montestewart wrote:Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:montestewart wrote:Years ago, I was at a party, and saw a couple I hadn't seen in a few years. I said, "I haven't seen you all in a coon's age," I suppose trying to be folksy (or not). They were a mixed race couple. It was an awkward moment.
It's sometimes complicated balancing respect for others' feelings with sincerity of thought, but that goes for everything, not just race. Recently I was hanging with some friends, and I was the only white there, and the subject of using "African American" versus "black" came up (one of them, fifteen-years of age, had been discussing it in class). I said I use black because it's one syllable versus six, and I'm lazy. It got the desired response.
I think of myself as a (big) black man. African American is too PC. It is used to describe people in America who appear to be from Africa whether either of those are correct. Here in Hawaii I see plenty Samoans or people from Fiji or even an occasional really dart Filipino that would be called African American on sight if they were in the DC Area. They look as black as most African Americans.
I don't think you're lazy for saying black, but then again consider me as the source of that opinion.
The lazy (inertia, set in my ways, etc) part was mostly a joke. It's more that African American is a narrow and often too precise term. I frequently hear awkward sentences when referring to Africans in the USA (as residents, students, etc), African-Europeans, persons of unknown origin, and the term also excludes people with dark skin (from South Asia, the South Pacific, etc.) that also suffer color based discrimination. I think black is a pretty broadly useful term.
Someday I'll make it to Hawaii, and I'll judge for myself.
Whenever you do make it to the island of Oahu, look me up. I feel like the mayor with the number of different types of people who I know all over the island. I'd love to treat you to coffee on the North Shore or offer you my opinions on the local cuisine and entertainment.
Just be sure to let me know when you're in town, monte. We can talk story.
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