The term African-American would be such an awesome term if we - those born through slavery or what have you, and are called Blacks - were interested in the African part of that slash; and men and women migrating directly from Africa wouldnt look down on Blacks - those born through slavery or what have you, though clearly have African decent - this is division amongst ourselves. And if it where ever an African native who permanently moved to America but refuses not accept the term African-American also pushes a wedge between our already misty, blurry, almost nonexistent relationship. If I were to re-meet my girlfriend - who is from Uganda (an Eastern African Country) - and I ask her is she African-American, she would probably laugh at the almost rhetorical question - she would say hell yeah. BUT also, she would note that she is Ugandan, and probably ask if I am African-American - at which I would feel feel ashamed and offended. [NOTE: Because I cant readily identify with which African country to claim for myself i.e. Nigerian-American, I have no choice but to go with the prior and be considered simply an African-American] Then, out of bashfulness or whatever, I would just say to her that I am Black. However, being that I am an individual who lacks of melanin (I have a little), I was born Light-Skinned, and she would probably laugh at me and say that I am not Black that I am Light-Skinned and Black isnt a race. Not calling myself an African-American not only strikes my girlfriend weird, all my other international friends find it weird as well when I say that I am Black; quickly they respond through confusion and say that Im yellow and that Im an American [a Yellow-American] - by which they add encouragement that I should not hide that fact that I am American because I have privilege… and that they wish they, too, were (-American). I understand where my international friends are coming from, however, do we as Black-African-Americans truly have privilege? Well, it would come to many in the States as NO!, but again, my international friends have a different lens where their government blatantly and openly Steals from them and rape their wives and daughters. I concur with the fact we experience a very similar rape, though, our is more metaphorical than literal. regressing the talk of half of the term -American, I would love to consider myself African, however, this too would be FALSE!!! The U.S.A is a Country, Whereas, Africa is a Continent. We do not here Germans or Italians saying, Im European I have pissed a group or two off here and again by referring to them as European rather than using their country. Is it not the same when you call some one from Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, etc. African rather than by their country? They have their nation flags, and most countries have been independent since the 60s. So, the term African-American could be a really awesome term. Militant and hardcore civil activist first need to get over the term American then we can work on being Nationalist. Through educating yourself on either places, you will come to identify yourself and know your role in the world, and in your nation. I am African-American. I love all countries in Africa, and can name them all and even two to three popular cities in each. When I meet new individuals, I make it a point to ask where they are from, how to spell their name, the name of their mother and fathers native tongues (language) - because there are over 10,000 distinct languages in Africa - also, I share with them information I have about their country to confirm what I read or heard from another is actually TRUE and not a LIE. This, I say, is how one becomes educated. You will be SURPRISED as hell to find that majority of our friends from grammar school, high school, and neighborhood friends parents are first generation African-Americans that traveled here and are working on their citizenship till this day. Dont be afraid of our past; it was messed up for us - but name a group on this earth that didnt have it hard, or wont get whats com in to them.? But!!! Alas, when one knows the past, we are that more prepared for preventing it happening all again. We are protecting ourselves and the mass of people from the enemies of memory, and from the faults of the human creation.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 16:46:22 +0000
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