Ok answer me this. What if the whole group were white or maybe only black. How would you announce a certain person then since you can't do it upon color?