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African-American or black? Debate heats up in South Florida; Well????
Topic Started: Mar 12 2012, 08:31 AM (640 Views)
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http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-02-21/news/fl-african-american-vs-black-facebook-20120221_1_african-american-african-heritage-people-of-african-descent

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Do Americans need hyphens to tell the world who they are?

The debate over the term 'African-American' is heating up again as Black History Month winds down. Some, like Gibre George, a Hollywood-based entrepreneur whose family is from the West Indies, argue it's an archaic label. He created a Facebook page, "Don't Call Me African-American'' to argue it is time to for everyone to simply be called American.

Others, like Edith Bush, a West Palm Beach community leader who can recall when Negro and colored were common labels, fully embrace the term African-American. "I hope that at one time sooner than later we will accept one identity,'' said Bush, 79, who has visited Senegal and believes it's important for today's generation to learn about African history.But identity is a personal thing, especially in South Florida, home to 501,000 Caribbean immigrants, the nation's second largest concentration. And that community is split, with some saying they feel a greater connection to their homelands and others saying African-American is an accurate reflection of their heritage.

Yanatha Desouvre, 33, a computer technician from West Palm Beach, considers himself a Haitian-American. "The African-American title is great but most individuals who call themselves African-American haven't been to Africa and don't know where they're from in Africa," he said.

Desouvre, who moved to South Florida when he was 3, created a smartphone application named Proud to be Haitian. Still, he tells his daughter, 3, she is an American of Jewish and Haitian ancestry. "I believe anybody who was born on American soil should be known as American,'' he explained.

George, 38, who was born in New York and whose family is from St. Lucia and St. Kitts, said his Facebook page initially generated dialogue among friends. It recently gained national attention and now has 2,170 "likes."

"We keep these racial divides with all these titles," said George, who embraces his roots but argues Caucasians do not call themselves European-Americans. "It's foolishness.''
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Zechariah
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Zechariah
What's the difference?
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cisslybee2012
The REBEL
I refer to myself both as black and African American.

And I personally feel that it's necessary to make it clear to the world that you are aware of your African heritage, which the title African American clearly identifies.

Anybody can assume that any black person is ashamed of being black and their history as slaves, and their African ancestry, but that isn't the case with me, so I would never allow anyone complaining about the title African American deter me from identifying myself as being such. Just I as never let anyone complaining about my braids deter me from wearing braids.

I do my own thing and walk my own path.

I don't care who has a problem with it or why.

That's their problem.
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kennyinbmore
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zecharia
Mar 12 2012, 08:32 AM
What's the difference?
Took the words right out of my mouth.
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cisslybee2012
The REBEL
kennyinbmore
Mar 12 2012, 09:27 AM
zecharia
Mar 12 2012, 08:32 AM
What's the difference?
Took the words right out of my mouth.
So what you do call yourself?

Oh, I forgot,

You said you call yourself American and of course negro and nigger. :D

My bad. :D
Edited by cisslybee2012, Mar 12 2012, 10:08 AM.
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Rick1
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cisslybee2012
Mar 12 2012, 08:59 AM
I refer to myself both as black and African American.

And I personally feel that it's necessary to make it clear to the world that you are aware of your African heritage, which the title African American clearly identifies.

Anybody can assume that any black person is ashamed of being black and their history as slaves, and their African ancestry, but that isn't the case with me, so I would never allow anyone complaining about the title African American deter me from identifying myself as being such. Just I as never let anyone complaining about my braids deter me from wearing braids.

I do my own thing and walk my own path.

I don't care who has a problem with it or why.

That's their problem.
It's quite easy to look at black people and tell who they are.
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cisslybee2012
The REBEL
Rick1
Mar 12 2012, 11:20 AM
cisslybee2012
Mar 12 2012, 08:59 AM
I refer to myself both as black and African American.

And I personally feel that it's necessary to make it clear to the world that you are aware of your African heritage, which the title African American clearly identifies.

Anybody can assume that any black person is ashamed of being black and their history as slaves, and their African ancestry, but that isn't the case with me, so I would never allow anyone complaining about the title African American deter me from identifying myself as being such. Just I as never let anyone complaining about my braids deter me from wearing braids.

I do my own thing and walk my own path.

I don't care who has a problem with it or why.

That's their problem.
It's quite easy to look at black people and tell who they are.
But it's not quite easy for people to distinguish which blacks are proud of what they are from the black asshole's who can't bear being black or being associated with Africa, but who in contrast love the name negro and nigger for themselves in dignity. :D

As before,

I do my own thing with no concern over who has a problem with it or why.

I'm gonna do what I want for myself regardless. ;)
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Rick1
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It's not job to figure out who is proud of themselves.
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kennyinbmore
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Rick1
Mar 12 2012, 12:30 PM
It's not job to figure out who is proud of themselves.
Sure it is. She has no life so she has to be worried about everyone else's :D
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cisslybee2012
The REBEL
Rick1
Mar 12 2012, 12:30 PM
It's not job to figure out who is proud of themselves.
I noticed since I was a young girl how so many black men have a problem with being black and their African ancestry, and how those same men complained about my braids, but yet they love to call themselves nigger and complain when anybody white calls them the same thing.

Fucking idiots. :D

What's sad is how so many pathetic black females are obsessed with and making babies with these impeding assholes. :'(

They actually make an effort to stoop to the low level of these fools. And they actually destroy their hair with chemicals to appease these fools. :-/
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