A post I made on Yahoo on story "Some blacks insist: 'I'm not African-American'"

[tblue]

1. I was an "Afro-American Studies" major

in college, many moons ago. And I update that name to fit the times on, say, a resume. NO ONE says "Afro American" anymore.

I appreciate your thoughts, and I love this kind of discussion. I am black and Asian and I don't have a problem with Black or African American—or Blasian or Blackanese for that matter!

Couple years ago I read a book of essays by mixed people of various ethnicities. Every one of the writers had a different way of identifying. It was really fascinating. Some said, "I'm part black so I'm black." Others said, "I'm part Filipino and part Black and part Persian, and I don't choose between my cultures." Some said, "I am a mix. I'm not just one thing or the other."

So I guess the moral is: Everyone is an individual and has their own sensibilities and sensitivities, so it's fair to say everybody gets to decide for him or herself what they'd like to be called or known as. No one wants to be labeled something they feel doesn't fit them. But likewise it's helpful if we respect those who are respectfully attempting to understand who we are— i.e., if someone calls you African American when you'd rather be called Black, just tell them, enlighten them, without taking offense.