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Help[Opinions] Re: African-American section
in reply to a message by Cayden
No, I am not being racist. Thank you for assuming that. Second of all, go make a European American section then. The reason for my comment earlier is because I am tired of people being put in boxes. "Oh, why do you have a white girl name?" These names are stereotypes. I'm tired of hearing that my name sounds "white" and I should have a name like Shaniqua just because I'm black.
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So let's say an American of European descent, for some reason, is given the name Guillaume. People are surprised when they meet him because few American boys have French names. Some people ask him, "Why do you have a French name?"
Does that mean people are being put into boxes or that a French boy having a French name is just a stereotype or that there shouldn't be a French name category on BtN?
Does that mean people are being put into boxes or that a French boy having a French name is just a stereotype or that there shouldn't be a French name category on BtN?
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*sigh* How does this have anything to do with what I said?
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You objected to being asked why you have a "white girl" name. You seem to think that being asked that is denigrating to your race, culture, and name. But it's not more so than an American being asked why he has a French name is denigrating to either French or American culture. It's just not what people expect.
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"It's not just what people expect."
People expecting or not expecting is not an excuse. Why I have my name is none of their business.
People expecting or not expecting is not an excuse. Why I have my name is none of their business.
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I didn't say it was an excuse or any of their business. "Why do you have this name?" can be considered rude under any circumstances. I was only pointing out that the reason behind the question is more innocent than you think, even if it's rude to ask the question.
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Bottom line, they should mind their business. I honestly don't know why you think you should defend them when you didn't know what they were thinking at the time. Did you know if it was "innocent" or not? No, because you weren't there.
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And did you ask them why they said what they did, and did they answer, "Because I'm a racist and I like to put people in boxes and make stereotypes out of them"? If not, then you are assuming.
The context in which you brought it up made it clear that you thought it was denigrating to you to be asked that question, and my point was simply that it is not necessarily so.
The context in which you brought it up made it clear that you thought it was denigrating to you to be asked that question, and my point was simply that it is not necessarily so.
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THAT.DOES.NOT.EXCUSE.WHAT.THEY.SAID. Is that clear enough for you? Case closed.
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THAT. IS. NOT. THE. POINT. Is that clear to you? The point is what motivated you to bring it up.
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Motivated me. Lol. Are you a psychologist or something?
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Oh I forgot. Only those with Ph.Ds are familiar with the word "motivate".
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That's not the point, genius. The point is that you are trying to read my mind. I'm sure this is news to you: you are not a mind reader. You are not a white knight either.
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I don't need to be a mind reader. You said yourself why you brought it up. Because you think that when people ask the question, they are thinking in stereotypes and putting people in boxes. I don't agree that that is necessarily the case.
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Having an "African-American" section isn't saying "African Americans can ONLY USE THESE!", it's saying "You're more likely to find these names on an African-American person"-- it's a usage category. It'd be surprising to meet a white woman named Nikeisha; it wouldn't be surprising on a black woman because Nikeisha is an African American name.
It's just like, it'd be surprising to meet a black woman, or a white woman, named Junko. It wouldn't be surprising to meet a Japanese woman named Junko, because it's a Japanese name. That's why it's listed as Japanese on this site.
I'm sorry people in your life don't grasp that, but we're not the ones you should be mad at.
It's just like, it'd be surprising to meet a black woman, or a white woman, named Junko. It wouldn't be surprising to meet a Japanese woman named Junko, because it's a Japanese name. That's why it's listed as Japanese on this site.
I'm sorry people in your life don't grasp that, but we're not the ones you should be mad at.
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What do you want?
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Just put the names in the American section. There's no need to attach African to it, when they have no connection to Africa. Africa has nothing to do with these names.
This message was edited 6/19/2018, 1:29 PM
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Africa has something to do with these names. They are part of a naming culture that was created by descendants of people who were brought as slaves from Africa. Today, because they are descended predominately from Africans, these people are called African-American, hence the names of their culture are called African-American.
Right now, names used mainly by European-Americans aren't categorized separately because European-Americans are the dominant group, both politically and numerically. That could change some day.
Right now, names used mainly by European-Americans aren't categorized separately because European-Americans are the dominant group, both politically and numerically. That could change some day.
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That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter whether or not the names come from African languages. They were created by African-Americans, that's why they are called African-American names. They are not called African names, they are called African-American names. If African-Americans were called, instead, Blue Beanies, then these names would be called Blue Beanie names.
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Again, the term Black American names could be used.
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Except that for the fact that African-Americans, after being called "Negro" and "Colored" and then "Black" have now decided (most of them) that they want to be called African-Americans.
Fess up, you never cared that the names don't come from Africa. You were hurt by the racism that the names elicited, and your reaction was to deny that the names exist as a category. You're not the first person to do this and you won't be the last. There's no shame in having things explained to you, you don't have to change the subject to save face.
Fess up, you never cared that the names don't come from Africa. You were hurt by the racism that the names elicited, and your reaction was to deny that the names exist as a category. You're not the first person to do this and you won't be the last. There's no shame in having things explained to you, you don't have to change the subject to save face.
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If that's what you want to believe, okay then. You're telling me to confess what I didn't believe in the first place. You assume a lot of things.
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It's weird how you think erasure will solve racism.
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Where did I write that "Hey delete this because I think it will solve racism!" You are just jumping to your own conclusions. I just don't think it should be associated with Africa,that's all.
This message was edited 6/19/2018, 1:51 PM
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I really do understand your concern, seeing racist comments sucks. I have been on this site for a long time and they have always been here, long before African-American was a category. You’ve created a correlation in your head that people seeing the category as “African American” is making them say racist crap. Unfortunately, they would anyway.
Would you feel better about the category being called “Black American”? Because these names definitely deserve their own category just as any other culture does, and your harping on the word Africa doesn’t really make sense to me, so I’m wondering if you think changing the terminology would be better.
Would you feel better about the category being called “Black American”? Because these names definitely deserve their own category just as any other culture does, and your harping on the word Africa doesn’t really make sense to me, so I’m wondering if you think changing the terminology would be better.
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That's cool. I just wanted to voice my opinion, that's all. I wasn't really looking for someone to change it. Rachel Shaina just assumed it.
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That's because you asked me what I wanted. I was just stating my opinion, but you assumed that I wanted something else. You were pushing for something eles, so I answered your question.
This message was edited 6/19/2018, 3:06 PM
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When I say "What do you want", you could say "I just want to state my opinion!" "I just want to be angry for no reason!"
Don't pin dumb nonsense on me.
Don't pin dumb nonsense on me.
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Actually, you are getting angry with me. I was just voicing my opinion, but you interpreted it as anger. Sorry you thought that.
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Because the names are not from African names(maybe except Shaniqua). All the rest are just prefixes added to Russian, French, Spanish, etc. names. You don't have to agree with me. That's just my opinion.
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No one ever said African-American names are "from" African names.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_names
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_names
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They could always be called Black American names. Calling them African-American implies that they are associated with Africa. But of course you don't have to do anything about it. I really didn't think that you would think that.
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You'd better take this up with the African-Americans, all 37, 144, 350 of them.
Sometimes white Americans are called European-Americans, and I've never heard a European holler about it.
I think, because you're not African-American, that you don't get a say in what they are called and what their names are called.
Sometimes white Americans are called European-Americans, and I've never heard a European holler about it.
I think, because you're not African-American, that you don't get a say in what they are called and what their names are called.
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Slapping a prefix onto a French name does not change the history of the name. I'm not talking about African-Americans being called African-Americans, I'm talking about names like Lashawn being called African-American names
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I know you are, and it's been explained over and over to you why it's irrelevant whether or not the names come from Africa.
Basically, you don't like the term "African-American" applied to these names because you feel that the racism that European-Americans show towards African-Americans splashes over onto you as an African.
And the answer to that is still to attack the racism and not the name of the race. The racism is the problem, the name of the race is not.
Basically, you don't like the term "African-American" applied to these names because you feel that the racism that European-Americans show towards African-Americans splashes over onto you as an African.
And the answer to that is still to attack the racism and not the name of the race. The racism is the problem, the name of the race is not.
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Kitandkat said she is black?
https://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/4938856
https://www.behindthename.com/bb/baby/4938856
This message was edited 6/19/2018, 3:50 PM
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She's now saying she is African, so I took that to mean African, not African-American.
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Lol, what do you mean now? When did I ever say that I was African-American? Lemme guess, you assumed that didn't you?
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No, earlier I assumed nothing. You just said you were black. That could mean African, African-American, or a person of African descent living anywhere in the world. I didn't know. Then later, i.e,. "now", you said "African", and I took that to mean not African-American, because if you were, you'd say, "African-American".
This message was edited 6/19/2018, 4:45 PM
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Obviously you didn't read the post. Go read it again. I say African as well.
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No, I am not being racist. Thank you for assuming that. Second of all, go make a European American section then. The reason for my comment earlier is because I am tired of people being put in boxes. "Oh, why do you have a white girl name?" These names are stereotypes. I'm tired of hearing that my name sounds "white" and I should have a name like Shaniqua just because I'm black.
No, you don't.
No, you don't.
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Okay, I don't. What's your point exactly?
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This message was edited 6/19/2018, 2:25 PM
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