# A new name for black people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 12, 2002, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154 "2002-04-12T02:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/41 "2002-04-12T11:43:19Z")
Scylla: White is the color of puss? Woof, you’re really gonna piss off all the chicks of other ethnicities. They’ll say, “What, mine isn’t real puss because I’m not white”? You’ve stuck your twanger into a hornet’s nest, my friend. Or are you going to claim that you meant white is the color of your cat named “Puss”? I think your reputation has been permanently blackened and I see a gigantic puss-whippin’ coming your way. But I’ll bet you’re just sick enough to like that, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/42 "2002-04-12T14:52:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ageless6 \* > \*\*Scylla: > > White is the color of puss? > Woof, you’re really gonna piss off all the chicks of other ethnicities. They’ll say, “What, mine isn’t real puss because I’m not white”? > You’ve stuck your twanger into a hornet’s nest, my friend. > > Or are you going to claim that you meant white is the color of your cat named “Puss”? I think your reputation has been permanently blackened and I see a gigantic puss-whippin’ coming your way. > But I’ll bet you’re just sick enough to like that, aren’t you? \*\* you know, for a second there, before I finished reading the post I thought to myself “what? i thought everyone had white puss” It took the comment about the cat for me to figure out the different meaning of “puss” I need to go back to bed… ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/43 "2002-04-12T15:09:39Z")
“pus” ☹ Monstro: I’m not sure how you figure that because this GD, I’m somehow recquired to provide cites on demand. I’m usually happy to, if there’s a reasonable question. However, that some people find black objectionable, and that Jesse Jakson is one of them, and that there is some controversy involved in finding the proper term, hardly qualifies as a reasonable request. I’m happy to clarify a point with a cite, or back up a statistic. I hardly feel it necessary to provide you with an education. Look it up thyself. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/44 "2002-04-12T15:10:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ageless6 \* > \*\*I think your reputation has been permanently blackened and I see a gigantic puss-whippin’ coming your way. > But I’ll bet you’re just sick enough to like that, aren’t you? \*\* I don’t think his reputation has been blackened. He is not being racist or negative about his post. Nor is he being insulting in any way that I can tell. In fact I give him Kudos for having the balls to bring it up. I think it is persons like yourself that just automatically take topics like this personally and assume the OP is an ignorant racist scum. When in fact it is the other way around. I call people people also. I was raised in a multi-culture background and do not judge people at all by what color their skin in. However, sometimes it is necessary to expound upon description, and include color. For example where I work, there is a lady I talk to all the time, eat lunch with etc. She happens to be black. I was telling her about something another lady did wrong in her packaging processes, and she inquired as to which lady. I did not know the lady’s name, so I merely nodded my head in her general direction and said, “that lady over there”. Being only one other lady over there, I noted “the larger one”.(both were of approximately the same age, and I meant the taller one) My friend said “Thats not nice, you mean the black one”. I told her about how people on the SDMB say that it is better to be color blind, and mentioning a persons color is a bad thing. She told me nonsense, black is not a back thing. So in her presence I use it when it is necessary. The point being, that it is not insultive, and only a few take offense to it at all. The word black that is. Sometimes it could be misconstrued, in my friends case, as being racist or nervous about saying black in general. ---
**Author:** ![EVO95](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@EVO95](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EVO95)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/45 "2002-04-12T15:23:55Z")
For Sale: Like new, barely used Sable. Original owner. Naaaaaahhhhh. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/46 "2002-04-12T15:29:08Z")
Well, if we are just going to invent a whole new nomenclature for skin color, I have an idea. Primary colors are out - too distinct. Colors based on animals are out - too easy to bend to insults. so… TREES! (or more specifically - wood) Black = Mahogany White = Birch Asian = Pine Indian = Cedar Native American = Sequoia hey, it’s not any more stupid than any of the other suggestions ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/47 "2002-04-12T17:58:09Z")
Monstro: \*\* > [@](#): > > I’m not sure how you figure that because this GD, I’m somehow recquired to provide cites on demand.\*\* You’re being facetious, right? Because this whole thread reads like a big-ass joke. I’m just curious about where you’re coming up with this “black people don’t like ‘black’” thing. And you citing Jesse Jackson–with no facts to support you–is not persuading me. So kill me if I’m skeptical about your motivation behind this thread. \*\* > [@](#): > > I’m usually happy to, if there’s a reasonable question.\*\* I thought I did ask a responsible question. \*\* > [@](#): > > However, that some people find black objectionable, and that Jesse Jakson is one of them, and that there is some controversy involved in finding the proper term, hardly qualifies as a reasonable request.\*\* This makes no sense to me. If you think a new name is in order, you should provide proof that the old name is unwanted. Otherwise, this is a silly thread (IMHO, of course). \*\* > [@](#): > > Look it up thyself. \*\* So I guess there goes the fight against ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![celestina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@celestina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/celestina)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/48 "2002-04-12T18:29:07Z")
[sigh] **Scylla** , I think what you don’t understand is that I personally couldn’t give a rat’s ass what Jesse Jackson likes or does not like. What matters in this whole debate [giggle] is what _I_ like because I’m a powerful witch, and I rule. ?Entiendes? _Jesse Jackson does not speak for all black folks._ He certainly doesn’t speak for me, and I imagine that there are plenty of black folks out there who would say the same. That is not to say that I don’t respect his contributions to the history of race relations. I do. It is just that I, like many, many black folks, have a mind of my own, and I’m perfectly capable of deciding how I wished to be addressed. If a black person does not like to be called black and prefers to be addressed by another name–African American, blue, American, dude, Your Royal Highness, . . . ," then that is his/her prerogative and should be respected. Now before folks start talking about changing names, I think it wouldn’t hurt to investigate the terms we currently have. I still don’t see how in the world folks could think “black” is negative. 😕 **Beeblebrox** , oooh, trees. I love trees! 🙂 I think black folks ought to be “pine trees” in the system you’ve set up. [giggle] Pine trees smell so nice, and if I understand them correctly, they need to be planted in clusters so that they can support each other and survive. Of course, the next thing you know other folks are going to up and want to be pine trees too. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/49 "2002-04-12T19:12:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by celestina \* > \*\* Pine trees smell so nice, and if I understand them correctly, they need to be planted in clusters so that they can support each other and survive. Of course, the next thing you know other folks are going to up and want to be pine trees too. \*\* Ah, but wait, maybe we shouldn’t use the pine at all. Pine trees are found in clusters because they drop their needles. When those needles decay they raise the acidity of the soil, thus making the local environment inhospitable for anything _but_ pine trees. IT’S CHEMICAL WARFARE! THESE EVIL OPPRESSORS ARE BENT ON KEEPING THE OTHER TREES DOWN! END THE TYRRANY OF THE SOFTWOODS! POWER TO THE MAPLES! Jeez, if anybody knows what the hell my point was, please tell me. I haven’t a clue anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/50 "2002-04-12T19:19:09Z")
Originally posted by Scylla: > [@](#): > > “Black,” has some negative connotations. As in, “Black like my evil little heart”? 😃 Nevermind. Ahem. None of my Mahogany/African-American/Sable friends/acquaintences object to “black”…A very small sampling of the general population, but a sampling nonetheless. Originally quoted by BatdzMaru: > [@](#): > > We just need to find a non-offensive term for people who have it. Woollytops? Kinkheads? Hmm, neither of those sound very good… I should say not! I could surely be considered either a “woollytop” _or_ a “kinkhead”…Meanwhile, a (Eurasian) friend recently said to me, “You’re literally _the_ whitest person I’ve ever seen”. Which is probably true - I’m pale like a mofo. So you see, 'froish hair isn’t a good indicator of skin color. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![celestina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/258eb7/32.png) [@celestina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/celestina)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/51 "2002-04-12T19:26:06Z")
**Beeblebrox** said: “Ah, but wait, maybe we shouldn’t use the pine at all. Pine trees are found in clusters because they drop their needles. When those needles decay they raise the acidity of the soil, thus making the local environment inhospitable for anything but pine trees.” Wow. Really? I didn’t know that. But are you sure it’s bio-chem warfare, or just plain ol’ mother nature trying to tell us something? Hmmm. I still like pine trees, though. 😛 “Jeez, if anybody knows what the hell my point was, please tell me. I haven’t a clue anymore.” [giggle] Your point was to keep me amused, Sugar. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/52 "2002-04-12T19:40:02Z")
Noooooooooooo! No more name changes. I still can’t manage to call myself African-American without rolling my eyes. Just my $.02. [sub]well at least this time someone asked my opinion[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![tspallone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@tspallone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tspallone)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/53 "2002-04-12T19:42:51Z")
This has always been a source of annoyance. Frankly, what we’re talking about is a name used to describe a race. The official name of “white” people is - Caucasian. The official name of asian people, I guess, is - Asian. The official name for Black people is - Black. Think about filling out a form in this context. Black just doesn’t cut it. If Black is the official RACE name, why wouldn’t the official name for Asians be YELLOW? No, it’s got to be something medical or scientific. Nubian-Caucasian or something. But, definately, absolutely, NOT African American. It’s just inaccurate that’s all. Is Irish American a race? No. African American depicts a nationality, not a race. And, it doesn’t even do THAT really. Africa is a continent, not a country. That would be like saying Euopean American. I think the English and Greeks would have a problem being grouped together. If you’re talking about nationality, then get specific as we’ve done with Irish-American, Italian-American etc. As, Sudan-American, Lybian-American, Ivory Coast-American. These are all countrys in Africa. Frankly, I’m surprised “Black” has hung around as long as it has. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/54 "2002-04-12T19:46:50Z")
I just realized something. I’m suprised I didn’t remember it before. “Ebony” is a tree. Here’s a picture: [http://www.sei.se/chaposa/Resources/photogallery/africa\_may-00/document/africa29.html](http://www.sei.se/chaposa/Resources/photogallery/africa_may-00/document/africa29.html) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/55 "2002-04-12T23:16:11Z")
> [@](#): > > We do have a name for white people. We call them white people. uh? what was that? because it wasn’t a reply to what I said. It was as if I said “we don’t have a name for white people”. which I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/56 "2002-04-12T23:28:03Z")
Epimetheus: You can’t be…but you ARE serious, aren’t you? I’ll bet Scylla understood that it was a joke and he said puss when he meant pus and that I had just taken that and run with it. Scylla is well known for his wit, sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek style. I was simply throwing some of that back at him. I didn’t think anyone would mis-understand that, but I should know better after all this time. I should have added: ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/57 "2002-04-12T23:45:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lobley \* > \*\* > > uh? what was that? because it wasn’t a reply to what I said. > > It was as if I said “we don’t have a name for white people”. which I didn’t. \*\* It _was_ a reply to what you said which was: "We don’t need to find a name for white people. " I inferred from this that you meant white people don’t need a name, and I pointed out that they already have one. The fact that white people do have a name and that it is widely used would be pretty strong evidence that there is a perceived need for one. By looking at your subsequent post, I now infer that what you meant was that white people don’t need _another_ name, because they already have a perfectly good one that is widely accepted. If this was indeed your intended meaning, I apologize for misinterpreting your remarks. I also think it’s a poor analogy, as white people do have many, many other names for themselves, depending upon what kind of white person they are–Irish, Italian, Anglo, Jew, Gentile, WASP, etc. Why shouldn’t blacks be granted the same right to self-identification, using a variety of terms in the process? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/58 "2002-04-12T23:49:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tspallone \* > \*\*This has always been a source of annoyance. Frankly, what we’re talking about is a name used to describe a race. The official name of “white” people is - Caucasian. The official name of asian people, I guess, is - Asian. The official name for Black people is - Black. Think about filling out a form in this context. The “official” names of the “three races” were Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. Of the three, only Caucasoid/Caucasian survives in common usage. (Why the inhabitants of the Caucasus Mountains were ever considered the epitome of whiteness I don’t know.) Of course, the “three races” theory is now only about as scientifically relevant as the “four elements” theory. > [@](#): > > African American depicts a nationality, not a race. This is probably an argument in its favor. African Americans _are_ an ethnic group (and the descendants of the Southern slave population are arguably a distinct ethnic group from more recent immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa, i.e., Nigerian-Americans or Somali-Americans or Kenyan-Americans). “African-American” is not a “race”. Neither is “white” or “European-American”. People vary slightly in physical characteristics from one part of the Earth to another, but the human race does not break down into any small number of large populations–it’s more of a spectrum, with uncountable local populations, all of which exchange genes with their neighbors and (these days) with other human populations from all over the planet. Cultural differences are much more important than genetic ones, but those are obviously not “racial” at all. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/59 "2002-04-13T01:09:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ageless6 \* > \*\*Epimetheus: > > You can’t be…but you ARE serious, aren’t you? \*\* I must admit that I am… was more like it. I appologize for my knee jerk reaction to your post. I have alot of aquaintances that are racist, and it sickens me, and perhaps warps my perceptions of humor or sarcasm. I will learn from this. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154/60 "2002-04-13T09:35:07Z")
Prometheus: No harm, no foul, you just startled me a bit. I’m a firm believer that serious subjects need a little escape valve humor every once in a while. I’ve seen innocent questions and statements turn into accusations of racism, homophobia,etc. so many times that I can’t get too excited about it anymore, unless the poster comes out and says s/he is for solving a problem by re-starting the gas chambers or some equal nonsense. In which case humor is REALLY needed. At any rate, thanks for understanding that it really is a learning process, and nice to have you with us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-name-for-black-people/103154.md?page=4)