Why is taht many people can understand the differnce between africans and african americans?

	Why is taht many people can understand the differnce between africans and african americans? Please don't get me wrong Africans and African Americans are under the black race but in school and job application, many forms would be asking people like me to identify their ethical background, you will find, white, African Americans, Asians, native Indians, Hispanic and Latinos or other. I usually chose other and wrote African because I am not African American. I was born and raised in Nigeria and beside I had no slavery trace in my family. African Americans have slavery root but we Africans born in Africa or born outside Africa because our parents immigrated is not African Americans. In school I am tired of people calling me African American while I am not only few understood my point. is the lack of education or the common pratice of grouping people all in one group. i want an honest question Asked By: WEEDG - 4/19/2007

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
Our society really needs to try to begin to understand that the 'African-American' (AA) 'Ethnic' group is not the same group as the Black American' (BA) 'Race' group -- that the two (2) terms are not synomymous and that the two (2) terms should not be used inter-changeably. We are not speaking of ‘semantics’ here – but rather – the BAs & AAs are two different groups of people. The AAs are the (largely Mixed-Race) ETHNIC group. The BAs are the (Mono-Raced) RACE group. As crazy as it sounds -- the U.S. government [due to racism & wanting to stigmatize the part of their lineage that was from Africa which, by the way, is only one part of their lineage] --- has labeled those individuals who are the known "descendents of the survivors" of the system of chattel-slavery found in the USA as being AAs (the hyphen is used in reference to acknowledging the fact that most of them are Mixed-Race, with African & non-African blood lines) AND has labeled those people who are "volitional immigrants" who are directly from places such as the continent of African, the West Indies, etc. -- as being BAs (with the word 'Black' used in reference to acknowledging the fact that they are of a Mono-racial full-Black lineage). In addition, it should also be remembered that – although some AAs adhere to a socio-political ‘identity’ that is often described by the slang term of “black”—the AAs are actually not a "Race" group at all -- but rather they are a largely Mixed-Race 'Ethnic' group (and the socio-political ‘identity’ that a person chooses does not change their racially-mixed ancestral lineage). Most (+70?of the people born to two (2) parents who are of the AA ‘Ethnic’ group are are of a Multi-Racially ‘Mixed’ (MGM) lineage – while the people to two (2) parents who are of the BA ‘Racial’ group – on the other hand – are of a Mono-Racially ‘Black’ lineage. Supporting Links: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/991 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1399 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/message/1570 Hope that helps and that you have a great day. :D Related Links: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Generation-Mixed/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MGM-Mixed/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FGM-Mixed/ . Answered By: mixedraceperson - 4/21/2007

Additional Answers ()

If your ancestry is predominatley of African decent you are African American. Every race on this planet has been enslaved at some point including yours so slavery is a moot point. If you did choose "other", it wouldve made more sense if you wrote in Nigerian because thats your home country not Africa. Answered By: David H - 4/22/2007

Hey i am african ,aint black,and what the hell if i am african ,doesnt change anything,judgemental a*****e narrow head ppl always see an african as a low life,so let them go to helll Answered By: reifguy - 4/19/2007

You know, whites are put into a bad situation with this kind of question. Before, applications just said white and black (and so forth), and there was a conflict among the blacks who wanted their "african heritage" to be recognized. So, we retrained everyone to call them African Americans. Now, since the whites are trying to be respectful to the blacks, we are hearing that it is disrespectful to call all people whose skin is brown African American....because not all of them are from Africa. Well, you want an honest answer? I think all of the people who have trifled us to death with this drama should be ashamed of themselves. Brown colored people should be simply called black, because I am called white....and Im not exactly white, either. I am actually scotch irish.....but one thing Im not is trifling. If you're not from America but are being called what the Americans are calling, couldn't you possible just appreciate the fact that you're in America? Its a great country, and its people traditionally call people whose skin color matches yours "african american" out of respect....appreciate that they are trying and get over it. Answered By: Mrs. J - 4/19/2007

Not trying to "group" you...but am I getting the correct understanding that you are white, but born and raised in Africa? Your ethnic background is Caucasian/White or of European descent. Although you are or were an African citizen. I get confused on those things myself, because I am what you call a multi-racial person, I just put other on those things. Their just for census purposes anyway. Answered By: Sharon - 4/19/2007

God I hate it when people trivialize everything with the "we are all just human" argument. Dude, I feel you. I don't really like it when people call me mexican or spanish, i don't even like it when people call me hispanic or latino...i'm puerto rican...but what can i do. If i start getting mad, i'll be mad my whole life. Just tell people that you are not african-american...that you are nigerian. I have carebean friends that just make it a point to explain that to people who call them african american. I just tell people that i'm puerto rican. If they don't care and they keep on calling me hispanic or whatever...well i don't really care...its annoying but i'm not gonna die over it. Answered By: Julian X - 4/19/2007

You are wrong, even if you are African you might have ancestors who were brought to America as slaves, but part of your family(ancestors) might not have been captured. Besides if you're white your ancestors originated from Europe which makes you Caucasian African (if you're born in Africa) and in America you're still Caucasian African. Just like Mexicans born in America are still considered Mexican. Who has the right to call a race their name but that race. I hate it when people call Native Americans "Indians" let them name themselves, what gives a white man the right to go around naming people. Stop being racist (I don't care if you're white or black) Answered By: Amari - 4/19/2007

Well cuz they LOOK THE SAME.........................DUH!! Answered By: uniko1040191 - 4/19/2007

Well, sorry to tell you this but Americans are just stupid, i still don't get why they call them African Americans instead of just Americans i mean they have been there for many generations. You don't find a category called irish american, or polish american do you? But like i said they seem to have one crystal short of a chandelier. Answered By: Zaina - 4/19/2007

I LOVE mental midgets like yourself. Your avatar is that of a white boy and you claim you're nigerian. A moron like yourself has the opportunity to come to America thanks to the efforts of 'black americans' who have gone through hell in this nation. Don't be fooled - their history is your history too. Go read about the civil rights movements and what they did so your ignorant self could whine openly online. Answered By: abyssinia_7 - 4/19/2007

America was founded on ignorance and hipocracy, and it still contuinues. this is a very sad fact Answered By: j s - 4/19/2007

Me:......HONEST..as.I.can.be! you:.."Please don't get me wrong Africans and African Americans are under the black race but in school and job application, many forms would be asking people like me to identify their ethical background, you will find, white, African Americans, Asians, native Indians, Hispanic and Latinos or other. I usually chose other and wrote African because I am not African American. I was born and raised in Nigeria and beside I had no slavery trace in my family. African Americans have slavery root but we Africans born in Africa or born outside Africa because our parents immigrated is not African Americans. In school I am tired of people calling me African American while I am not only few understood my point. is the lack of education or the common pratice of grouping people all in one group." MYSPACEBAR-WON'T-WORK-FOLLOW- THE-SENTENCES-WITH-YOUR-CURSOR /MOUSE-AND-THE-COMPLETED-SENTENCE -WILL-APPEAR. ME:I.think.Applications.should..be.changed.to.read.either."ethnic.group".WITHOUT.LEADING.ANSWERS,OR "AFRICAN.DESCENDANT".then.you.COULD.fill.in.NIGERIAN-AFRICAN.OR,GHANAIA-AFRICAN,KENYAN-AFRICAN.etc. .because..I..don't.know.if.it.is.lack.of.education.or.not.BUT.JUST..saying.YOU.ARE.African.is lumping.or.grouping..too!.KENYANS.for.instance,.don'tconsider.themselves.to.be.just.Africans.and.they.don't.particularly like.being.lumped.with.WEST.AFRICANS..actually,they.are.insulted..ifsomeone.ask.them.specifically.if.they.are.Nigerian.. I.guess.because.of.all.the.Nigerian.scams.Getting.BACK.to.the.applications;in.addition,IT.SHOULD.READ."ASIAN.DESCENDANT," So.IF.you.were.fromIndia.like.Boby Jindal, who is of Indian ancestry, YOU.would be categorized as an "Asian.ALSO,the.person. have.their.AMERICAN.CITIZENSHIP.WOULD.put.Chinese-American, Indian-American, Korean-AMERICAN, Filipino-AMERICAN, Japanese-AMERICAN, Sri Lanka-AMERICAN,Cambodian-AMERICAN and.Thai-AMERICAN.BECAUSE.THESE.ARE THE.NAMES.OF.THEIR.ANCESTORY.ancestries.YEP,EVEN..GERMANSCALL.THEMSELVES.GERMAN-AMERICAN..THEN..WE..HAVE..ITALIAN-AMERICAN ,JEWISH-AMERICAN,IRISH-AMERICAN.VIETNAMESE-ASIAN."KOREAN-ASIAN,".CHINESE-ASIAN,"."JAPANESE-ASIAN etc...that.is.if.JINDAL,an.INDIAN.FROM.INDIA.is.an.alien.here.just.to.go.to.school.maybe,like.you,.as.an.alien.However,if.you happened.to.be.born.IN.AMERICA.then.you.would.be.NIGERIAN.AMERICAN;even.if.your.mum.and.dad.was.born.in.LAGOS.NIGERIA.. SO,IF..your.mum.n.dad.was.born.in.Nigeria.and.you.were.born.in.the.USA.,.would.that.mean.you. ARE.AFRICA-AMERICAN.or.what?..It's.all.so.complicated...u.know.being.so fussy.and.finicky. BLACKS.whose.ancestory.is.AFRICAN..are.known.as.AFRICAN.AMERICAN.only.because we.don't.know.from.what.country.our.ancestors.were.kidnapped. alex.haley,found.his."ROOTS".so.he.could.call.himself,.for.instance,. Sierra.Leonian-American.if.his.ancestors'country.was.SierraLeone. .anyway,.the.beat.goes.on.none.of.which.have.ANYTHING.TO.DO.WITH.SLAVERY. I.don't.understand.AFRICANS.who.think.they.are.either better.than.AFRICAN-AMERICANS.OR.THINK.THEY.ARE.NOT.THE.SAME.AS.AFRICANS.BORN.IN.AMERICA.JUST.BECAUSE.YOUR.ANCESTORS.WERE NOT.SLAVES...hahaha.THAT'S.A.BIG.JOKE!..WHAT.DO.YOU.THINK.BEING.COLONIZED.WAS/IS.IT.WAS.EVERYBIT.AS.BAD. AND.EVEN.MORE.HUMILIATING.BECAUSE.WHITE.PEOPLE.CONTROLLED.YOU..AFRICANS.in.YOUR.OWN.COUNTRIES.RIGHT.UP.TO.YOUR.INDEPENDENCE (Nigeria — Independence:FROM.BRITISH 1 October 1960),.THEY.paid.and.still..pay.you.cheap.labor.while.taking.your.gold.oil.and.other.rich.natural.resoures! COLONIZED.OR.ENSLAVED.BY.ANY.OTHER.NAME.IS.STILL.A.COLONIZED.SLAVE. YOU.ALL.WERE.COLONIZED,(MUCH.LIKE.BEING.slave,EXCEPT.you are.a.slave.in.your.own.country...hehehe) and.for.lot.longer.than.we.were.slaves...SORRY.TO.BURST.YOUR.BUBBLE, but.you.can.solve.this.problem.by.making.a.big."I.AM.NIGERIAN".SIGN AND.WEARING.IT.ON.YOUR.BACK..or..carrying.it.on.a.plak(sp).... Answered By: khaida w - 4/19/2007

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