# African Americans in Africa **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993 "2002-12-20T08:33:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/41 "2002-12-25T22:50:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rider \* > But Asia is farther away from the USA than Africa, and dozens of US carrier services operate between the two continents every week. If you want to get from the US to Asia, you have to go directly. If you want to go to Africa, you have the option of stopping off in Europe. > [@](#): > > I’m saying that it seems that there is so little interst in Africa by Americans of any race or creed, that not one airline can fill one plane for a scheduled service to any country on the entire continent. Correction: no airline can fill a **direct** flight to Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/42 "2002-12-26T05:51:11Z")
“Correction: no airline can fill a direct flight to Africa.” No US airlines fly into Africa, directly OR indirectly. “If you want to go to Africa, you have the option of stopping off in Europe.” This is not an option, it is compulsory. And you have to switch airlines in Europe. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/43 "2002-12-26T07:13:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rider \* > No US airlines fly into Africa, directly OR indirectly. Then why does the AA website list flights to Africa? > [@](#): > > This is not an option, it is compulsory. And you have to switch airlines in Europe. By “you” I meant the airlines. If you want to start an airline and fly directly to Africa, you are perfectly free to do so. Sorry about not making that clear. ---
**Author:** ![Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dc4da7/32.png) [@Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rider)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/44 "2002-12-26T08:15:03Z")
AA lists flights to Africa because they operate a code-share with an African Airline or a European Airline that flies to Africa. You can buy a ticket to Africa through AA, but you won’t be flying on one of their planes. “By “you” I meant the airlines. If you want to start an airline and fly directly to Africa, you are perfectly free to do so. Sorry about not making that clear.” No problem. I’m not saying I want to, or anyone should. I just noticed that it is an interesting fact that the country with the world’s largest airlines, and millions of folks with connections to Africa by race/descent, doesn’t operate one single direct service to Africa. ---
**Author:** ![ouisey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ouisey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouisey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2002, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/45 "2002-12-27T04:04:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SkipMagic \* > \*\*And a Black-and-Tan at Harry’s in Westport, Missouri? The best ever, boy-o! 😉 \*\* Harry’s cigar bar on the corner? I’ve had many a vodka tonic in there, but never a black and tan. I’ll have to try it:) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/46 "2002-12-29T01:35:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rider \* > AA lists flights to Africa because they operate a code-share with an African Airline or a European Airline that flies to Africa. You can buy a ticket to Africa through AA, but you won’t be flying on one of their planes. It seems to me that this is more economic reasons than cultural ones. ---
**Author:** ![Liakela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/58f4c7/32.png) [@Liakela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liakela)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/47 "2002-12-29T19:35:00Z")
I suppose my point of view is and has always been: I am an American. I am not an Irish-American. Or a German-American. Or a Native-American. Though I have all of those bloodlines and cultures swirling around my genepool. I was born in America. I was raised with other Americans (minus the occasional exchange student). I’m not saying that I think you _oughtn’t_ to claim your African-American heritage…but if you were born in this country, and your parents were born in this country and their parents were born in this country… You’re an American. Reminds me of the quote, “United we stand, divided we fall.” Must we all have a definitive label? Are black Americans separating themselves as surely as white Americans separated them from our common bonds by furthering the concept of African Americanism? Perhaps not a popular opinion, but it’s mine. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/48 "2002-12-29T22:54:42Z")
by Liakela > [@](#): > > Are black Americans separating themselves as surely as white Americans separated them from our common bonds by furthering the concept of African Americanism? I don’t know of any black people who are “furthering” the concept of “African Americanism”. Most if not all of the black people that I know (myself included) don’t give a great googlymoogly about the term “African American” and have no qualms about being called black. I think this issue is much ado about nothing. My observation has been that usually it is white–not black–folks who regularly use the term. And ironically, it is white people who most often complain about its use. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993/49 "2002-12-30T03:59:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ouisey \* > \*\*Harry’s cigar bar on the corner? I’ve had many a vodka tonic in there, but never a black and tan. I’ll have to try it:) \*\* [Slight Hijack] Yeppers, that’s the one. I’m not much of a beer drinker (or ale, or hard cider, or etc…), but I do enjoy a balck-and-tan from Harry’s. Of course, enjoying sips of that might have more to do with fond memories of going to the clubs down there with my friends than actual taste. 😉 [/Slight Hijack] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-americans-in-africa/143993.md?page=2)