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Racism On The College Campus Part II

 

There is no such thing as race, we are all homosapiens (http://racerelations.about.com/library/weekly/aa021501a.htm). Humans are genetically virtually indistinguishable from one another, so there is truly no such thing as race, there is just ethnicity. We are all human beings, and sure certain ethnicities (such as Africans) have long limbs and have fast twitch muscle making them better at many athletic activities (http://www.anabolex.com/forums/showthread/t-99200.html), but nevertheless our minds are equal. What makes us human is our mind, so if we are all equal, we should be all treated in an equal manner.

 

Some racists cannot handle that however. Blacks are called "n*****s" and latinos are called "spics". Why make an exception and call someone what they are not? If someone is called "white", why should someone else be called something else?

 

So what am I getting at? Racism from the left. The term "African American" is racist. I know, you feel like an accepting, anti-racist person when you say it, but the term is inherently racist. Why should YOU say black instead of "African American"?

 

Note: When I say "we", "us", or etc. and I assume that "we" means "us whites", it does not mean what I am saying does not apply to you. I'm considered "white" so when I'm talking like such, I'm just talking about the group I happen to be part of.

 

Reason 1: You make an exception based on race

 

We call ourselves white. Sure, some of us are tan, some are as white as I, some are as white as Michael Jackson, but regardless we are still all white. Some black people are less dark than Sicilians, others are as black as Alfonso Soriano (pretty much, light does not escape the surface of his skin- he's very dark.) So why are blacks not called black like we are called white? Because they come from Africa? Well, we come from Europe, we don't call ourselves "European American." It is just as correct. So when you call one race of people "white" and another "African American" you make an exception based upon race, and racism being discrimination based upon race, you perpetuate racism by saying "African American." By making an exception, you belittle the people you think you are trying to not be prejudiced against.

 

Reason 2: "Black" does not connote anything racist

 

The word "black" does not imply, insinuate, or connote anything remotely racist anymore than the word "white" does. Some people say that blacks are "really not black", but whites are really not white either. If there is nothing negative about the word and if one group of people (whites) are called by a general color, why make an exception for another group of people? That's racist.

 

Reason 3: Black people call themselves "black"

 

At the dinner table and a family is ranting about ethnicity or racism, they say "those blacks" or "those whites", not "those African and or European Americans!" Listen to how black people talk, they simply call themselves black if they happen to be talking about their ethnicity. They do not call themselves "African American" unless they are brainwashed by some leftist in the media, highschool or college, or elsewhere. The average black calls her or himself black and the average white calls her or himself white. Take a guess when blacks say "African American"? Either they are talking to someone who is white, they are race baiting (Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton), and or they are brainwashed by the left.

 

Reason 4: Political correctness goes too far

 

Martin Luther King Jr. called the blacks black and he called the whites white! Why? He knew the two terms are equal and that the two ethnicites should be equal under the law. Then the left added the term "Afro American" to replace black. Now its "African American." The left are now trying to group all of those in a low socioeconomic class together with the term "people of color", which seems pretty close to the old term "colored people." Scary isn't it? Political correctness has gone too far. How about all the poor whites or Asian, Semetic, and European immigrants in a low socioeconomic class? The term "people of color" insinuates if you have a dark complextion you must be born poor, an economic, political, and social minority. This is more racism from those who think they are speaking against it.

 

Reason 5: Black is shorter

 

Why say "African American"? Its so long. If the word black is not racist (being equal to the word white) and it is shorter to say, I see no problem with saying it. I'll be damned if I have to say the continent/region someone comes from whenever I classify them. European American, African American, Asian American, Latin American...its too much. It's shorter to say white, black, asian, and latino.

 

Reason 6: Blacks and whites are the first Americans

 

On the most part America was initially made up of two groups of people, western europeans and africans. The terms white and black (colored/negro were used as well) to differentiate the two dominant ethnicites. Things were considered black and white (no pun intended) and one was either black (african) or white (european.) Because the terms black and white are traditional of the original make up of America (I do not care if you believe the initial makeup was unjust, because it was) and that left us africans and europeans in those categories. This makes blacks and whites exceptional compared to the newer immigrants not typical of the continents (europe and africa) that were the origins of the first Americans.

 

In my honest opinion, my arrogance leads me to believe I have created a near flawless argument. I find it inconceivable how what I am saying is wrong or racist. The term "African American" is definitely racist, and if we are to call everyone by their continent, it takes too long and it is not necessary. As long as a term does not connote inequality, inferiority, and anything negative, such a term is okay to use. When one starts making an exception based on race and inequality and inferiority are implied it is wrong and racist.

 

However, one might say "We call Latinos something other than their skin color, the same with Arabs, Asians, and Indians (Indians from India, not Native Americans). Therefore, one can say the term African American."

 

This is a good argument, but I would refute it this way:

 

We have already come to the conclusion we should not say anything that implies an inferiority or anything negative. There is nothing negative about the terms latino, asian, indian, and arab. We have also come to the conclusion that we should not call any ethnicity something needlessly long, thus the terms latino, asian, indian, and arab being short makes them easily usable.

 

I ask you this, why do we even make a distinction between ethnicities? Well, different groups of people look and act differently, so we create groups to categorize them. Whites have a kind of culture and so do blacks, asians, and etc. Whites look different from blacks, indians, and such. If there existed no socioeconomic differences, ethnicity would almost cease to exist, and would only be used for physical description. As long as we look different from one another and there exists socioeconomic differences, we will be classified as different ethnicities.

 

Italians and Irish came to America and were not considered white, but now they are. In time, if the average income of latinos or arabs equals that of whites and their culture becomes closer to ours, they might just be part of the the "white crowd." Remember Italians look different from Anglo Saxons, had a different religion (catholicism), and had a totally different culture. As latinos and arabs become more "Americanized" they might (I think they will if the world doesn't end and or America doesn't go down the crapper) become "white."

 

So, I see nothing wrong with saying white and black while making certain exceptions for different Americans. I'm not trying to be a hypocrite, because it sounds like I am, but America was built upon Europeans and Africans. Those that resulted from mestizaje (latinos), asians, and such came later, so when one of the ethnicities (like asian) came later and look vastly different from both the blacks and the whites, they will retain the classification "Asian" regardless to the fact that they make more money than the average white and have become more so Americanized. Possibly arabs, latinos, and asians will always be classified by a non-color because they are not either European or African; maybe they will assume "whiteness", I don't know, I cannot tell the future. However, for now difference in arrival time in America and different socioeconomic class makes it not problematic to refer to some people from continental/regional origin.

 

Africans and Europeans are the original Americans, so I guess we get labled as colors, but because there exist no negative connotation and the terms are short to say, I see no moral problems. Furthermore, by making an exception based upon different ethnicity at a time where it has already been established all ethnicities are genetically and mentally equal and the terms black and white are used and are equal, I see it as racist to say the term "African American", and I highly suggest one does not use it.

 

Other racial issues...

 

Hispanic or Latino and Indian or Native American...next in Part III

 

http://www.xanga.com/craigramblings

I have to say that I love your article... It is somewhat what I think. I will let you know more on the "Latino Series"

I have to say that I love your article... It is somewhat what I think. I will let you know more on the "Latino Series"

Thanks :thumbup

for the most part I agree. I call my black friends black. I call myself white. They call me white. We make jokes about each other (like how I suck at basketball, and how they thought I would beat them in bowling because I am white....which it turns out I sucked--which I warned them about). When you get down to it, you can call someone anything you want, as long as you get to know the person and they are cool with what you call them. Would I ever call my friends "n*****s"? No, unless they specifically told me to call them that (as in a joke or somethin I guess). Do I call them black? Hell yes. I call them black, like someone would call Alyssa Milano "brunette", or Paris Hilton "blonde", or me "skinny". Skin color, hair color, body build....they are all physical features.

 

It is pathetic when people can't say what they want to say because of political correctness. F*** political correctness. I'm white. Michael Jordan is black. And Al Sharpton is an idiot.

when it comes to racism Furman is the expert, im glad to finally have his expertise in this thread...

i hope you are joking.....i am far from racist my friend

i know :lol

cool.....im only racist against people with Derek Jeter avatars

i hate the Furman race...

:lol :lol :lol

and so do all my "black friends"

horrors

So far it appears this board is sane and not part of the racist political correctness crap that has become to pervasive in our soceity

 

so to you guys :thumbup :thumbup :thumbup

if there are any on this board, they aren't letting their beliefs known...haha

political correctness is a bunch of crap.

ok first i want to apoligize, i only skimmed this article and will read it more in depth later on.

 

but i want to touch on this. if blacks and whites were the first Americans then what were all the hundreds of Indian nations already roaming this land?

The native Americans? They weren't american, by that I mean they were totally excluded from society through genocide and relocation. I'm very aware of that. They were not of consequence because they were pushed out of the way or killed- they were excluded from "America."

So then why have there been numerous acts enacted in the late 19th/20th century to right the wrongs done by 'Americans'

 

Hell when this 'nation' began there were no blacks neither because they were not 'people'

1. So then why have there been numerous acts enacted in the late 19th/20th century to right the wrongs done by 'Americans'

 

2. Hell when this 'nation' began there were no blacks neither because they were not 'people'

1. Do you want the real reason? The point of such "Acts" wasn't to help the native americans, but to assimilate them so they can provide cheap agricultural labor. Before the 1920s, they were totally excluded from America and were not citizens until the 1920s. They did not interact with the mainstream population of America because they were excluded. Its rather simple no matter how wrong (in a moral sense) the facts are.

 

2. Blacks came over with Columbus, they have been around here longer than the Anglo Saxons, and they worked (as slaves) with whites and were an inferior class in society. However, they were PART of American society, a fact you are missing. Native americans were totally excluded.

 

History is neither fair or just, that's why it is so important to study it.