The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg pulled a Raven-Symone. She boldly stated:
"You know what this is my country. My mother, my grandmother, my great-grand folks, we busted a## to be here. I'm sorry. I'm an American not an African-American, I'm not a chick American, I'm an American!" She said this after one of her co-host Joy Behar, made a joke about a large amount of people leaving America if Trump gets elected into office. But I feel that no black person should declare that they are just Americans sans the African hyphen. Wait let me explain. Yes, I'm an American, but I'm also black. Being black in America can never be a colorblind situation. I understand what Whoopi Golberg was saying that she shouldn't have to leave America because her family has been here for a long time and endured so much to be here and deserves the same respect of any other American but we don't get the same respect. There is nothing more obvious than being a black person. The whole world sees us as different. We cannot go into a store, a bank or a job interview without our blackness being seen. Or people deciding if we are one of the good blacks. Let's be honest did all of the police who murdered unarmed black men see an American? Did the man who killed a black youth over loud music see an American? No, they saw black people. They don't care how many times we call ourselves American they will still be assigning stereotypes of fried chicken, R&B, rap and over-aggressive behavior. I once sat at a lunch table and a white girl heard another white girl say "She be" and then she replied: "I would expect that from Kiara but not from you" Did this woman see her equal? Was it a table full of people the same as her? Saying that your American is like saying your colorblind. You're ignoring the obvious. Do you hear Chinese people saying, "I'm not Chinese I'm American" No. It's called pride. I don't want to not see myself nor deny that my ancestors came from Africa. If a black American traveled to Italy or Spain they would be mistaken for African. Black people are practicing self-hate when they preach this I'm American stuff. Let's look at American history. Our ancestors came as Africans, were prohibited from practicing their religion or speaking their native tongue and the next generation were taught to look down on Africans and told that they were cannibals. The following generations wanted to fit into American (white) society so bad. They did everything to become American. They joined wars and faced racism in the military. They protested to be near white people in school and in the workplace, which resulted into them being hung or put in jail. Now, we have a half-Kenyan president and he has never received the respect he deserved because he is half-black. So Whoopi and Raven can keep saying they are American until they are blue in the face but the rest of the world says otherwise. Sorry, I know my history and won't allow anyone to trick me into not wanting to be seen for what I am. The problem isn't what we are called but rather how we are treated.
Lynn
1/8/2016 04:54:01 am
Black people are not monoliths. We don't ALL have to think alike. Whoopie is entitled to have her view. She is not "wrong" and you are not "right". She is not "right" and you are not "wrong". Whoopie did not say that she is not Black. She did not say that she does not descend from Africans. She simply said that she does not consider herself to be "African American". Part of the problem with your post is that you are conflating a whole lot of stuff and jumping to many unnecessary conclusions that are not relevant to what Whoopie said.
The simple fact in this matter is Haitian, Dominican, Caribbean, West Indian, Afro-Latino, or from the motherland, each individual is a descendant of African ancestry. Therefore, if they reside in the USA they are actually Afro-American. However, it is be a label.
kiara
1/8/2016 07:27:50 am
Whoopi wants to play that colorblind stuff. I say I'm a black American or African American because it's my race and citizenship. You are misunderstanding. I'm saying black people not matter if Haitian or Dominican, African the police will say that they are black. So trying to get rid of calling ourselves black or African American won't save us. We should acknowledge our blackness because America isn't color blind. I'm not saying all black people are African American.
Lynn
1/8/2016 06:06:26 am
Actually what you said is not a "simple reality". Mere residence in the US does not make one an "Afro-American". One has to actually be an "American" to be an "Afro-American". African descendant migrants who reside in the US who haven't naturalized are not "Afro-Americans". Your rationale underscores my point. There is a sense of overarching hegemony among people who identify as "African American" that mandates that they demand that all Black people within their proximity morph into their created "African American" identity label. People who identify as "African American" also tend brush off the cultural attachments that Black migrants from other parts of the world have to their own histories and cultures simply because the migrants have come to the US. No. A Haitian who resides in the US is NOT an African American. No. A Black Dominican who resides in the US is NOT an "African American". No. A Black Brit who resides in the US is NOT an "African American". No, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is NOT an African American simply because she resides in the US. Please stop this craziness. These people are Black because they live in the US, full stop.
Kiara
1/8/2016 07:00:19 am
I never said all black people in the U.S. were African Americans. But Whoopi Goldberg is.
Lynn
1/8/2016 09:04:15 am
Klara did you write the original post or was that Carol? My last post was in response to Carol's post. That being said, the person who posted the Blog piece said: ."But I feel that no black person should declare that they are just Americans sans the African hyphen." This is saying that Black people in the US should identify as "African-American" . The question is Why? If being "American" does not prevent a Black person from being discriminated against why bring "Americaness" into the Black identity discussion at all? All it does is divide Black people into national groups that diminishes unity and encourages political exploitation. If Whoopie can be criticized for adopting an "American" identity, "African-Americans" can be criticized for the same reason. The attachment to "America" is the reason many "African Americans" strive to be called "African American" instead of Black. They think that they are special Blacks, superior to Blacks from other parts of the world.
Wow, Lynn, you are contradicting yourself as well as making a mole hill into a mountain. The sheer reality is regardless of where you originate if you appear Black, Negro, African American, etc. in. the USA you a ni??er! Period.
Lynn
1/10/2016 07:56:49 am
What you've just written is not even cogent, it's an inarticulate mess so I won't waste time trying to decipher any of it. The fact that you even refer to Black people using the "N" word shows your lack of respect for Black people so I have no interest in engaging you.
Lynn
1/10/2016 09:48:40 am
It's "you're" not "your" by the way. Guess you were absent from class during that year of school or, more likely, a dropout. Typical "African-American" silliness and shenanigans. Lol
Lynn
1/10/2016 04:46:51 pm
No comment I've left on this blog has been an insult worse that the "N" word that your other person responding to this blog post has referenced over and over again. Funny how you are against "insults" but references to Black people as the "N" word roll off your back. No problem I will not post on your blog. BTW, you have no idea what my address is, at most you have my Zip Code. Comments are closed.
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AuthorMy name is Kiara and writing is the way I express myself. Archives
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