daniellemertina:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

I love having discussions with others. I think it helps me realize other people think differently from me and it also allows me the opportunity to think about where I stand on certain issues. In so many aspects of life I feel ignored (part of this at my own fault) so I feel refreshed when someone actually engages with me in a healthy conversation! Communication is a wonderful thing … The exchange of ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. I love it!! 

Unfortunately this rarely happens. But when it does, it’s magical!

I know right. Taking time to acknowledge another human being with words (whether spoken, signed, etc.) 

I love having discussions with others. I think it helps me realize other people think differently from me and it also allows me the opportunity to think about where I stand on certain issues. In so many aspects of life I feel ignored (part of this at my own fault) so I feel refreshed when someone actually engages with me in a healthy conversation! Communication is a wonderful thing … The exchange of ideas, thoughts, and beliefs. I love it!! 

menaturally:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

menaturally:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

menaturally:

the-anomaly:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

daniellemertina:

queerhairyvag replied to your post: That was awkward to be told that I look down on…

the issue is, balck ameicans see themselves as black and ONLY black (which is fine) but they assume that’s the only identity other blacks have and they hate it when other blacks have an opinions that is not formed around this singular black identity

but that POV doesn’t make any sense. i’m not just black

i’m also American.

everybody has got a nationality. some folks got more than 1. in some ways, i have more than one.

being American is not a dark hole of nothingness. It’s an identity that is expressed every day, even in these conversations while at the same time folks will claim essentially that they don’t have culture.

But to many Black Americans, Black is American. It literally means they are the historical blacks of America. When they call themselves Black that covers their nationality and race. They know they’re of African decent but they have no ties to Africa. So instead of identifying under the name of their “mother land” they use a color to identify with. Blacks are always being told they aren’t wanted in America and aren’t truly American anyway. I guess many take that to heart and don’t include American in their self identification. I identify as Black American. 

*applause*

I personally identify as Black-American. Or Afro-American if anything else.

I refuse to appropriate a mixture of ALL of the cultures of Africa because we share physical attributes. I would have honestly loved to know what place my family came from, for the sake of knowing but that was so long ago. It would be SO many different areas, and its not like there is family to reconnect with, or a culture that has contributed to anyone of my family members in the last (atleast) five generations. Besides If I were to do that, I would need to go to Europe as well and work on tracking down some Indian  (*edit: Native American )tribes… And for what? I’ve never seen the sense of all that. 

I think people have a fondness for Africa because it was the last place in our collective history that wasn’t scorned by race issues. A lot of us need to just accept that though it was beyond horrible the diaspora happened and we cannot erase it. 

But Black is a race. I don’t understand why in talking about ETHNICITY. Which is your culture. Why the term Black American would be used. This is the problem people in the diaspora have with each other. 

I am a Black American. Because I’m Black and I’m American. But that is not an accurate cultural title because I am West Indian. The problem with Black American is that when used what is it referring to? An African American? Or ALL Black Americans. 

As an American when people see I’m Black they assume I’m A.A for this reason. It’s problematic and it erases the other identities of Black Americans.

This is where the “confusion” is coming in. For Black American’s their ethnicity is black. Because you are West Indian you can say you’re West Indian but Black Americans (the descendants of Africans that became slaves in America) have no where to point to as a place of reference. West Indians and Africans have something to put in front of the “-American” when they come to America. Jamaicans that live in America are Jamaican-American. People of Nigerian descendant that live in America are Nigerian-American. But Black Americans don’t know where they’re from so instead of adding a place in front of the “-American” they added a color …Black. The three races are listed as: Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negroid. Saying that someone isn’t black is not denying them their rightful place in the Negroid race, it is saying that you aren’t the same ethnicity (descendants of Africans that became slaves in America). 

I never said they weren’t Black. I just said BLACK is a race and the widespread use of Black American as a term to refer to the descendants of slaves that have been come to be called African American is a complicated issue. I don’t think African Americans who are descendant of slaves are less entitled to the name than those fresh from the motherland. I’m first generation American and West Indian but the blood in my veins and and my heritage is West Indian just as those who are still “back home”. Those who are 4th generation West Indian American are still West Indian . Those brought here forcibly are still African. 

But I can’t tell people how to identify just as they can’t tell me. But do not misquote me. THanks. 

You weren’t being misquoted. When I said 

Saying that someone isn’t black is not denying them their rightful place in the Negroid race, it is saying that you aren’t the same ethnicity (descendants of Africans that became slaves in America). 

I was referring to when Black Americans tell someone of the Negroid race (West Indians and Africans) that they aren’t black. The people that were being told this felt that their “black-ness” was being erased. I was not saying that you said that. 

Hope that clears things up. 

Oooooh ok. Got it. Totally read that wrong. But telling someone they aren’t Black is an erasure of their black-ness…. 

And Caucasian isn’t an accurate term for White people either. Caucasians were an actual group of people in a specific area that EXCLUDES many of the places that White people actually are from =\

I just have so many issues with the terminology that people use and I’m sure it doesn’t help others either

You’re right terminology is key here. 

But telling someone they aren’t Black is an erasure of their black-ness…. 

Black Americans don’t see it this way because they identify “Black” as their ethnicity and when they tell someone (that is a part of the African Diaspora) that they aren’t Black they are not saying they aren’t a descendant of Africa, they’re saying that they aren’t the descendants of African slaves bought to America. They aren’t stripping them of their ties to Africa or saying they aren’t a part of the “Negroid” race. 

Terminology and how one looks at race all plays a part in how people look at this. I don’t  agree with the three races concept (Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negroid) either but many still see it this way, so I use it as a point of reference. I also agree with what you said about the term “Caucasian”. 

liquornspice:

I’m probably done now.

Because there is one thing that I try to hold on to about slavery and that is that it had to do with economics.  They treated us like that because money.  But that’s not what happened.  They tortured Black people for fun.  It is not economical to chop off limbs or burn your livestock alive or perform every form of sexualized torture imaginable.  Iron collars and masks do not improve production.  Feeding babies to alligators does not increase profits.

It was not about money and that is something I can’t wrap my head around.  How do we end this if it’s not about money?  How do we free incarcerated Black people from the prison capital of the world— Louisiana— if they aren’t there to turn a profit?

How did anyone survive enslavement with even a shred of sanity and will to live?

I can’t…

(via thespunkywallflower)

menaturally:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

menaturally:

the-anomaly:

peaceloveandafropuffs:

daniellemertina:

queerhairyvag replied to your post: That was awkward to be told that I look down on…

the issue is, balck ameicans see themselves as black and ONLY black (which is fine) but they assume that’s the only identity other blacks have and they hate it when other blacks have an opinions that is not formed around this singular black identity

but that POV doesn’t make any sense. i’m not just black

i’m also American.

everybody has got a nationality. some folks got more than 1. in some ways, i have more than one.

being American is not a dark hole of nothingness. It’s an identity that is expressed every day, even in these conversations while at the same time folks will claim essentially that they don’t have culture.

But to many Black Americans, Black is American. It literally means they are the historical blacks of America. When they call themselves Black that covers their nationality and race. They know they’re of African decent but they have no ties to Africa. So instead of identifying under the name of their “mother land” they use a color to identify with. Blacks are always being told they aren’t wanted in America and aren’t truly American anyway. I guess many take that to heart and don’t include American in their self identification. I identify as Black American. 

*applause*

I personally identify as Black-American. Or Afro-American if anything else.

I refuse to appropriate a mixture of ALL of the cultures of Africa because we share physical attributes. I would have honestly loved to know what place my family came from, for the sake of knowing but that was so long ago. It would be SO many different areas, and its not like there is family to reconnect with, or a culture that has contributed to anyone of my family members in the last (atleast) five generations. Besides If I were to do that, I would need to go to Europe as well and work on tracking down some Indian  (*edit: Native American )tribes… And for what? I’ve never seen the sense of all that. 

I think people have a fondness for Africa because it was the last place in our collective history that wasn’t scorned by race issues. A lot of us need to just accept that though it was beyond horrible the diaspora happened and we cannot erase it. 

But Black is a race. I don’t understand why in talking about ETHNICITY. Which is your culture. Why the term Black American would be used. This is the problem people in the diaspora have with each other. 

I am a Black American. Because I’m Black and I’m American. But that is not an accurate cultural title because I am West Indian. The problem with Black American is that when used what is it referring to? An African American? Or ALL Black Americans. 

As an American when people see I’m Black they assume I’m A.A for this reason. It’s problematic and it erases the other identities of Black Americans.

This is where the “confusion” is coming in. For Black American’s their ethnicity is black. Because you are West Indian you can say you’re West Indian but Black Americans (the descendants of Africans that became slaves in America) have no where to point to as a place of reference. West Indians and Africans have something to put in front of the “-American” when they come to America. Jamaicans that live in America are Jamaican-American. People of Nigerian descendant that live in America are Nigerian-American. But Black Americans don’t know where they’re from so instead of adding a place in front of the “-American” they added a color …Black. The three races are listed as: Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negroid. Saying that someone isn’t black is not denying them their rightful place in the Negroid race, it is saying that you aren’t the same ethnicity (descendants of Africans that became slaves in America). 

I never said they weren’t Black. I just said BLACK is a race and the widespread use of Black American as a term to refer to the descendants of slaves that have been come to be called African American is a complicated issue. I don’t think African Americans who are descendant of slaves are less entitled to the name than those fresh from the motherland. I’m first generation American and West Indian but the blood in my veins and and my heritage is West Indian just as those who are still “back home”. Those who are 4th generation West Indian American are still West Indian . Those brought here forcibly are still African. 

But I can’t tell people how to identify just as they can’t tell me. But do not misquote me. THanks. 

You weren’t being misquoted. When I said 

Saying that someone isn’t black is not denying them their rightful place in the Negroid race, it is saying that you aren’t the same ethnicity (descendants of Africans that became slaves in America). 

I was referring to when Black Americans tell someone of the Negroid race (West Indians and Africans) that they aren’t black. The people that were being told this felt that their “black-ness” was being erased. I was not saying that you said that. 

Hope that clears things up.