people of color. what does this mean?
Fatback
6,746 Posts
I was posting this on the urban pet peeves thread, but decided that shit was hijacked enoughtoday.please to explain this people of color thing? oliver used it the other day in the project runway thread. i hear it on ed gordon. and other places.Looking for occurrences of this "of color" say vs "colored" lead me, not surprisingly, to Dr. King. For example, "In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color[/b] are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."My understanding is Dr. King was referring to african american descendants of former slaves, although in that example, he went on to use the term Negro.These days, the term is used to describe anybody but white people. And in a conversation with someone last week, they also included women and GLBT in this term (she looked like the girl below--which got me thinking about this again). I think this is ridiculous. But I'd like to understand this term and why its accepted to you use a term that implies anyone who is not white. and how much non-white do you need in your genetic make-up to be "of color"? sound like some jim crow type shit. stupid.I'm not getting on some "where's the NAAWP" bullshit. My point is that this term is kind of silly because it really tells you very little.When URBAN became synonomous w/ BLACK/AFRICAN-AMERICAN. Never liked that shit and never will. Agree with that 100%, and add 'gritty,' to the list. Once, when I got drunk around a bunch of PIRG kids (they're the ones from Page 2 asking, "If you have a second for the environment,") one said that Boston wasn't gritty enough. I asked her what she meant by that and she said, "you know...dirtier...like dirty rice. More people of color[/b]." did she look like this? They all did. God, it was a great night...I got so surley...they were all strangers, and I didn't want to make any friends.They all smoked, which bothered me, because here they all were, 'fighting the man,' and spending $6/pack to support Phillip Morris. I mean, smoke if you want, but don't preach at me through your cigarettes, foll.
Comments
true. but both are dumb because...what color? everybody has color. is there a secret race of clear people? i'll PM
archaici man harvey_canal.If yr looking for a scientific basis for a race discussion you are prob not going to have much luck man.
If anything, white folks are the colored folks.
we need to buy this dude a title. how about "lil crink"?
FYI:
People of color= brown, Black, & Asian folks.
P.S.
Hey White Guy, Ther term "POC" is not silly.
have a nice day.
P.P.S.
I think "women and GLBT" has to do with gender than color and culture.
i'm not sure what you mean.
but I'm really waiting for big stacks to weigh in on this.
I dunno know about you, but I can see right through many people.
i'll buy you a title that will cost a lot of money to replace.
btw--did moms get that diaper? cause you still hummin'
Anyone ready to spend $10 can foist a title on you, deej.
It depends. I guess I can see how it can be an antiquated term coming from a "white point of view" but personally I think it's a way for all people of color to identify with themselves and each other things that face in today's world. WHen I say things I mean a wide variety of topics from racism, gender roles within each individual culture, language barriers, all while trying to survive and adapt in a predominantly white world.....
but yo this is going to be a great thread, I can tell already.
The term Colored was created by white folks. Over time the term has morphed into "people of color".
absolutly the last word on this subject.
what would you recomend? Personally I don't find anything offensive about it.
my concept that "race is stupid"?
oh boy.
let's start simple for you.
OK. Now read the top line right to left.
So your allright w/ white folks and the rest of THEM? Think about it. Its creates a hierarchy.
Maffamatically speaking, that is.
I'm not offended by it. Be sure about that. I'm just wondering what it means.
African American? African? Hispanic? Asian? Pacific Islander? Native American? etc.
What? All of the above? Or more?
I think my vision's working fine man, i just didnt think yr attempt at (playing?) ignorant was very amusing/interesting, sorry.
i'm not trying to be funny, deeeeej. well, except for the part about you needing potty training.
point is, you need to slow down and read shit.
Naw man not even, it's never crossed my mine that it puts people in a hierarchy. Like I said (or maybe just implied in a previous post) I thik of sort of works as a identifier (sp) for the things we go through. (this might matter to you and pertain to the convo but I'm latino)
perspective:
continue.
yes yes yes yes yes yes. That's what I mean by "brown,black, and asian folks".
FYI: Hispanic=bullshit-ass bogus term.
I think that the more insidious part is that it creates a hierarchy for many without them being aware of it. Or, if not a hierarchy, a distinction.
These are census terms (i typed african twice by accident). I do not particularly agree with those either, but I'm try to use an accepted standard. However, Hispanic or Non-Hispanic is its own category under ethnicity. Not race. So, my mistake.