evolove asked if these terms were commonly used outside the u.s. and that's what i answered to.

as for what you are referring to, i can understand the criticism.
in my opinion it depends on the level of cultural engagement with the roots one still holds, rather than the psyhical appearence or level of descent.
if it's strictly a genealogical thing it doesn't make much sense.

I'd be rich enough to commission Lee Ranaldo to write me a song for each hour of my day

I thin you choose the wrong songwriter. Maybe Timbaland, William Shatner or Bon Jovi. Someone who does things blatantly for the money.

***I use these terms loosely before someone gets up my ass***

I like the terms Italian American, African American etc. They work well within the subjective context. It is only relevant to the other person.

I have an Irish cousin who had never been to the US and was shocked at what passed for "Irish-American" in Boston. But it is only natural that they get absorbed into the larger culture.

Is American Chinese food really Chinese? Not so. The Chinese maybe 1/5 portion to rice. In North America, portion to rice might be 1/2.

No.. but he is absolutely correct here:


I despise the term African-American. If is hopeless inaccurate. Most black folks in America have nothing to do with Africa, and in the US there are American citizens from African countries. Nigerian-Americans or Ethiopian-Americans are "African-Americans"

Black folks are black folks.

The real trouble with term African-American is that is used interchangeably, even with a single sentence, with "black" and "black Americans" etc etc

That is where I personally call foul. People don't say use racial descriptions as interchangeably as they do those for black folks, which in my view implies a bit of racism, not necessarily overtly negative, but racism none-the-less. To be overly conscious of a person's racial identity, and in fact draw an unnecessary amount of attention to it, is racism.

and as far as African-American goes, I generally ONLY hear that term used in class-room settings and discussions when a person is PURPOSELY trying not to offend a black person. If in your own mind you are comfortable saying "black" and would use the term "sans" black people around, the using another term is text-book racism. In fact, I wonder what African-American is a euphamism for in these folks, are they thinking nigger? Does black carry any negative racial connotations for them? Why can't they use it?

Truly black people do not colloquially refer to themselves as "african-americans" and they are not offended at being called "black" so long as offense was not the intention of the speaker.

perhaps, after we're done quibbling over hyphens, we could address the real problematic words, that lie at the root of the issue.

those words are "us" and "them".

seen.. that is why in rastafari word-sound-power the words "us" and "them" are taboo. We prefer the concept of "i-n-i" which is the ultimate manifestation of the universally inclusive idea of "we"

Yes, yes, we're all basically the same, bleed red, have the same hopes, love our children, etc.

But I find ignoring distinctions--in other words, homogenizing the world--is dangerous. Differences should be celebrated. I had two points:

1- I wondered how differences are addressed in other countries
2- I critiqued how it's done in America, at least in reference to blacks

So far, one person has addressed the first and there doesn't seem to be much agreement on the second.

these terms might have a segregative charge but they are not necessarily discriminative.

those words are the basis for war, racism and crusades (war 2.0).

you're forgetting the part where you invalidated any claim to having a sensible opinion on the subject of terminology used to describe particular social groups by calling me a faggot.

I would like to add "hating on gays" to war, racism and crusades.

i'd like to know if suchfriends realises he's white.

did he do that? where?

Sshhhhh!! Don't tell him! If he finds that out it could destabilise the whole universe.

he sent me a PM.

to me they just mean identity. people are different.
but yeah, i can see how one would make a problem out of that.

the word is 'prejudice'.

yeah, using south park as defense is like using hip hop to defend racism. it doesn't work.

i don't care about this anymore and already said everything on page 1.

Because I'm a male who has sucked a few cocks in his day, the only phobia I'll cop to is the fear of a poorly washed package. Nice try though.

you got me there, you're gay and also a dick about it to others. well done.