is the term 'chocolate' offensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard D.C. being called Chocolate City by AA or someone who is not AA saying something in a light hearted manner using the term 'chocolate'. Usually the reference is sexual though. Ex: " He is a good looking chocolate man".

I heard a black guy at the grocery store say to his friend, "What's up my [n-word]!?!" But when I said this to Pete from accounting (who happens to be black) he punched me in the nose. What's up with that?

that is a stupid double standard. either the word is offensive or it is not. Chocolate is not offensive. silly though.

[Anonymous]

I don't know that I'd be offended if someone called me chocolate, but I would certainly think they are odd, ignorant and possibly racist. Kind of like if someone called me colored or a negro - it's just not what black people are called in this country, so why use it? And I do not at all find the term "chocolate city" offensive - it's a nickname, and if anything, used as a term of endearment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want the coach of the Steelers to come to coach our hapless Redskins. That is all.

He *is* a good looking piece of chocolate. Not the fat white guy coach, clearly I mean the good looking brother.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it is a term widely used

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bittersweet-memories-of-chocolate-city/2011/04/19/AFrouJ8D_story.html

I always attributed the term to P-Funk also, not...the Mayor of New Orleans?

And am also surprised that more people aren't familiar with the term "chocolate city". I thought it was common knowledge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard D.C. being called Chocolate City by AA or someone who is not AA saying something in a light hearted manner using the term 'chocolate'. Usually the reference is sexual though. Ex: " He is a good looking chocolate man".

I heard a black guy at the grocery store say to his friend, "What's up my [n-word]!?!" But when I said this to Pete from accounting (who happens to be black) he punched me in the nose. What's up with that?

that is a stupid double standard. either the word is offensive or it is not. Chocolate is not offensive. silly though.

Stop whining. Language is all about context. What is signified varies by who the transmitter, and who the receiver is. If your brother tells you to "stop being a dick", it's different than if a subordinate at work tells you to stop being one. Let's stop pretending that non-black folk who don't get to use the n-word are being unfairly treated. It's been about a generation since we've had legal apartheid in this county, so it's offensive and the height of douchebaggery to kvetch about this.

[Anonymous]

13:35, right on.

12:32, look, I am white and a couple of my close friends are AA. With them, I may discuss something similar to the Beyonce or Jay-Z coffee. Well, actually we do. But with the older AA woman who works for another company down the hall from my office, absolutely not. If we became close friends and that was part of her vocabulary and conversational style, then perhaps. But probably not.

For all others, Philly, DC, and some other towns are referred to as chocolate city. But just because someone calls a place "Chocolate City" does not mean white folks should start referring to those residents as "chocolates." OP, my MIL drives me nuts, but when I read a post like this I go down on my knees, grateful that she is not that crazy (and racist).

[Anonymous]

DC has been known as "Chocolate City" at least since the 70s. Haven't any of you heard that Parliament song? You're like my white boss who didn't know who "the man" was or what a weave was.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_City_%28song%29

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard D.C. being called Chocolate City by AA or someone who is not AA saying something in a light hearted manner using the term 'chocolate'. Usually the reference is sexual though. Ex: " He is a good looking chocolate man".

I heard a black guy at the grocery store say to his friend, "What's up my [n-word]!?!" But when I said this to Pete from accounting (who happens to be black) he punched me in the nose. What's up with that?

that is a stupid double standard. either the word is offensive or it is not. Chocolate is not offensive. silly though.

Stop whining. Language is all about context. What is signified varies by who the transmitter, and who the receiver is. If your brother tells you to "stop being a dick", it's different than if a subordinate at work tells you to stop being one. Let's stop pretending that non-black folk who don't get to use the n-word are being unfairly treated. It's been about a generation since we've had legal apartheid in this county, so it's offensive and the height of douchebaggery to kvetch about this.

no it is a ridiculous double standard. you cannot complain about a word that you use all the time. that is insane. plus there is the question about what is "black" and who can use the word and who cannot. do you have to have 1 or 2 black grandparents to use the word? just gets ridiculously offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard D.C. being called Chocolate City by AA or someone who is not AA saying something in a light hearted manner using the term 'chocolate'. Usually the reference is sexual though. Ex: " He is a good looking chocolate man".

I heard a black guy at the grocery store say to his friend, "What's up my [n-word]!?!" But when I said this to Pete from accounting (who happens to be black) he punched me in the nose. What's up with that?

that is a stupid double standard. either the word is offensive or it is not. Chocolate is not offensive. silly though.

You don't understand why certain double standards exist? Like how you when you were a teen you could complain about your mom but you got mad if anyone else complained about your mom?

[Anonymous]

I would think it's really fucking weird for a person to refer to me as chocolate.

The only people who have done so thus far in my life are horny white boys and white men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get why it would be offensive coming from a white person if that white person is friends with the black people participating in the discussion. I mean, coming from a bigoted 80-yo, YEAH, of course. But from someone who is your friend in a normal discussion?

I am white, and I was also recently privy to a discussion about coffee between two black coworkers. They were discussing how much milk to add to coffee (e.g., do you want your coffee Beyonce or Jay-Z?). It was amusing, and I was left wondering if it was ever appropriate for a non-racist white person to do that.

This would be offensive to some, in the AA community complexion is a big deal to many. Some are more sensitive to skin color than others so its a touchy subject for a non-black to joke about complexions.

[Anonymous]

I find the term "Chocolate City," as applied to DC, incredibly offensive and exclusionary. It is also no longer factually accurate. Let's leave references to "chocolate" to candy and ice cream, not to people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was the (black) mayor of New Orleans who referred to it as a chocolate city. Then at that White House press dinner Stephen Colbert mockingly said, "Welcome DC, chocolate city with a marshmallow center."

Sorry, but that's definitely a double standard. If a mayor can publicly call his city a 'chocolate' city, then it should be okay for anyone to use the term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard D.C. being called Chocolate City by AA or someone who is not AA saying something in a light hearted manner using the term 'chocolate'. Usually the reference is sexual though. Ex: " He is a good looking chocolate man".

I heard a black guy at the grocery store say to his friend, "What's up my [n-word]!?!" But when I said this to Pete from accounting (who happens to be black) he punched me in the nose. What's up with that?

that is a stupid double standard. either the word is offensive or it is not. Chocolate is not offensive. silly though.

Stop whining. Language is all about context. What is signified varies by who the transmitter, and who the receiver is. If your brother tells you to "stop being a dick", it's different than if a subordinate at work tells you to stop being one. Let's stop pretending that non-black folk who don't get to use the n-word are being unfairly treated. It's been about a generation since we've had legal apartheid in this county, so it's offensive and the height of douchebaggery to kvetch about this.

So, if it's ALL about context, is it okay if you're using the term 'chocolate' affectionately?

As in, the PP who mentioned that the kids on her son's sports team cheered for the only AA boy by yelling 'Chocolate'? As long as they were being supportive of the AA kid, that seems to be a pretty good context for use of the term.

It's either acceptable, or not. I find it unacceptable for my brother and my subordinates to call me a 'dick'. It's great if you're okay with it, but I think it's unacceptable from anyone. It's rude and vulgar. I think the same of the n-word. I don't use it and don't want anyone else to use it. Don't justify it's use by AAs. And, you calling the PP a 'douchebag' doesn't seem all that appropriate either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was the (black) mayor of New Orleans who referred to it as a chocolate city. Then at that White House press dinner Stephen Colbert mockingly said, "Welcome DC, chocolate city with a marshmallow center."

Sorry, but that's definitely a double standard. If a mayor can publicly call his city a 'chocolate' city, then it should be okay for anyone to use the term.

No one here is saying you can't say "chocolate city". I'm black and I'm okay with that.......BUT, don't call me chocolate. Unless, of course, you're cool with random black people calling you vanilla. Are you?