Re: "The blacks" -- It's Debateable

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Subject: Re: "The blacks"

Author:
Maria

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Date Posted: 12:30:19 09/24/02 Tue
In reply to: Astrid 's message, ""The blacks"" on 10:07:41 09/24/02 Tue

I think it's all in how you say it. I don't think the phrase "black" or "black people" is inherently offensive, but I am not black, so I could be wrong.

I watched a news program several years ago where some rappers (NWA, I think) were talking about "Europeans" and "Africans." It took me a long time to realize that they were talking about white and black Americans. I have been to Europe, and while I have relatives there and would be thrilled if we adopted some aspects of their lifestyle (mandatory 4 weeks paid vacations and afternoon naps in particular) my essential character is not European but American. I think I have much more in common with the black people in my city than I do with the Europeans I'm related to by blood.

Whoopi Goldberg had something similar to say about the term "African American" that she doesn't like -- that it makes people into marginalized Americans.

>So, blacks were coloured and Negro and black and then
>Afro-American and then African-American. I actually
>am not sure what term is considered most correct
>currently, but I use the term black as it still seems
>to be well accepted in the black community (and is a
>lot shorter and more accurate than AA--black Canadians
>aren't AA, for example).

What is the term used by Canadian newscasters? Every news outlet here uses AA. It is a mouthful. And can become ridiculous -- now everyone in the US is a Something American. Another word that gets on my nerves because it's overused so much is "community" -- "the AA community," "the gay community," "the pet lover's community" etc, ad nauseum.

Maria

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Re: "The blacks"	Astrid	12:55:56 09/24/02 Tue
Re: "The blacks" -- Maria, 15:32:56 09/24/02 Tue Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 15:53:54 09/24/02 Tue Re: "The blacks" -- Maria, 11:07:18 09/25/02 Wed Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 11:37:01 09/25/02 Wed Re: "The blacks" -- Alan, 07:39:23 09/26/02 Thu Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 11:27:10 09/26/02 Thu Re: "The blacks" -- Alan, 06:36:22 09/29/02 Sun Re: "The blacks" -- Alan, 07:35:04 09/26/02 Thu Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 11:29:20 09/26/02 Thu Re: "The blacks" -- Sadie, 21:49:10 09/26/02 Thu Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 10:54:56 09/27/02 Fri Re: "The blacks" -- Alan, 06:41:13 09/29/02 Sun Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 21:00:10 09/29/02 Sun Re: "The blacks" -- Alan, 01:47:47 10/01/02 Tue Re: "The blacks" -- Astrid, 10:10:59 10/01/02 Tue