Hello everyone. Id like to discuss the absence of proper "ethnic" recognition of our various ethnic origins in the West. Im sure many of you who live abroad in the USA or Europe may have come across a form like this.

Check your ethnicity:

[ ]White

[ ]Hispanic

[ ]Black/Afrcian American

[ ]Asian

[ ]Native American

[ ]Other please state:______

As for myself forms like this anger me since there is no clear option for my ethnicity. I am not "black" because black is a skin colour not an ethnicity and I am not an "African American" since I am not the descendant of slaves. And most of the time such a form does not even leave the option "other" restricting my ability to properly identify myself. Ive had second thoughts of sueing such organisations for not giving proper respect to my ethnic origin or properly allowing me to identify myself.

I'd like to know how those of us here in Nigeria and and Abroad feel when confronted with such forms and how you go about answering them.

African American is defined as A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as 'Black, African Am., or Negro,' or provide written entries such as African American, Afro American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian."[12]
So stop with the bs!!! I really dislike bigoted Africans,

^^^
How am I an African American? Was I born in America? Do I have slave ancestry? I am an Igbo African, not an AA, Black or etc. Im guessing youre an African American yourself and you have no right to vent your anger towards me or any other Africans disagreeing with the way we are labelled.

If you like you can be whatever you like but as for myself, my identity remains stagnant. Kindly explain to me how am a bigot for choosing to identify myself in the way i feel proper?

odumchi:

^^^
How am I an African American? Was I born in America? Do I have slave ancestry? I am an Igbo African, not an AA, Black or etc. Im guessing youre an African American yourself and you have no right to vent your anger towards me or any other Africans disagreeing with the way we are labelled.

If you like you can be whatever you like but as for myself, my identity remains stagnant. Kindly explain to me how am a bigot for choosing to identify myself in the way i feel proper?

Well if your going to get all nasty about it-constantly mentioning slave ancestry in a condescending manner-Than let me tell you why. In America black means black american other blacks such as africans and caribbeans are small and irrelevant to american culture. So people dont go out of their way to make a special section for "other" blacks

I guess you can't read or comprehend the English Language.
I will reiterate: If you live in the United States and are from Sub Saharan Africa, the US census considers any person of AFRICAN ANCESTRY (including Igbos) African American/Black. It has nothing to do with slavery or being born in America but more with ones heritage being from Sub Saharan Africa.
If you have a problem with being referred to as one please take it up with the US Census Bureau and ask for another category.


Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa. It includes people who indicate their race as "Black, African Am., or Negro,"or provide written entries such as African American, Afro American, Kenyan, Nigerian, or Haitian.

describe urself as a thorough black man.

^^^

I am only "black" in the sense that I am a sub-Saharan African. Infact, my skin is not even black at all (Not that theres anything wrong with that) I am light brown. I would hate to be descirbed as "black" since the term is synonymous with AAs.

It doesn't matter whatever label you want to be identified as or even if you decide to downplay your 'blackness' as light brown, chocolaate, mixed race etc.
The bottom line is that when people from other races see you they first see a blackman/woman.
It is up to us to unite and work for the common good of the black race to dispel long held myths and prejudices that are stacked against us.

http://apenandaheart..com/

I would hate to be descirbed as "black" since the term is synonymous with AAs.

Your responses are replete with degrading inferences. What is so great about you that you would hate to be referred to as an AA or Black?  Your s.illy butt is in America where African Americans (yes descendants of enslaved africans) fought the system of white supremacy and broke down barriers that allow your d.umb African behind to attend universities, get a job and hell the civil rights movement provided the impetus for independence of several African countries.

Ask Nnamdi azikwe what he thought of african Americans as he attended the great Lincoln University (an "African American University). Or Ask Kwame Nkrumah his thoughts on people he was inspired by such as  Marcus Garvey, W. E. B. Du Bois.

People are so blind to the realities of life, Please leave your tribal mindset where it belongs-  in the village. You are no better or worse than any group of people so stop with the generalization and perpetuation of stereotypes. Like I alluded to earlier if you want your own special category for your light brown Igbo African self please contact the US Census and see if they take your ignoramus self seriously.

PS I am Nigerian and recognize the struggles of descendands of African people around the globe. I challenge people who hold stereotypes of groups of ppl.

At the end of the day "black" ppl all over the globe have serious issues and it is absolutely no time to be degrading each other.

^^^
First of all, who told you I was in America? I am not Nnamdi Azikiwe nor am I Kwame Nkruma. Both of them existed in an era much different from ours. In their era, AAs were not affiliated in the same way they are today. In the 60's the "black" world was just gaining independence and they naturally knew they had to encourage those of their brothers who fought for their independence from racism and the segregation.

The character of people now and then have changed, look at the likes of Lil Wayne, 50cent, Young Money, and the "black" proletariats in America. Those are people that I do not want to be affiliated with, not on paper nor by speech so my ethnicity is not "black". They are labelled balck because they were robbed of their ethnic backgrounds through slavery and needed a way to identify themselves, so they chose something that they all had in common---the colour of their skin. I am not prejudicing against anyone so dont make it seem that way.

You are the one degrading yourself. You are saying that your ethnic group is not important or significant enough to be documented or recognised. I am an Igbo and do not want to be regarded as anything else. And also, an easy solution to this problem is by creating an option called "African". Why must we be labelled in the same group as AA "blacks" when Asians have the liberty of selecting their own continent isntead of "yellow"? As for yourself you can be black, white or whatever you like. My opinion is my opinion and I expect you to respect that.

So since you are not in America/West why are you concerned about their census categories?

Why not worry about your superior Igboland and the innumerable problems in your community? Lack of pipe borne water,  corruption, roads, electricity, cultism, kidnappings, assasinations, health services, unemployment etc etc We are free people that were never "enslaved" and always lived in our land so why no development?? We even had our own country so we cant even complain that we were oppressed. All that you know is that you are "different" from the AAs.

I guess the numerous yahoo yahoo boys, traders, drug peddlers are the Igbo proletariats?

So with the new African category that you are demanding are you aware that many "Africans" arent comfortable with that label?

I am playing devils advocate to show you how ridiculous your argument is. The construct of your identity is very screwed up, start with identifying your self as a human being and not a tribe, religion or even race. These are superficial divisions.

Sooner or later you will realize that nobody gives a crap about you. focus on your life and live to achieve your dream.the world doesnt rotate around you and your identity crisis.

my best advice would be: get your thumb out of your mouth and grow up.you've sucked it long enough

wow your a clown. Your not even from america yet your worrying about this? Believe me most black americans dont agree with the term "african american" anyway. I would love to have it changed just as much as you do

And if anything black americans are the ones that carry the african diaspora. Africas problem are way more of an embarrassment than black americans problems. Theres really no contest

k.o.n.y:

wow your a clown. Your not even from america yet your worrying about this? Believe me most black americans dont agree with the term "african american" anyway. I would love to have it changed just as much as you do

And if anything black americans are the ones that carry the african diaspora. Africas problem are way more of an embarrassment than black americans problems. Theres really no contest

Do you have proof of most "black Americans not agreeing with the term "African American?" You don't speak for anybody except yourself. Do you not know that? And there you go with that ethnocentrism. No wonder the world is messed up.

[flash=400,400]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp5FdsaP2QU[/flash]

You all should stfu and listen.

I don't know why everyone is trying to portray the OP like he's against African Americans. He might be, but his topic has some truth to it.
Black people are ethnically diverse, but we are homogenized into one category. Which kinda downplays the existence of various African immigrants in the u.s

odumchi:

Hello everyone. Id like to discuss the absence of proper "ethnic" recognition of our various ethnic origins in the West. Im sure many of you who live abroad in the USA or Europe may have come across a form like this.

Check your ethnicity:

[ ]White

[ ]Hispanic

[ ]Black/Afrcian American

[ ]Asian

[ ]Native American

[ ]Other please state:______

As for myself forms like this anger me since there is no clear option for my ethnicity. I am not "black" because black is a skin colour not an ethnicity and I am not an "African American" since I am not the descendant of slaves. And most of the time such a form does not even leave the option "other" restricting my ability to properly identify myself. Ive had second thoughts of sueing such organisations for not giving proper respect to my ethnic origin or properly allowing me to identify myself.

I'd like to know how those of us here in Nigeria and and Abroad feel when confronted with such forms and how you go about answering them.

OP the same argument can be said of Europeans, Asians and Hispanics. There are as diverse as us as well.

odumchi:

Hello everyone. Id like to discuss the absence of proper "ethnic" recognition of our various ethnic origins in the West. Im sure many of you who live abroad in the USA or Europe may have come across a form like this.

Check your ethnicity:

[ ]White

[ ]Hispanic

[ ]Black/Afrcian American

[ ]Asian

[ ]Native American

[ ]Other please state:______

As for myself forms like this anger me since there is no clear option for my ethnicity. I am not "black" because black is a skin colour not an ethnicity and I am not an "African American" since I am not the descendant of slaves. And most of the time such a form does not even leave the option "other" restricting my ability to properly identify myself. Ive had second thoughts of sueing such organisations for not giving proper respect to my ethnic origin or properly allowing me to identify myself.

I'd like to know how those of us here in Nigeria and and Abroad feel when confronted with such forms and how you go about answering them.

Well, there is a simple solution to your problem; TAKE YOUR TRIFLING AFRICAN ASZ BACK TO AFRICA, and you wont have to worry about it.

Thank you, my brother. And no I am not against anyone, I just feel that there is something more to us Africans than common skin colour.

pleep:

I don't know why everyone is trying to portray the OP like he's against African Americans. He might be, but his topic has some truth to it.
Black people are ethnically diverse, but we are homogenized into one category. Which kinda downplays the existence of various African immigrants in the u.s

DaRapture:

Well, there is a simple solution to your problem; TAKE YOUR TRIFLING AFRICAN ASZ BACK TO AFRICA, and you wont have to worry about it.

Wow. You do know folks that hate black people in general will say that disgusting comment to any black person, right? Seriously, what the f**k?

EzeUche:

OP the same argument can be said of Europeans, Asians and Hispanics. There are as diverse as us as well.

yea and some forms go as far as saying: Hispanic/non white, hispanic/white, amerindian, Mexican, etc.

And for Asians they put Asian and pacific islander as different options.

^^^
Thank you, and for us they just bunch everyone together indescriminantly, by skin colour.

[quoteWow. You do know folks that hate black people in general will say that disgusting comment to any black person, right? Seriously, what the bleep?][quote][/quote]

Right, but the difference in this case is that the ignoramous of discussion is an actual visitor to this nation, and has been blessed with the retractable right to be here to take advantage of that in which it's obvious his sorry ass nation could not provide him, and yet he has the nerve to be here complaining about the nation and it's people whom built it. Yeah, so it's an acceptable FACT that THAT AFRICAN NIGGAA can take his sorry ass back to Africa if he has a problem with the way we do things here. Simple as that, African Ass Kisser.  

^^^
I pity you. Chai amiko.

The white man has taken dignity, language, culture, reasoning, and sense away from you through slavery and now look at your situation. What can I get in America that I cannot get in Nigeria? As if America is truly a land of milk and honey with golden streets.

But I want to ask you, were do you come from? Do you know? Who were your ancestors? How did you get to America? Can you trace your lineage back five generations?

odumchi:

^^^
I pity you. Chai amiko.

The white man has taken dignity, language, culture, reasoning, and sense away from you through slavery and now look at your situation. What can I get in America that I cannot get in Nigeria? As if America is truly a land of milk and honey with golden streets.

But I want to ask you, were do you come from? Do you know? Who were your ancestors? How did you get to America? Can you trace your lineage back five generations?

The white man this, the white man that. LOL. You sound so pitiful. What has the white man done to your ignorant African Asz that your own Nigerian people haven't done to you multiple times over? Answer me that, you ungrateful, Bigot.

And you ask, what can you get in this nation in which you cant get in Nigeria?  Well, obviously a brain and intelegence isn't on the list, if one was to judge upon your sorry dense self.  Damn, the embassy staff member who let you slip through the cracks needs to have their behind fired ASAP, and only an  would even attempt to indulge in a question of such mammoth idiotic level, but I will say this; if your sorry asz truly feels as though there is nothing here in which you can't achieve in your bum asz nation, then as I've stated before,  perhaps you should do us a huge favor and pack your chit and carry your funky self back to that dump you've so unnecessarily slithered yourself out of. 

By the way, as is the case with most AA,  I come from many various groups of people, and in my case it's the German, Scots, Cherokee, and Igbo, and I trace my ancestry back 15 generations in this nation, all the way back to the early 1600's, so suck a Dicky back to Africa, you dirty Ape.

Hmmm and one again we have another Africans vs African American thread great.

I think this distinction is not really the core of the issue, I think Black as a whole and especially African have to redefine themselves showing off and be proud of their diversity by accepting themselves and not envy or hating or put themselves down. Africans need to love themselves and I'm not talking about saying everyday " I'm proud" but proving it with acts.

odumchi:

Hello everyone. Id like to discuss the absence of proper "ethnic" recognition of our various ethnic origins in the West. Im sure many of you who live abroad in the USA or Europe may have come across a form like this.

Check your ethnicity:

[ ]White

[ ]Hispanic

[ ]Black/Afrcian American

[ ]Asian

[ ]Native American

[ ]Other please state:______

As for myself forms like this anger me since there is no clear option for my ethnicity. I am not "black" because black is a skin colour not an ethnicity and I am not an "African American" since I am not the descendant of slaves. And most of the time such a form does not even leave the option "other" restricting my ability to properly identify myself. Ive had second thoughts of sueing such organisations for not giving proper respect to my ethnic origin or properly allowing me to identify myself.

I'd like to know how those of us here in Nigeria and and Abroad feel when confronted with such forms and how you go about answering them.

Forms such as the one you posted are used to test intellectual ability or lack thereof of Africans. Most of the times, Africans tend to drop the ball by following the silly trend of being "Black". I always select the “other please state”. You do not need to be angered when such form provides an opportunity to educate the presenter.

If you watch closely, you will see Asian indicating person from the continent of Asia. In the same manner, I have decided to choose “other please state” and stated African indicating I am a person from the continent of Africa.

It is the height of idiocy to describe humans with hue of the skin which is ridiculous because I have not seen a “white or black person” throughout my life. Believe me, I know my color chart.

that's the US govt classification, which goes by ancestral and historical ethnicity.

the black institutions break it down into more specific options such as african, african american, carribean, etc.


however, it's not a big deal imo.

in addition, they [US govt] are providing more options now for mixed people.

so maybe they'll reclassify everybody else as well.

You're right. Infact I suppose a more appropriate chart should be:

Caucasian
African American
Asian
African
Hispanic
Native American
Mixed: (check all that apply)

Dede1:


Forms such as the one you posted are used to test intellectual ability or lack thereof of Africans. Most of the times, Africans tend to drop the ball by following the silly trend of being "Black". I always select the “other please state”. You do not need to be angered when such form provides an opportunity to educate the presenter.

If you watch closely, you will see Asian indicating person from the continent of Asia. In the same manner, I have decided to choose “other please state” and stated African indicating I am a person from the continent of Africa.

It is the height of idiocy to describe humans with hue of the skin which is ridiculous because I have not seen a “white or black person” throughout my life. Believe me, I know my color chart.

A.D.M.:

Do you have proof of most "black Americans not agreeing with the term "African American?" You don't speak for anybody except yourself. Do you not know that? And there you go with that ethnocentrism. No wonder the world is messed up.

The term "African American" was imposed on black people. Millions of us do not agree with the term. It is beyond stupid for me to consider myself an "african"-American.lol Im an american that happens to be black,thus black american