Joe Klein - Obama Should Play the Race Card - Page 2

mpholland · #11 09-03-2012, 10:48 AM

How do we keep all of this racially PC anyway. I have black friends who insist on being called black as they have nop African heritage. They are actually offended by the term "African American". Kind of the same vein as a lot of eastern Europeans all being labeled as "Russians". WTF do we even have a race card? Just one more thing to keep people divided I guess.

BlueStreak · #12 09-03-2012, 10:52 AM

No, your friend is offended by being called "African-American". He is an individual, that is his choice.

They ALL have African heritage. Unless they came from Australia. And even then, Aboriginal DNA is discernable from African DNA.

We have a "race card" because it is a political tool that BOTH sides use. As I have tried to point out.

d-ray657 · #13 09-03-2012, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpholland

How do we keep all of this racially PC anyway. I have black friends who insist on being called black as they have nop African heritage. They are actually offended by the term "African American". Kind of the same vein as a lot of eastern Europeans all being labeled as "Russians". WTF do we even have a race card? Just one more thing to keep people divided I guess.

We can hope that the racial divisions will continue to shrink, but it is fantasy to suggest that they no longer exists. It sounds like you friends would be satisfied to be known just as your friends.

Regards,

D-Ray

mpholland · #14 09-03-2012, 11:13 AM

DNA and heritage are not the same thing.

Boreas · #15 09-03-2012, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpholland

How do we keep all of this racially PC anyway. I have black friends who insist on being called black as they have nop African heritage.

Your friends certainly have a right to be called whatever they want but they most certainly do have an African heritage. All of the blacks here are descended from Africans. (That's what heritage means.)

Quote:

They are actually offended by the term "African American".

They really shouldn't be. The term "African-American", or it's brother "Afro-American" are time honored descriptives used by American blacks themselves, either self-referentially or as names for cultural and social institutions. The excellent Baltimore Afro-American newspaper comes to mind. It has been a centerpiece of Baltimore society for over 100 years. There's also the annual Baltimore African-American Festival, a great weekend long event that the black and white communities both cherish.

Quote:

Kind of the same vein as a lot of eastern Europeans all being labeled as "Russians".

No, more like calling them Europeans, a valid generalization rather than an inaccurate specific.

Quote:

WTF do we even have a race card? Just one more thing to keep people divided I guess.

We have "race". As long as that's true there will be people who identify themselves and others by those criteria. As long as THAT happens there will be people who use race as a means of dividing us and marginalizing perceived minority races.

Human nature. The only thing we can do is recognize it and attempt to keep it out of the way we personally relate to others.... and, of course, make damn sure that race bias isn't enshrined in our social institutions and our laws.

John

Boreas · #16 09-03-2012, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpholland

DNA and heritage are not the same thing.

Ancestry and heritage are. The two words are pretty much synonyms.

John

Rex E. · #17 09-03-2012, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

No, your friend is offended by being called "African-American". He is an individual, that is his choice.

They ALL have African heritage. Unless they came from Australia. And even then, Aboriginal DNA is discernable from African DNA.

We have a "race card" because it is a political tool that BOTH sides use. As I have tried to point out.

And as we've found the American side come from the fact that all have 40% or more "European" (ie white) blood running though their veins. Knowing this there is no reason we should not be able to get along and treat each other as humans.

BlueStreak · #18 09-03-2012, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boreas

Ancestry and heritage are. The two words are pretty much synonyms.

John

Right and if your ancestors came from there, that place is part of your heritage.
My grandfather was born in Scotland. My Grandmother in Norway. My mothers family came from England almost 300 years ago (~1730s). I consider those places to be part of my heritage. But, I am an American.

Dave

BlueStreak · #19 09-03-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rex E.

And as we've found the American side come from the fact that all have 40% or more "European" (ie white) blood running though their veins. Knowing this there is no reason we should not be able to get along and treat each other as humans.

Agreed.

Boreas · #20 09-03-2012, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rex E.

And as we've found the American side come from the fact that all have 40% or more "European" (ie white) blood running though their veins. Knowing this there is no reason we should not be able to get along and treat each other as humans.

Actually, it shouldn't make a difference one way or the other.

John