When you think of Africans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usain Bolt - Black not AA
Jesse Jackson- AA

He's Jamaican, not American.

Exactly the point, he is Black but not AA because he is Jamaican.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usain Bolt - Black not AA
Jesse Jackson- AA

He's Jamaican, not American.

Exactly the point, he is Black but not AA because he is Jamaican.

But Obama is AA, because he's American.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usain Bolt - Black not AA
Jesse Jackson- AA

He's Jamaican, not American.

Exactly the point, he is Black but not AA because he is Jamaican.

But Obama is AA, because he's American.

Wrong, he is not AA bc none of his black ancestors were slaves in the U.S. He would be Kenyan-American. Oh Boy, the birthers just got more ammunitions!!! He is in trouble now!.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usain Bolt - Black not AA
Jesse Jackson- AA

He's Jamaican, not American.

Exactly the point, he is Black but not AA because he is Jamaican.

But Obama is AA, because he's American.

Wrong, he is not AA bc none of his black ancestors were slaves in the U.S. He would be Kenyan-American. Oh Boy, the birthers just got more ammunitions!!! He is in trouble now!.

what, Obama is not AA? and he's president? ain't that a kick in the...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why is this so hard to understand?

Your parents are/were Jamaican. If they came here and gained citizenship, they became Jamaican-Americans. You are Jamaican-American. Doesn't matter where you were born if the lineage of your family isn't Africa---------------US. "Stops" in between do not qualify. If your Dad was born in America and his family lineage went directly from Africa to the US, he is AA and so are you (if you so choose to identify).

I'm confused,

Great Grandparents- born in Kenya
Grandparents- Born in America
Parents- Born in America
Children- Born in America

Which one of them qualifies as African-American?

Were the great grandparents slaves in the US? If so, all of their descendants "qualify". If not, none of them do.

oh you have to have been slaves in the US. Ah I get it now

That last point is what I disagree with too in some of the past definitions of AA. I have never understood the term to mean that your slave ancestors had to be in the US. ALL of my slave ancestors were in the West Indies. I myself do not identify with West Indian culture at all and would never identify myself as Bahamian American or Jamaican American. I am African American.

[Anonymous]

Is one Black by race and African American by ethnicity? Then Obama is mixed race by ethnicity and race not AA. However, all Black people including non-AA are considered AA in the press if they are Black, AA, or biracial if they look black. It is the way society references those who appear black by skin tone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is one Black by race and African American by ethnicity? Then Obama is mixed race by ethnicity and race not AA. However, all Black people including non-AA are considered AA in the press if they are Black, AA, or biracial if they look black. It is the way society references those who appear black by skin tone.

It seems the only determining factor in whether you are black or AA is whether you are descended from slaves. I completely disagree, as does most of America, but that doesn't seem to matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why is this so hard to understand?

Your parents are/were Jamaican. If they came here and gained citizenship, they became Jamaican-Americans. You are Jamaican-American. Doesn't matter where you were born if the lineage of your family isn't Africa---------------US. "Stops" in between do not qualify. If your Dad was born in America and his family lineage went directly from Africa to the US, he is AA and so are you (if you so choose to identify).

I'm confused,

Great Grandparents- born in Kenya
Grandparents- Born in America
Parents- Born in America
Children- Born in America

Which one of them qualifies as African-American?

Were the great grandparents slaves in the US? If so, all of their descendants "qualify". If not, none of them do.

oh you have to have been slaves in the US. Ah I get it now

No, not you..just your ancestors. Glad you got it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The more interesting question is, "Do they consider themselves African?"

It made my (African) husband C R A Z Y that Ethiopians generally don't identify as "African" but as "Ethiopian."

It's a fascinating dynamic, really.

Politically, some Libyans may identify as "African." I can't see Tunisians or non-Berber Moroccans doing the same thing. And, I'm kind of tickled when I think of their reactions should you ever pose the question directly.

My DH is Nigerian. He does not want to be identified or associated with AAs. He has strong opinions in the matter.

What do AAs have to do with this discussion? PP was talking about Africans. I'm sure many AAs don't want to be identified and associated with Nigerians (who know with the disease , famine and all)

Don't forget all of the internet scams, either.

In general, Blacks from other countries who got to immigrate here instead of being dragged in chains TOTALLY look down upon "African-Americans" and do not want to be associated with us in any way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people from North Africa should check other because while they may be "African American" (literal meaning), they are not black. But those two desciptions are often mistaken for synonyms and used as such.

How about getting rid of the damn boxes altogether? I was appalled that in VA you are asked to declare race of your baby on the birth certificate form. I put declined for my race, declined for my dh & declined for my dd. (IR couple).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is one Black by race and African American by ethnicity? Then Obama is mixed race by ethnicity and race not AA. However, all Black people including non-AA are considered AA in the press if they are Black, AA, or biracial if they look black. It is the way society references those who appear black by skin tone.

It seems the only determining factor in whether you are black or AA is whether you are descended from slaves. I completely disagree, as does most of America, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Doesn't matter if you disagree. I disagree with a lot of things (in particular that marijuana isn't legal ) Doesn't mean that they aren't true and or not allowed.

Obama is not AA. He chooses to identify as such. That's his prerogative. He is, however, black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The more interesting question is, "Do they consider themselves African?"

It made my (African) husband C R A Z Y that Ethiopians generally don't identify as "African" but as "Ethiopian."

It's a fascinating dynamic, really.

Politically, some Libyans may identify as "African." I can't see Tunisians or non-Berber Moroccans doing the same thing. And, I'm kind of tickled when I think of their reactions should you ever pose the question directly.

My DH is Nigerian. He does not want to be identified or associated with AAs. He has strong opinions in the matter.

What do AAs have to do with this discussion? PP was talking about Africans. I'm sure many AAs don't want to be identified and associated with Nigerians (who know with the disease , famine and all)

Don't forget all of the internet scams, either.

In general, Blacks from other countries who got to immigrate here instead of being dragged in chains TOTALLY look down upon "African-Americans" and do not want to be associated with us in any way.

Well actually, YOU weren't dragged in chains to America either. Neither were your parents so let's not be laying claim to things we didn't have to endure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The more interesting question is, "Do they consider themselves African?"

It made my (African) husband C R A Z Y that Ethiopians generally don't identify as "African" but as "Ethiopian."

It's a fascinating dynamic, really.

Politically, some Libyans may identify as "African." I can't see Tunisians or non-Berber Moroccans doing the same thing. And, I'm kind of tickled when I think of their reactions should you ever pose the question directly.

My DH is Nigerian. He does not want to be identified or associated with AAs. He has strong opinions in the matter.

What do AAs have to do with this discussion? PP was talking about Africans. I'm sure many AAs don't want to be identified and associated with Nigerians (who know with the disease , famine and all)

Don't forget all of the internet scams, either.

In general, Blacks from other countries who got to immigrate here instead of being dragged in chains TOTALLY look down upon "African-Americans" and do not want to be associated with us in any way.

Which is amazing and quite ironic. Imagine "run tell that" types not wanting to associate with foot soldiers. Hey, no love lost for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The more interesting question is, "Do they consider themselves African?"

It made my (African) husband C R A Z Y that Ethiopians generally don't identify as "African" but as "Ethiopian."

It's a fascinating dynamic, really.

Politically, some Libyans may identify as "African." I can't see Tunisians or non-Berber Moroccans doing the same thing. And, I'm kind of tickled when I think of their reactions should you ever pose the question directly.

My DH is Nigerian. He does not want to be identified or associated with AAs. He has strong opinions in the matter.

What do AAs have to do with this discussion? PP was talking about Africans. I'm sure many AAs don't want to be identified and associated with Nigerians (who know with the disease , famine and all)

Don't forget all of the internet scams, either.

In general, Blacks from other countries who got to immigrate here instead of being dragged in chains TOTALLY look down upon "African-Americans" and do not want to be associated with us in any way.

Well actually, YOU weren't dragged in chains to America either. Neither were your parents so let's not be laying claim to things we didn't have to endure.

You are DEFINITELY white. LOL...Why do you even care about this issue? You aren't black, you aren't African-American....and you aren't a factor in this discussion. Please note that the days of whites telling blacks what we're allowed to call ourselves are long over. You are about 60 years too late in the making.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is one Black by race and African American by ethnicity? Then Obama is mixed race by ethnicity and race not AA. However, all Black people including non-AA are considered AA in the press if they are Black, AA, or biracial if they look black. It is the way society references those who appear black by skin tone.

It seems the only determining factor in whether you are black or AA is whether you are descended from slaves. I completely disagree, as does most of America, but that doesn't seem to matter.

Correction, not just slaves, but slaves who came directly (no stops along the way) from the African continent to the USA. Sorry Colin Powell, same for Harry Bellafonte, Alicia Keys, Patrick Ewing, Stokely Carmichael, Shirley Chisholm, Ursula Burns, Malcolm X, Busta Rhymes and Biggie Smalls. Malcolm X's mother is from Genada so he is also iffy.