PC Debate: Your preferred term?

[gnome]

I have myself struggled with the question of how to refer to blacks politely. I tend to try to use whatever term is preferred by the person I'm speaking to, but I admit in my head what I think is "black" and it carries no positive or negative baggage with it.

Is that actually considered objectionable by members of that race? The current discussion of PC led me to decide that speculation can't compare to just asking, so, this poll that everyone can participate in--to find out what people here prefer if they are black, and what they tend to say if they're not...

 

[gnome]

I noted in the construction of this question that it is nearly impossible to phrase the poll without risking not using a term that someone voting prefers.

So, apologies if the wording is not ideal. I really am trying to figure out what people tend to wish to be called, and if the terms you hear about are really in use.

 

[aerocontrols]

African American is presumptive of nationality. I know lots of Africans who hold citizenship of African nations.

 

[jj]

I have myself struggled with the question of how to refer to blacks politely. I

Hi, Melanie, Hi Fred, Hi, George, ...

 

[WildCat]

I have rarely heard blacks say "african-american" in casual conversation. And 95% of the people I work for are black.

 

[Zep]

Like jj, I prefer to use their names, or call them simply "people".

I work with Australians, Fijians, Indians, Sri Lankans, Nigerians, Irish, etc. We all have different shades of skin colour and facial characteristics, and yet no-one really cares about that. What is more important to these people is their family and heritage and background, not their current colour.

So I voted Planet X.

 

[WildCat]

Like jj, I prefer to use their names, or call them simply "people".

But if you're talking about racial issues w/ someone it can't be avoided. And saying "you people" likely will not go over well.

 

[crimresearch]

I consider myself Hispanic and I suppose I would prefer (if labels have to be applied at all) the term Hispanic.


Or did you think the entire world was black and white?

 

[Nasarius]

"Black" in casual conversation when it comes up, usually "African-American" in any kind of formal writing, if it's appropriate.
Thoroughly white myself, but I am a bleeding-heart pinko hippie liberal, and I don't consider it a negative term.

 

[Nasarius]

I consider myself Hispanic and I suppose I would prefer (if labels have to be applied at all) the term Hispanic.


Or did you think the entire world was black and white?

Hispanic is easy. There's only one term. This is an entirely different issue: "how to refer to blacks politely".

 

[Dorian Gray]

Black. Not "African-American". That's stupid. And not 'colored', even though the NAACP still uses it.

Yeah, I said stupid. What is a black person from Canada? Jamaica? And what about Trevor Rabin, Dave Matthews or Johnny Clegg? Should Rabin or Clegg become American citizens, they would be African-Americans.

And for crying out loud, don't forget Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Algeria, etc., which the last time I checked were African nations.

 

[aerocontrols]

Yeah, I said stupid. What is a black person from Canada? Jamaica? And what about Trevor Rabin, Dave Matthews or Johnny Clegg? Should Rabin or Clegg become American citizens, they would be African-Americans.

Tracy Morgan and Charlize Theron on SNL talking about being African American was pretty funny. Theron was born South African but has since become a US citizen.


Canada and Jamaica are American nations, tho...

 

[crimresearch]

Hispanic is easy. There's only one term. This is an entirely different issue: "how to refer to blacks politely".

Only one term for people who are Hispanic or Latino or Chicano and so forth?

I am so tired of dealing with such small minded garbage.

It's only 'easy' if you don't really care about the people you so conveniently lump into one category.

 

[gnome]

Only one term for people who are Hispanic or Latino or Chicano and so forth?

I am so tired of dealing with such small minded garbage.

It's only 'easy' if you don't really care about the people you so conveniently lump into one category.

I'd happily set up a poll for Hispanics next, it was just that the question I posed was the one on my mind at the time.

 

[BillyTK]

I had to go with the Planet X option, because I find th epoll question begs the situations in which one would be using such terms, i.e. in what situations would I need to remark on a person's skin colour?

Plus, using the term "African American" would be kind of redundant for me

Edited to add:
I'm Irish English

 

[daenku32]

African American is presumptive of nationality. I know lots of Africans who hold citizenship of African nations.

I consider African American to be the ethnic rather than racial desription. Mainly because a person of African decent living in some other continent than Africa or America, would not use the same desription.

As as response to BillyTK; No, you would be an European-European. THAT, would be redundant.

 

[daenku32]

btw, based on the poll, we need more black people on the JREF forums.

 

[toddjh]

I consider African American to be the ethnic rather than racial desription.

The problem there is, what about a white person who grew up in the same social environment as "African-Americans?" Is he "African-American" too? If yes, then is it possible for black children who grow up in a different environment (still in America) to not be "African-Americans?"

That's why I dislike the term. People who use it tell me that it's not a description of skin color, but there always seems to be a one-to-one correlation.

Jeremy

 

[BillyTK]

As as response to BillyTK; No, you would be an European-European. THAT, would be redundant.

Just to be picky, I'd be Eurasian Eurasian, which admittedly would be equally redundant.

 

[Q-Source]

I consider myself Hispanic and I suppose I would prefer (if labels have to be applied at all) the term Hispanic.

Hispanic is a term refering to spanish-speaking nations, not to race. There isn't a "hispanic" or latin race.

This silly desire to classify people according to their skin colour just shows how people still refuse to recognise that human beings are worth for what they are not because of a physical characteristic.