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this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2023
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Not a native English speaker here. I had to scroll comments to even understand what's the problem. i still don't understand what's that "mega substantial difference" between "colored people" and "people of color". That's like, literally, grammatically the same. Sorry guys you are just trying hard to set yourself apart from that moron.
It's because of historical context. When it was no longer ok to call black people the N word, they switched gears. In and of itself, the phrase isn't that bad, but you have to understand the context.
It’s really about context and nuances.
“Colored people” is a specific term that was used during the time of racial segregation in America, so it carries a lot of negative connotations beyond its literal dictionary meaning. It’s now considered outdated as well, so it was a bit shocking for a politician, especially one who identifies as white and conservative, to utter it.
And after segregation up to this very day. It is neither a 'slur' nor 'shocking', merely old fashioned.
NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People.
The NAACP predates modern terminology and I believe chose to maintain the name out of historic context.
It’s frequently used as a replacement for the N-word, and ignoring that is just being willfully ignorant.
Old Fashioned is not an excuse for racist language. This isn’t something that a younger person uses by accident. If this was some 80 year old white man I’d maybe believe that he got it mixed up. But it hasn’t been an accepted term for the majority of his lifetime and it’s not wrong to expect our representatives to not use racist language to describe their constituents.
It's not at all like the N-word, and pretending that it is is just being willfully ignorant.
think of it like the N-word. You (assuming you're not black) can't say it. I can't say it. But there are those who can. Ice Cube explained it really well. He said, "It's OUR word. You don't get to use it."
It's not the N word. It is one of the politically correct terms.
In recent times we generally think we should use the nomenclature that an ethnic group chooses for itself.
Yeah, it's not a precise thing because an ethnic group isn't just one person and so there will be disagreement within that group itself.
"Colored people" was a term applied to an ethnic group by others outside that group and is generally looked up unfavorably. It was commonly used during a time period where there was segregation, and brings up some bad memories.
"People of color" was a term chosen by that group so should be used.
It's a respect thing. Sort of like if I deliberately mispronounced your name just to put you in your place. I may be saying all the syllables, maybe just emphasizing the wrong ones. Everyone understand what I mean, so where's the problem? The problem is that if I know the proper way to say your name and intentionally don't to disrespect you, well that's an asshole move isn't it?
That's exactly the point. The reason "coloured people" isn't okay is precisely because people like that moron use it.
You just admitted that English isn't your native language, and you probably aren't an African American. So this is one of those things you are just not going to get. It comes down to more than just the language, it's the shared history that gives those words the weight they carry. And you can choose to privately be insensitive to that history, but publicly you don't have to say everything you think.
The term is POC now you insensitive clod. I have white friends from south africa and black friends from the caribbean so it's inaccurate to call either of them african american. Ever met a black british person? Try calling them african american and you'll get laughed out of the country.
He's referring, very specifically, to understanding the difference in the US betweenthe terms poc and colored people.
"You're probably not African American" meaning you're prob not a black person in America descended from slavery directly impacted by this incident and therefore don't understand the exact argument here.
He wasn't saying all black people are African Americans 🙄
People of Color sounds suspiciously like Colored People. Where I'm from it's just Black, Latino, and Asian. African/Asian/Latin American if you are patriotic.
Yes, I would very much like to simply use those descriptors and move on with our lives. This whole discussion is so absurd.
Say again.
I was born in London to Jamaican parents. Age of five I moved to Jamaica and lived there for eight years before moving to the States. I am now a black American. You came at the wrong guy with that bullshit Sonny Jim. Plus I get to block your dumb ass.
..so you are NOT an african american and we agree. I don't understand what the conflict is.
It's just very dated and has come to be seen as a non-politically correct slur, even though originally it WAS the politically correct language. I agree with you personally and feel like there are much bigger things to worry about than someone using an outdated politically correct euphemism. There have been so many, it's easy to get confused: negro, colored, minority, people of color, etc. I don't feel strongly about any of this and just say whatever I'm told is acceptable now, so it's not a big deal to me. I do think it would be cool if we could just say black white/asian/hispanic/whatever.
Problem is, when you let people like him slide when he's playing his little games, the games keep getting a little more grand. That's all it is to him. And now he gets to go "What??" When knows damn well semantics matter. He knows the little republican signals matter. They all know what they're doing.
Stand back and stand by
Yup.
It's really bizarre how we all know what's going on here, but people insist on playing dumb about it.
"Please explain to me why using terminology that brings back memories about segregation is bad when the other terminology refers to the same group of people? I Just don't get it! It's not logical!"
Exactly. It used to be the common politically correct terminology. I don't see how it can suddenly be called a "slur" any more than 'black' is a slur.
NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People
The N word was also once politically correct
It's such an odd word. Not like "fuck" or "cunt" or something like that. You are literally not allowed to write it or say it. I'm not even sure people let themselves think it, instead thinking "n word" inside their heads. I can't think of any other word that is so much like actual god-fearing blasphemy. And yet, you can buy a random rap album and the word will be all over it. It's even used as a term of endearment between black men who grew up together.
Can anyone think of any other word that is treated almost as if it has magical powers?
How old are you? LOL
context matters, a white congress person is using a phrase in Congress that historically was used in Congress to deny people's rights. these politicians want to "make America great again" they want to undo civil rights.
A word does not deny anybody's rights. "Coloured Person" is just as politically correct as "black" or "African American". In fact "Coloured Person" is the most accurate of the 3 politically correct terms.
Just because racist used a thing does not make the thing itself bad. Racists used phones also. So phones are bad?
People suffering from neuroticism make up things to get angry about.
The difference is the history of the terms and which demographics use them. "coloured people" has historically been used in a derogatory way by racists. "people of colour" has historically been used by English speaking non-white people or allies of non-white people and is generally preferred by non-white people. Just because they're grammatically the same that doesn't mean they were used the same. At one point the word retarded was just a synonym for slow. But it doesn't matter what the word meant, what matters is how the word was used.
Nope. Racists of 100 years ago used the N word or the C..n word. Historically "coloured people" was the politically correct term used by non racists. The proof is that NAACP, the famous civil rights organization, chose to use the word when it was formed and still proudly uses the word.
It's just word policing. It's a bigger thing in America because that country is basically split down the middle into two groups that fucking hate each other. Republicans think Democrats (or "liberals") or morons who don't believe in biology (eg: sex) and they want to abolish the police, but yet they are fascists who want to police your thoughts. Democrats think that Republicans (or "nazis") are morons who don't believe in biology (eg: evolution) and they want everybody to own 100 automatic weapons and infinite ammo, but don't believe climate change is real.
Pretty much everything that everybody in America thinks and says it's polarised by this filter. If you accidentally say something remotely centrist, both sides will call you a fascist and throw you into the bin. People are desperately trying to signal membership of their group, so they latch onto bullshit like "Which word-de-jour do you use to refer to dried crickets?" (Wait for the answer to this question, pitchfork in hand). You hesitated! You are a literal Nazi!
You can see it throughout this thread. People kinda admitting that they're just words and that they change over time BUT don't use the wrong one or else.
Unfortunately this bullshit has worked it's way into other countries, even those that don't have the same underlying political polarising filter.
It's because liberal politicians here in the U.S. love to play games with words. When a word or phrase doesn't fit their political motives, they change the word or the definition of the word. There are literally words that we can't say in the US due to "politically correct" pressures, but if you were in any other part of the world, the same words would be perfectly acceptable. The "negative connotations" are completely overblown by the same people who wield the power of cancel culture.
Yeah! Kinda like how those liberals try to cancel people for wearing make-up and putting on a wig! Or for kneeling! Or for playing Dungeons and Dragons! Or reading Harry Potter! Or going to the bathroom! Or eating mustard! Or wearing beige suits!
These damn liberals!!!
Oh. I didn't realize the term for pedophilic perversion had changed to "wearing makeup". My bad. I wasn't keeping up with the latest terminology. Please don't cancel me.
You couldn't have possibly typed that with a straight face.