ha98ed14
07-18-2009, 08:38 AM
I have been reading the thread asking about the appropriate word choice to describe people of African heritage. I wanted to make two points. The first is that I don't think badly of anyone for being confused. It can be confusing. I find it confusing too sometimes. As we saw in the other thread, journalists take the liberty of switching back and forth between the terms "black" and "African-American." And individual people have different preferences and there is no give-away as to which one is the right one at any given time or scenario.
I am going to share how I have resolved this issue within myself in the hopes that others may find is useful. That is my second point. But I want to commend the people who asked sincere questions because I think that a lot of people are afraid to ask the questions because they are afraid of being criticized and/ or appearing ignorant. So I want to give you a whole lot of credit for asking the tough questions in the hopes of finding some answers that will enable you to show sensitivity and respect to people you encounter who do not look or talk the way you do. That is a very good goal. We should have respect for the process. This is my second, long and point:
Even though our society has come far enough to have elected a person of color (and yes, I am using that term deliberately) to be the President of the United States, racial and ethnic discrimination is still experienced by people every day in this same United States. As a white person, I have struggled to know what role *I* play in the story. I have felt personally guilty for what white people in America did to the African people who were forcibly brought here even though my family did not come to the US until after WWI. At the other extreme, I have then also felt angry and offended when I met some fellow students at my first undergrad college (10 yrs ago) who made it very clear they did not want to associate with me because I was white and did not understand the nuances of their culture. I was perceived as being an ignorant white person who they did not have time for even though my questions were sincere and not mean to offend. I have wrestled with this issue from many sides and this is what I have concluded:
We as Americans, and especially me as a white person in America, must be respectful of the history, heritage and cultures of everyone, but there should be an increased level of care used when talking about the history and the people of African descent in this country. The reason is because because their families' first members in America did not come here by choice and their arrival was not met with the same hardships common to the immigrant experiences of other immigrant groups.
While European Americans at the turn of the century, and many Latino and Asian immigrants today are enduring hardships to create a better life for their families, the African peoples brought here were taken from their existing lives and forced into a life here in America that was horrific. There was no choice for this African immigrant group. *THAT* makes their story different, and it has effected the experiences and opportunities of their descendants. And that is part of their history that will *always be* different. People will continue to come to the United States by choice, but no one people group will ever be targeted en masse and brought to our country to labor for nothing and suffer horrible abuses.
Sociologists and politicians have debated and will continue to debate whether or not the forced migration and enslavement of a group of people can or should affect their decedents for generations after the enslavement has ended. There are people with opinions on both sides of this issue even within the African American community, as evidenced by Obama's "No Excuses" speech to the NAACP and the reactions it got yesterday.
But if you want to know what *you* can do, or what role you play as a member of "white America," it is this: Be respectful. Think, speak and act with care on issues concerning the cultural, ethnic or racial heritage of anyone, but especially African-Americans. Theirs is a unique history, and it is their story to tell and to define in whatever terms they choose, as individuals and as a people group. It is true that not every person of African descent in America will want to use the term "African-American." Some may prefer "black" or something else all together. But start with African-American, as it is generally perceived most respectful, and trust that someone will correct you if they feel the need.
I am going to share how I have resolved this issue within myself in the hopes that others may find is useful. That is my second point. But I want to commend the people who asked sincere questions because I think that a lot of people are afraid to ask the questions because they are afraid of being criticized and/ or appearing ignorant. So I want to give you a whole lot of credit for asking the tough questions in the hopes of finding some answers that will enable you to show sensitivity and respect to people you encounter who do not look or talk the way you do. That is a very good goal. We should have respect for the process. This is my second, long and point:
Even though our society has come far enough to have elected a person of color (and yes, I am using that term deliberately) to be the President of the United States, racial and ethnic discrimination is still experienced by people every day in this same United States. As a white person, I have struggled to know what role *I* play in the story. I have felt personally guilty for what white people in America did to the African people who were forcibly brought here even though my family did not come to the US until after WWI. At the other extreme, I have then also felt angry and offended when I met some fellow students at my first undergrad college (10 yrs ago) who made it very clear they did not want to associate with me because I was white and did not understand the nuances of their culture. I was perceived as being an ignorant white person who they did not have time for even though my questions were sincere and not mean to offend. I have wrestled with this issue from many sides and this is what I have concluded:
We as Americans, and especially me as a white person in America, must be respectful of the history, heritage and cultures of everyone, but there should be an increased level of care used when talking about the history and the people of African descent in this country. The reason is because because their families' first members in America did not come here by choice and their arrival was not met with the same hardships common to the immigrant experiences of other immigrant groups.
While European Americans at the turn of the century, and many Latino and Asian immigrants today are enduring hardships to create a better life for their families, the African peoples brought here were taken from their existing lives and forced into a life here in America that was horrific. There was no choice for this African immigrant group. *THAT* makes their story different, and it has effected the experiences and opportunities of their descendants. And that is part of their history that will *always be* different. People will continue to come to the United States by choice, but no one people group will ever be targeted en masse and brought to our country to labor for nothing and suffer horrible abuses.
Sociologists and politicians have debated and will continue to debate whether or not the forced migration and enslavement of a group of people can or should affect their decedents for generations after the enslavement has ended. There are people with opinions on both sides of this issue even within the African American community, as evidenced by Obama's "No Excuses" speech to the NAACP and the reactions it got yesterday.
But if you want to know what *you* can do, or what role you play as a member of "white America," it is this: Be respectful. Think, speak and act with care on issues concerning the cultural, ethnic or racial heritage of anyone, but especially African-Americans. Theirs is a unique history, and it is their story to tell and to define in whatever terms they choose, as individuals and as a people group. It is true that not every person of African descent in America will want to use the term "African-American." Some may prefer "black" or something else all together. But start with African-American, as it is generally perceived most respectful, and trust that someone will correct you if they feel the need.