Politically Incorrect
When I recently wrote that President elect Barack Obama is not black, I guess you could call me any manner of things, including politically incorrect.
I was making a point about Obama being labeled as black by the media. Why didn't they label him as white? Because it isn't politically correct to label someone who looks black as anything but black. I hate political correctness as much as I hate politics.
What-American?
I don't care where your ancestors came from. If you call yourself an "African-American", "Mexican-American", "Filipino-American" or whatever, it properly represents you as a naturalized immigrant in the United States of America. If you were born in the US, or of at least one American parent, you're simply an American. If the "whatever-American" terms were used for everyone, there's wouldn't be any plain "Americans" at all (except for the native tribes of America).
Only people afraid of being called racists or bigots are afraid to use the terms that properly describe races. One of the earliest courses I took (at like the age of 14) was about races and ethnicities. I learned there were only 3 races in the world — Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negro — and all the other so-called races or ethnicities are simply subsets of those races.
If you're a Caucasian, there's nothing wrong with being called white. If you're a Negro, there's nothing wrong with being called black. Neither color (or lack thereof) is quite correct, but they're close approximations. White people are actually kind of pink and black people are actually some shade of brown. Colors of red, yellow and brown have all been used for the people of the Mongolian race and most of them aren't correct either.
Native American?
This one irritates me the most. I have a quarter or more of the blood of one or more of the native tribes. Of course the tribes are native Americans. So is anyone else who's living in America. "Native" refers to indigenous inhabitants of a place or country.
I have worked with many people of the native tribes over the course of my lifetime. Not once did one of them refer to themselves as "Native Americans". They always used tribal names such as "Navajo", "Apache", and "Pima".
"American Indian" was a popular term until political correctness took over. The term came about when early settlers saw the native tribes and thought they looked like the Indians (from India). Of course the tribes never recognized the term, just like most don't recognize the politically correct "Native American" now.
Afraid to Offend?
All of this political correctness stems from the fact that people, particularly politicians, are afraid to offend any particular race. Why does race even matter? I wish it didn't. I haven't paid much attention to race or color since I moved to Hawaii in 1974 (and that's a story I've already briefly written about).
I found it interesting when the media labeled Obama as the first black president. I didn't see a black man getting elected and definitely not an African-American. To me, he was simply an American and that's all I see him as now.
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You mean I'm not "Grecian-American"? Sounds like a sandwich anyway.
I like your picture – it makes the point.
I couldn't agree with you more. The whole political correctness thing can just be all around annoying sometimes?!!?
Yeah I hate the political correctness as well. Why can't we just call it, like it is… Why do we feel like we have police our thoughts and saying?
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If you want to be a little more accurate, the three races in the world are Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. "Mongolian" would more accurately describe the people who live in Mongolia, whereas Mongoloid is more of an ethnic/race description.
I used the 'ian' versus the 'oid' version so that more people would understand. I also didn't want "Mongoloid" confused with the birth defect.
I did not know that races are divided in three different categories. Then again, over here in Sweden we are not much for categorizing ethnic groups. I guess that has to do with our sordid past (after all it was here one started to measure skulls from different races trying to prove the superiority of the Aryan race).
I agree on the last part of this post. He is an American but in the eyes of lots of people not only politicians, he is labeled as "the first black President of America". Race was a big issue in the presidential race and it will continue to be an issue. I only look at it as setting history but other than that, like you said he is an American and now our President.
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I like your point that everyone is a ______-american. I'm a mut-American, so is almost everyone I know so the term American would never accurately apply.
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hi RT,
Is that picture from a Star Trek episode (it looks vaguely familiar)? If it is, how the heck do you remember these things?
~ Steve (aka the trade show guru)
PS. as usually, you have an uncanny way of finding the "just right" picture
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Well, Steve, if you hovered over the picture, you'd already know the answer to the first question.
I have no idea how I remember anything, as congested as my brain is.
That was one of those morality play type episodes they had so many of. I recall watching it on a black and white television quite some time ago. I agree, it is a very appropriate picture.
In Canada, we are so mixed up racially it seems pointless to many of us to keep track of all of these things. So many of us have 'native Canadian' ancestry or are recent additions to Canada from elsewhere. I was recently in a Tim Horton's, and I saw a man with a turban doing the baking, an oriental woman running the till, and several other non 'caucasoid' persons working behind the counter. In front of me in line were 3 black gentlemen. I seemed to be the only person of Latvian descent in the place, which of course is quite common for me.
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OK, I feel like Homer Simpson. I didn't think to do that. Now I know. ~ Steve
PS. I just saw that the Simpsons was renewed for another 3 seasons and will become the longest running television series in history, if I remember correctly. I haven't watched it in a long, long time.
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"I didn't see a black man getting elected and definitely not an African-American. To me, he was simply an American and that's all I see him as now."
My friend, you are in the minority, but I take that position as well
I like your point Marian. I too see him as simply an American!
Thank you for not being politically correct. It was refreshing.
To me most of the things you said makes no sense. I don't live on your side of the ocean (actually their side
) so, to me (and a lot of other people here) the "black" thing is just the color of his skin. So basically a black man was elected. I'm not politically correct or uncorrect right now, I'm just telling that we don't care, so he's just a man with a black skin.
So basically we agree in all your points, but the definition of "black" for us is just the color of the skin.
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You could go on forever about this but at the end of the day everyone is going to have their own opinion and views whether intentionally racist or not.
It seems the harder people try the more offence they cause. Color should not be ignored to the point of silliness, we were all born different and we are all better off for our diversity.
hopefully one day more people will be able to look at someone and see an american. then again, some americans do wish to associate themselves further with their heritage (philippine american, for example). at least, hopefully where distinctions are made, they will not be used to treat another person as somehow less than what they truly are.
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Couldn't people just call other ones with with their names? It is simpler and nobody gets offended! The whole issue as far as race is concerned just comes from politicians and the way the talk in order to grab as many people as possible! I don't care about color, geograhpical location, race, religion etc. Why is that so important?
@ caroline: Right, color should not be ignored but in this world, sometimes it is better to forget it becuase people use differences for their own dirty purposes
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I just wanted to stop by and say "Happy Birthday and Semper Fi Devil Dog"
I guess I'm WASP-American since my ancestors were from Yorkshire, Holland and Westphalia and arrived in America before or just after Independence. But, like you, I don't like labels either.
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Thanks, Frank. I declined to write anything about the Marine Corps Birthday this year. I also declined to write about whatever it was that BlogCatalog was harping about.
I love the picture man. It looks like it's from an episode of the Twilight Zone.
Star Trek, the original series, to be exact.
Sorry I'm only 20 so I am more of a Next Generation guy myself.
My wife says that calling Obama black is BS. Her feeling are that he is just as white as we are, he's just a little darker complected.
Perhaps people are scared to NOT call him black. Like if the media doesn't say "black president" that some group of people will revolt. I can't say that a black man got elected because that's not what I see. I see a man.
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What skin's colour for? They are still remain the same as human being too.
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yea, he is not so black , at least not as black as me.
We are all just people. Is all.
No need for colors, the only reason is for descriptions…just like flowers and planets and animals.
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I completely agree, the better man won plain as cake. If each of our encounters we have on a daily basis with those of different ethnicity go as well as the election the world would be a better place and we might actually have a stab at peace. I was kind upset that MCain was booed so horribly during his admission of defeat, no man should have to go through that even if he is an idiot with his tongue hanging out.
I think that it is called Mongoloid rather than Mongolian because Mongolian refers to the people who lives in Mongolia right? There are lot of people who are careful to label people basing on their colors because some are really sensitive about it and would really get offended even if you don't have any racist intention.
I'm well native.
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After a lot of years (and i am not that young anymore since i dont wear shorts) i still don't understand this thing about race and skin's color about. Sometimes I feel to come from another planet. What's the difference between black and white and red and yellow? I still dont understand …am I weird or what??? Besides it is just a prerogative of very conservative people poining out these kind of differences just to say..hey we are here and we are different from you. we dont want you around because you look different!
I just want to say that we should be careful about the way we refer to him, and not fall into the habit of using words like Afro-American, black or any other word to refer to him. We never say "The white senator" or "The Irish president". It sounds very weird for me to use them just for black people.
I wouldn't, but I'm sure there are many who will. I've never attached labels to people in the past and I'm not about to start.
for me, now its not the matter of whether he is black/white, but its the matter of how he makes his "impressive" plan become real
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Hi,
Just two points:
Firstly, I think that the colour of Obama's skin is only important in terms of demonstrating how far America has come with regards to race relations.
Secondly, how does Obama see himself, black, white, or mixed race, because that should determine how the press refer to him.
All The Best
John
I dont really think that its that big of a deal what color his skin is. It just seems to have a way to keep busy and off the issues. The media and govt love that.
Hey, what you said wasn't wrong. He's a man of the times. It'll be an interesting road ahead.
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Oh how it pisses me off when someone says something about our "black" president. Come on its 2008. Color doesn't matter anymore people, wake up.
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I too hate political correctness. It aggravates the hell out me. People are so worried about offending people we end up treating each other like children.
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He is creamy
he is black so what? you can't judge some on color of his skin 
he is one great leader
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I too hate political correctness, that said, there are a few things you mentioned that I disagree with. First, the word Indian, as it relates to ' North American Indians' stems from a geographical error made by the first navigators who landed on the shores of America. In essence, at the time, Columbus and co. believed that world was much smaller then and thought they had landed on the far shores of India and not North America. Due to this error, the native population were thought to have been Indians. In my opinion, the term is incorrect and should be eliminated. I too would prefer that tribe names be used instead. Unfortunately, the only issue with referring to the native population as many groups and not a collective would do more harm than good to their political weight. In essence, it would be a form of 'divide and conquer' that would leave native Americans with less of a unified goal.
Second, although I would love to say that people are all part of one national collective, the point is that we don't. People will still be judged on their appearance, regardless of their internal national identity. Let's face it, the U.S is still a very much racially divided nation.
Therefore, the election of Obama is a step in the right direction because if now opens the door to all the politically under-represented groups in the U.S. who can finally say that America is now a land for everyone and not just the privileged and historically established few.
I look forward to the day when we can put a native american in the white house, it will be then that we will have come full circle.
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I stand corrected on the Indian issue. I haven't held an American history book in nearly 30 years.
Although Barack Obama is half black and half white, he is considered black, as are all people who are mixed. That's just the way it is, and I think that's fantastic, because now we get to live in history. And Barack Obama's father is from Kenya, and that is as African as you get, so I think that cancels out his mother's whiteness. At least that's what helps me sleep at night.
I don't have an idea about what people thinks of skin color in America, here in Indonesia, we don't see its a big deal, he's black? so what? I think he is capable to lead America, I think Obama would be one of greatest American President.
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Politicol correctness is just insane, everyone is just too scared of people sued or frowned upon because of what they say and not to offend anyone.
For exmaple, the fact that "Baa Baa Black Sheep" is now meant to be called "Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep", seriously, there stupid and then theres that lol.
"I don't care where your ancestors came from. If you call yourself an "African-American", "Mexican-American", "Filipino-American" or whatever, it properly represents you as a naturalized immigrant in the United States of America. If you were born in the US, or of at least one American parent, you're simply an American. If the "whatever-American" terms were used for everyone, there's wouldn't be any plain "Americans" at all (except for the native tribes of America)."
This is EXACTLY how I see it. I couldn't have said it better, myself. Political Correctness (which has permeated every corner of the USA) is Political Ridiculousness, in my opinion.
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Black, white, green, or purple, he's got a big job on his hands with this economy. I wish him all the best.
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I refuse to use the "whatever-Americanisms". It's stupid. As an American, people sometimes ask me, where were your ancestors from?
They're waiting for me to name a country in Europe. But I always say America. Or Pennsylvania.
People that break down their makeup into fractions annoy the crap outta me. They'll say something like…"Well, I'm 1/8 Irish, 1/4 Dutch, 1/16 Polish etc"…
That is a very interesting perspective I must say. So all Hispanic people would be mongolian or caucasian? Or perhaps we are Negro? Hmm . . .
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I think it depends on each person. Some people hate any term that describes someone in any way other than american and some do not find any offense. I like how some groups can call themselfs any name they want while others can not. That applies to all groups we all call each other names but call someone from another group a name and your in trouble.
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yeah where inn!! filipino-americans..
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I think you have to not use anyones race or ethnic back bround or people will think something is wrong now. No matter what you say now it is almost always politicaly incorrect.
We are all people and i think the skin color doesn't matter …
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I don't even think the debate is about skin color, its about being politically correct and tiptoeing around things that are obvious. I don't know when it happened but we went WAY overboard and now its just ridiculous how PC things have become.
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You, as most people, leave out the historical context. Speaking as a Black man; an African born in America, we did not hyphenate ourselves. From the time of the so-called Emancipation of the Slaves, we were hyphenated by White America. We were called Negro-Americans, Colored-Americans, Black-Americans… All of these hyphenated names that were given to us suggested that we are not true Americans but we were considered a “Type” of American. When the Chinese came to America and became citizens, it wasn’t the Chinese that hyphenated themselves but White America also labeled them as a “Type” of American: They were labeled Chinese-American.
The American Census Bureau was created in the 1800’s and to this very day these hyphenated terms exist. Black people did not originate this however today it is said that we somehow created divisions in America by hyphenating ourselves. You blame the victims. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that Black people said that we are tired of White America coming up with names for us. This is when we decided that since we had to be labeled we should name ourselves. So we came up with African-American.
Black people always wanted to be accepted as American but White America never gave us that chance. Now that we are proud to be called African-American, all of a sudden we are the Racists: All of a sudden we are creating division in America. I don’t see you condemning the American Census Bureau: I don’t see you putting blame on those White Americans who created this separation in the first place. I only see you blaming those who have been separated.
The issue of race in the US has always been debated with much heat and rancor. It is time that people recognize the contribution of other races and stop thinking of people as "them" and add them to the collective "us".
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I don't mean to be racist or anything but I hate it how "whatever-americans" (nice word by the way lol) can call us (white people) whatever they want but we can't even call them black any more. I also hate the people who feel that we need to pay back to those who's ancestors were slaves. I live in conneticut, which had a total of like 3 slaves in the entire state, and people are still "boo-hoo"ing about that era.