Am I black?

[blaqueangel]

I agree wholeheartedly.

I'm glad we're having this discussion b/c it's such an interesting topic. And as Faith2005 stated, we don't often discuss this.

Okay bluenine...I hope I didn't come off too harsh though.  It's obviously a topic we are both passionate about.  Just a few things then, some of which I feel like we agree on but are just misunderstanding each other:

1) One does not have to be American to be black.

2) So someone from the Caribbean who says that they are not African American are not saying that they are not black.  This can lead to misunderstandings if one believes that being black and being African American has to always be the same thing.

3) We are descendants of the same slaves, that grew up several hundred miles apart, thus the cultural difference.  Same reason why someone raised in New Orleans is different from someone raised in Brooklyn.

Just trying to find some common ground here.

[blk_reign]

I think I hit a nerve too  but that proves my point..

Meeno:  I think that Blk hit a nerve when she asked what u usually identify with....You said it is irrelevant but it is not at all.....b/c if you're just trying to say it now for your own benefit when its convenient then YOU are WRONG and that is not moral.

[faith2005]

i read that the first time bluenine, and i think i understand what you're saying, but i disagree that aa should have anything to do with your culture in the exclusive sense. aa is meant to combat racial discrimination in the admissions process, and it was instiuted as a result of historical discrimination that continues to affect people of color today. can you honestly say that this relates to culture? i don't think it does, because then imo that would be playing into the culture of poverty argument and a host of others that I don't agree with.

[_BP_]

i read that the first time bluenine, and i think i understand what you're saying, but i disagree that aa should have anything to do with your culture in the exclusive sense. aa is meant to combat racial discrimination in the admissions process, and it was instiuted as a result of historical discrimination that continues to affect people of color today. can you honestly say that this relates to culture? i don't think it does, because then imo that would be playing into the culture of poverty argument and a host of others that I don't agree with.

Exactly Faith.  Why didn't you post this earlier, you could have saved me about 5 posts. 

IMO Bluenine has the concepts of Race/Ethnicity/Culture a little mixed up.  In her last post she equated ethnicity with country.  Look, I still mean this respectfully bluenine (with reverance to the new BLSD), but still, you can't use race, ethnicity, and culture interchangeably and say, "well this is what it means to me", and then use that as the base of your argument.

[Bluenine]

i read that the first time bluenine, and i think i understand what you're saying, but i disagree that aa should have anything to do with your culture in the exclusive sense. aa is meant to combat racial discrimination in the admissions process, and it was instiuted as a result of historical discrimination that continues to affect people of color today. can you honestly say that this relates to culture? i don't think it does, because then imo that would be playing into the culture of poverty argument and a host of others that I don't agree with.

Exactly Faith.  Why didn't you post this earlier, you could have saved me about 5 posts. 

IMO Bluenine has the concepts of Race/Ethnicity/Culture a little mixed up.  In her last post she equated ethnicity with country.  Look, I still mean this respectfully bluenine (with reverance to the new BLSD), but still, you can't use race, ethnicity, and culture interchangeably and say, "well this is what it means to me".

www.dictionary.com

ethnicity

n : an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"


There is no confusion.

Faith...I think you're the only one who fully understands the point I am making.  I don't want to create division among people of color, but I think that the struggles of African-Americans should be addressed specifically.

[meeno]

Ok so I'm curious...where do we draw the line?  At what point do you become African-American?  We are having enough troubel deciding whether Africans born in Africa are AA.

Do you see why me asking this quesiton is not enough to justify not putting AA?  This long debate is basically why I asked the question in the first place, because of the debate I'm going through in my head.

When you go to Southern Egypt, the people there are actually black in color.  My parents are from Northern Egypt.  Do you see my dilemma?  I am definitely going to ask the colleges I am applying to via e-mail what to put down.  I actually asked a couple and they responded by telling me you don't have to answer that question, basically ignoring my question.

But if the purpose of the whole program is to encourage diversity, I see nothing wrong with marking AA.  

You may continue debating.  

[Bluenine]

Ok so I'm curious...where do we draw the line?  At what point do you become African-American?  We are having enough troubel deciding whether Africans born in Africa are AA.

Do you see why me asking this quesiton is not enough to justify not putting AA?  This long debate is basically why I asked the question in the first place, because of the debate I'm going through in my head.

When you go to Southern Egypt, the people there are actually black in color.  My parents are from Northern Egypt.  Do you see my dilemma?  I am definitely going to ask the colleges I am applying to via e-mail what to put down.  I actually asked a couple and they responded by telling me you don't have to answer that question, basically ignoring my question.

But if the purpose of the whole program is to encourage diversity, I see nothing wrong with marking AA.  

You may continue debating.  

DUDE! Although black Americans don't have a monopoly on who uses the term African-American, the term usually refers to black Americans, and you are not that.

[_BP_]

i read that the first time bluenine, and i think i understand what you're saying, but i disagree that aa should have anything to do with your culture in the exclusive sense. aa is meant to combat racial discrimination in the admissions process, and it was instiuted as a result of historical discrimination that continues to affect people of color today. can you honestly say that this relates to culture? i don't think it does, because then imo that would be playing into the culture of poverty argument and a host of others that I don't agree with.

Exactly Faith.  Why didn't you post this earlier, you could have saved me about 5 posts. 

IMO Bluenine has the concepts of Race/Ethnicity/Culture a little mixed up.  In her last post she equated ethnicity with country.  Look, I still mean this respectfully bluenine (with reverance to the new BLSD), but still, you can't use race, ethnicity, and culture interchangeably and say, "well this is what it means to me".

www.dictionary.com

ethnicity

n : an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"


There is no confusion.

people identify with their ethnicity (i.e. Jamaican, Nigerian, etc.)

So from your definition, wouldn't it be overly simplistic to make this statement, for countries that are so racially and culturally diverse?


I identify myself as black (meaning African American), and I assumed we were speaking in terms of ethnicity/culture."

Yet here, ethnicity/culture is being defined by Race, coupled with geography ofcourse.

See why I would think there is confusion?

Anyhow, I guess we can just agree to disagree on the subject. 

[MsJay9]

Ok so I'm curious...where do we draw the line?  At what point do you become African-American?  We are having enough troubel deciding whether Africans born in Africa are AA.

Do you see why me asking this quesiton is not enough to justify not putting AA?  This long debate is basically why I asked the question in the first place, because of the debate I'm going through in my head.

When you go to Southern Egypt, the people there are actually black in color.  My parents are from Northern Egypt.  Do you see my dilemma?  I am definitely going to ask the colleges I am applying to via e-mail what to put down.  I actually asked a couple and they responded by telling me you don't have to answer that question, basically ignoring my question.

But if the purpose of the whole program is to encourage diversity, I see nothing wrong with marking AA.  

You may continue debating.  

Ok you're dilemma is different....If you have lived an AA experience then you're not AA....When people look at you and judge you before you open your mouth about where you're from and if it has not effected you overall life experience then you still don't need to claim it for selfish purposes....I think someone already said post a pic....Man nevermind.....It doesn't matter you're not Black!

[Bluenine]

i read that the first time bluenine, and i think i understand what you're saying, but i disagree that aa should have anything to do with your culture in the exclusive sense. aa is meant to combat racial discrimination in the admissions process, and it was instiuted as a result of historical discrimination that continues to affect people of color today. can you honestly say that this relates to culture? i don't think it does, because then imo that would be playing into the culture of poverty argument and a host of others that I don't agree with.

Exactly Faith.  Why didn't you post this earlier, you could have saved me about 5 posts. 

IMO Bluenine has the concepts of Race/Ethnicity/Culture a little mixed up.  In her last post she equated ethnicity with country.  Look, I still mean this respectfully bluenine (with reverance to the new BLSD), but still, you can't use race, ethnicity, and culture interchangeably and say, "well this is what it means to me".

www.dictionary.com

ethnicity

n : an ethnic quality or affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"


There is no confusion.

people identify with their ethnicity (i.e. Jamaican, Nigerian, etc.)

So from your definition, wouldn't it be overly simplistic to make this statement, for countries that are so racially and culturally diverse?


I identify myself as black (meaning African American), and I assumed we were speaking in terms of ethnicity/culture."

Yet here, ethnicity/culture is being defined by Race, coupled with geography ofcourse.

See why I would think there is confusion?

Anyhow, I guess we can just agree to disagree on the subject. 

yeah, I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say.