Using the term white or black makes you racist right?

[NothingIsImpossible]

Wrong kind of capo lol. It was a ranking in the mafia world.

 

[tdidymas]

???????
View attachment 205088
Dunlop Trigger Classical Guitar Capo

The capo, or caporegime, is the captain or lieutenant of a division within the Mafia. He heads a crew of soldiers and reports directly to a boss or underboss, who hands down the instructions.

 

[Dave-W]

The capo, or caporegime, is the captain or lieutenant of a division within the Mafia. He heads a crew of soldiers and reports directly to a boss or underboss, who hands down the instructions.

Sorry, I do not know mafia infrastructure terms. I am a musician and the only definition of that word I know is the object I pictured.

Here is a pic and a video of guitar virtuoso Phil Keaggy playing with 2 capos. (I have seen him use 3 on occasion)

 

[zephcom]

I was thinking about this for awhile now. Often people will fight each other and blacks will call whites white and whites will call blacks black all while saying they are not racist. But isn't the term black or white racist itself? For example you never see anyone call someone "yellow". Why? Because everyone knows its a racist term. And yet black and white still exist and somehow are not considered racist.

A good example is I am not white. I am italian (and other mixed stuff)-american. My father is italian american. My mother is french american. My wife is filipino (shes an immigrant and not a citizen yet). My friend is jamaican-american.

To me these are the terms we should use. Black and white just sound racist to me. Even the term "African american" is racist to some degree because it assumes if your skin is "black", you must be from africa.

Does maybe the words black or white simply exist as not racist because this is america? I mean in any other country you usually call someone by their ethnicity. "So and so is a brit" or "I love <name>, shes a gemran!" But in america we have such a massive blend of people from around the planet that we simply seem to narrow it down to two "colors". Again, despite the fact there is a third color we used to say.

One thing that adds a wrench in all this is if someone robbed someone and you seen it, when the cops asks for a description you obviously won't know what the person is so you probably will say something like "He looked like a older skinny white man with thick glasses and <insert clothing info>.". I just never like the words black or white. Especially since it is dangerous since if a group of "white men" beat up a "black man", all "white men" get called various offensive words. Maybe it was a group of "french-american" men! In the past certain people were known to be more hateful of others. Such as obviously I know italians hated "blacks". Alot of my uncles did until times changed then they changed their view.

So what do you think? Agree with some of what I said? Disagree?

Not right. White and black, when referring to people, are merely a descriptor.

When people talk about racism...and Lord knows we need to talk about racism...there HAS to be some word which conveys a meaning about who one is talking about. Otherwise we lose all context in the conversation.

For instance, I use the term white to refer to...well...white people. I use the term black to refer to Negro people regardless of their geographic origin. I use the term Latino when talking about people who come from Mexico or South America and are generally descendants the of native people. I use the term People of Color when I'm talking about everyone who are not white.

In discussing racism, group names are essential. When I'm talking about my friends and acquaintances, I use their names.

 

[PreviouslySeeking...]

Honestly, I don't know why people use the term "White". "White" people are not white- some are fairly pale, but many are not. It is not a good descriptor- just popular with people who have less of a tie to their heritage, in my opinion.

I mean honestly, most people of Asian descent are specific in their descriptors "I am Chinese" "I am Filipino and Korean" - because they are proud of and tied to a particular culture.

As for the use of "Black". Well, Black Americans who are the descendents of slaves (such as I am) are stuck. Unless I spend time and/or money to research, no other descriptor is appropriate. My family history ends at "purchased by". Some people rather use African American as that at least names the continent that a good percentage of our genes come from, but it is still inaccurate to me. The true African Americans I know are from specific countries and have relatives living there. They are also tied to the culture and heritage.

"Black" is an awful descriptor.

I prefer people use ethnic/cultural descriptors that paint some picture of who they are and what they value.

"Black" literally says nothing about me other than my ancestors were slaves.

Is it inherently racist? No, it is what it is.... which is more sad than anything.

 

[zephcom]

Honestly, I don't know why people use the term "White". "White" people are not white- some are fairly pale, but many are not. It is not a good descriptor- just popular with people who have less of a tie to their heritage, in my opinion.

I mean honestly, most people of Asian descent are specific in their descriptors "I am Chinese" "I am Filipino and Korean" - because they are proud of and tied to a particular culture.

As for the use of "Black". Well, Black Americans who are the descendents of slaves (such as I am) are stuck. Unless I spend time and/or money to research, no other descriptor is appropriate. My family history ends at "purchased by". Some people rather use African American as that at least names the continent that a good percentage of our genes come from, but it is still inaccurate to me. The true African Americans I know are from specific countries and have relatives living there. They are also tied to the culture and heritage.

"Black" is an awful descriptor.

I prefer people use ethnic/cultural descriptors that paint some picture of who they are and what they value.

"Black" literally says nothing about me other than my ancestors were slaves.

Is it inherently racist? No, it is what it is.... which is more sad than anything.

Sad?? Perhaps.

Sadder still, IMMHO, is that we are functionally unable to simply refer to us as 'Americans' no matter what we look like. We aren't there yet.

 

[381465]

Hence forth I demand to be called peachy-taupey-beige...lest I be offended!

 

[Soyeong]

I was thinking about this for awhile now. Often people will fight each other and blacks will call whites white and whites will call blacks black all while saying they are not racist. But isn't the term black or white racist itself? For example you never see anyone call someone "yellow". Why? Because everyone knows its a racist term. And yet black and white still exist and somehow are not considered racist.

A good example is I am not white. I am italian (and other mixed stuff)-american. My father is italian american. My mother is french american. My wife is filipino (shes an immigrant and not a citizen yet). My friend is jamaican-american.

To me these are the terms we should use. Black and white just sound racist to me. Even the term "African american" is racist to some degree because it assumes if your skin is "black", you must be from africa.

Does maybe the words black or white simply exist as not racist because this is america? I mean in any other country you usually call someone by their ethnicity. "So and so is a brit" or "I love <name>, shes a gemran!" But in america we have such a massive blend of people from around the planet that we simply seem to narrow it down to two "colors". Again, despite the fact there is a third color we used to say.

One thing that adds a wrench in all this is if someone robbed someone and you seen it, when the cops asks for a description you obviously won't know what the person is so you probably will say something like "He looked like a older skinny white man with thick glasses and <insert clothing info>.". I just never like the words black or white. Especially since it is dangerous since if a group of "white men" beat up a "black man", all "white men" get called various offensive words. Maybe it was a group of "french-american" men! In the past certain people were known to be more hateful of others. Such as obviously I know italians hated "blacks". Alot of my uncles did until times changed then they changed their view.

So what do you think? Agree with some of what I said? Disagree?

If you were describing a robber, would you see anything wrong with describing the color of their hair? Does describing someone as blonde make you a hairist? There is a big difference between embracing our differences and refusing to acknowledge that we have differences. There is absolutely nothing racist about acknowledging that we have differences in skin color, but what is racist is acting like someone is inferior or superior because of their skin color.

 

[Soyeong]

"You know when it comes to racism, people say: " I don't care if they're black, white, purple or green"… Ooh hold on now: Purple or Green? You gotta draw the line somewhere! To hell with purple people! - Unless they're suffocating - then help'em." - Mitch Hedberg

"I thought my teeth were white until I washed my face with Noxzema. They are off white. I am off white too: it's a new race, we will prevail!" - Mitch Hedberg

 

[zephcom]

If you were describing a robber, would you see anything wrong with describing the color of their hair? Does describing someone as blonde make them a hairist? There is a big difference between embracing our difference and refusing to acknowledge that we have differences. There is absolutely nothing racist about acknowledging that we have differences in skin color, but what is racist is acting like someone is inferior or superior because of their skin color.

Worse yet is allowing society/culture/laws to enforce those actions.

 

[381465]

 

[PreviouslySeeking...]

Sad?? Perhaps.

Sadder still, IMMHO, is that we are functionally unable to simply refer to us as 'Americans' no matter what we look like. We aren't there yet.

Maybe if "American" meant something more than country of residence. If someone asks me where I am from, USA is the answer. If the question is about who I am or how I see myself, "American" doesn't say much.

 

[zephcom]

Worse yet is allowing society/culture/laws to enforce those actions.

Maybe if "American" m


Maybe if "American" meant something more than country of residence. If someone asks me where I am from, USA is the answer. If the question is about who I am or how I see myself, "American" doesn't say much.

Which is both a sad commentary on America and a good topic for a new thread.

It would be nice, however, if Americans could all receive the perks and privileges granted us in the Constitution based ONLY on our status as a citizen of America.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

???????
View attachment 205088
Dunlop Trigger Classical Guitar Capo

He must have p-ssed off his fairy godmother and she turned him into a capo. He was probably clamped onto a guitar that Al Capone played.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

.

 

[bhsmte]

Words of how you describe the color of one's skin don't make you a racist. How you treat people with a certain color of skin, will determine if one is a racist.

 

[Dave-W]

He must have p-ssed off his fairy godmother and she turned him into a capo. He was probably clamped onto a guitar that Al Capone played.

LOL!!!!