RingsTrue

ButternutSquash · April 2012

Please to be explaining this: I grew up in an overly PC environment where the words "black", "brown", and now I've learned "dark," shouldn't be uttered around black people

barefoot barista · April 2012

I'm interested as well. Thanks!

ringstrue · April 2012

Hmm- well it's true. I'm not sure what else to say. I learned to say African american instead of "black person" and that saying, for instance, "brown people" was insensitive. I get the difference between describe actual skin tones but I still have a fear of just saying certain words and a black person freaking out on me. Case in point, one time DH and I went to dunking donuts- it was late- we were tired- DH goes- "I'll have a black donut" (obv he meant chocolate) and he got some looks and faces from the black cashier. I know it's not totally the same, but the past post about the congresswoman pointing her finger at the pres. And how that was racially degrading to some people. I just am very used to walking on eggshells for fear of doing something someone racist did once. I truly do have an issue saying the word black in front of a black person. If you ever meet me IRL you'll notice my hesitation.

Dylanite · April 2012

Black donut? Do people say that? Or just your H?

ringstrue · April 2012

It was weird- just one of those moments where you say the wrong word.

nitaw · April 2012

Dylanite:
Black donut? Do people say that? Or just your H?

As long as it's not black jelly beans, I don't think I'll pull out the shank.

If you don't know what I mean by black jelly beans, feel free to refresh your memory here: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/06/opinion/racism-at-texaco.html

and here http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/november96/texaco_11-12.html

ButternutSquash · April 2012

ringstrue:
Hmm- well it's true. I'm not sure what else to say. I learned to say African american instead of "black person" and that saying, for instance, "brown people" was insensitive. I get the difference between describe actual skin tones but I still have a fear of just saying certain words and a black person freaking out on me. Case in point, one time DH and I went to dunking donuts- it was late- we were tired- DH goes- "I'll have a black donut" (obv he meant chocolate) and he got some looks and faces from the black cashier. I know it's not totally the same, but the past post about the congresswoman pointing her finger at the pres. And how that was racially degrading to some people. I just am very used to walking on eggshells for fear of doing something someone racist did once. I truly do have an issue saying the word black in front of a black person. If you ever meet me IRL you'll notice my hesitation.

Ah, OK. I was envisioning you walking around saying, I need, um, some blahhhhh shoes, no I drink my coffee blahhhh and so forth.

Dylanite · April 2012

nitaw:
Dylanite:
Black donut? Do people say that? Or just your H?
As long as it's not black jelly beans, I don't think I'll pull out the shank.
If you don't know what I mean by black jelly beans, feel free to refresh your memory here: http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/06/opinion/racism-at-texaco.html
and here http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/november96/texaco_11-12.html

Interesting.

dottymobo · April 2012

Dylanite:
Black donut? Do people say that? Or just your H?

My toddler does, though he's probably not "people" for this purpose. :-) He calls all chocolate "black." As in "Me have some black chocolate milk please" or "me want black candy" or "black that" if he's identified chocolate but not the item. He still talks about the black doughnut DH had two weeks ago.

He also identifies people by the color of their shirts, which has a much greater embarrassment potential.