# Colin Powell is NOT black! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 19, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069 "2003-02-19T04:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/41 "2003-02-19T07:17:52Z")
Well we can dig it. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/42 "2003-02-19T07:20:20Z")
Who’s the not-so-black, but rather Jamaican S.o.S. That’s a sex machine to all the chicks? COLIN! Ya damn right… ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/43 "2003-02-19T07:21:29Z")
My own creation: [:WTF:](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/fruitbat_steve/wtf.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/44 "2003-02-19T07:24:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*My own creation: [:WTF:](http://fff.fathom.org/pages/fruitbat_steve/wtf.gif) \*\* THAT’S the smiley I need! ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/45 "2003-02-19T09:03:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*I saw the Stones playing in Sydney last night and you won’t believe it but Bill Wyman is black now. \*\* OK, _that_ was funny. 😃 The OP, in contrast, isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/46 "2003-02-19T11:54:54Z")
Damn. I had used him as a model to paint my lawn jockey. I must use someone more convincing, like Vin Diesel or Condoleeza. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/47 "2003-02-19T12:18:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > \*\*We really need a “stunned, gape-mouthed disbelief” smiley. \*\* I submitted [this](http://www.eat-it.freeserve.co.uk/stuff/gobsmack.gif) one for the first great smiley election… …but it fell at the first hurdle; Waaah! I’m leaving this board forever! ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/48 "2003-02-19T13:03:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FranticMad \* > **Dam right. He’s orange. But then, my TV is busted some. Wolf Blitzer is blue most days.** 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/49 "2003-02-19T13:27:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by calm kiwi \* > \*\*You are right. He is not black. He is kinda brownish. > > :smack: \*\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/50 "2003-02-19T13:33:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Colin Powell is NOT black! But his cat’s breath smells like soul food. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/51 "2003-02-19T14:06:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lamia \* > \*\*As my Jamaican roommate used to say, “We _are_ black, we’re just not African-American!” > > Jamaicans do seem to dislike being confused with African-Americans (probably because, you know, they have their own distinct non-American country and culture and everything), but I’ve never known a black Jamaican to deny being black. \*\* This was my understanding as well. Jamaicans seem to have no qualms being called black, but they do get upitty when you call them African-American. I think the OP is highly misguided (as well as a total jack-ass). I hope in the future you put a little more effort into your rants. As for all the extra smiley faces, just out of curiosity, where do you guys make these up? Some of them are absolutely great (I love the vomiting one, especially). ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/52 "2003-02-19T14:26:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Smeghead \* > \*\*I knew a white guy from South Africa who used to get immense amounts of enjoyment by referring to himself as “African-American” and seeing how pissed off people got. \*\* I always wondered about that kind of thing. Race and ethnicity are not always mutually inclusive. A lot of “self-identification” forms I’ve filled out have asked me if I was African-American. I think what they really wanted to know was if I was black. As far as I’m concerned, a white person from South Africa is just as much an African-American as any black person from the same place. This just underlines the main problem with the term “African-American”: it substitutes a vague, overbroad locale for a specific, descriptive racial term. There’s nothing wrong with being black. There’s nothing wrong with being African-American. But they are not the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/53 "2003-02-19T14:40:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*I submitted [this](http://www.eat-it.freeserve.co.uk/stuff/gobsmack.gif) one for the first great smiley election… > > …but it fell at the first hurdle; Waaah! I’m leaving this board forever! \*\* That’s an awsome smiley!! ---
**Author:** ![Trob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Trob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trob)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/54 "2003-02-19T14:43:52Z")
Now this begs the question. What is an “African-American”? Is it a naturalize citizen from Africa? Or is it just someone who at one time had an African ancestor? Does that make a an “Irish-American”?. If so would that make me a minority? Or should we base our ethnicty on our country of origin? Of course this would cost a number of people their officially santioned vicitm status. That won’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![Meatros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Meatros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meatros)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/55 "2003-02-19T14:47:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pizzabrat \* > \*\*He’s the son of Jamaicans, who think they’re better than blacks, just like everyone else. Stop acting like he’s the black man everyone can agree on. \*\* What exactly is “black”? Also, how do you know his parents think they are better than “blacks”? What do you mean by “just like everyone else”? Their is a certain amount of racism/classism that your OP implies, I think you would do yourself a service if you clarified things a bit. Incidentally, I think of Colin Powell as a **person** and not a representative of a particular crayon color. I think Colin has reason to believe he is better than most people (I’m not saying he does though), based on the fact that he **holds an extremely important office** , not because his parents are Jamaican. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/56 "2003-02-19T14:58:29Z")
Why am I the last one to find out these things? I must get myself a new TV, in my B&W one everybody looks gray. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/57 "2003-02-19T15:05:43Z")
Considering that I would be English-Irish-Russian Jewish-American, I don’t think the lengthy descriptions would really catch on. And I’m NOT European, so why would I refer to myself as European-American? I don’t think I’ve ever run into anybody personally offended by the term “black.” ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/58 "2003-02-19T15:10:43Z")
Condi Rice…she’s still a “sister”, though. Right? ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/59 "2003-02-19T15:33:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beagledave \* > \*\*Condi Rice…she’s still a “sister”, though. Right? \*\* Nah, she likes may-o-naze. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069/60 "2003-02-19T15:43:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trob \* > \*\*Now this begs the question. What is an “African-American”? Is it a naturalize citizen from Africa? Or is it just someone who at one time had an African ancestor? Does that make a an “Irish-American”?. If so would that make me a minority? Or should we base our ethnicty on our country of origin? Of course this would cost a number of people their officially santioned vicitm status. That won’t happen. \*\* What the heck are you babbling about? Yes, you are an “Irish-American.” Where the heck do you think this idea of calling people African-American started up? In the northeast, because everyone was calling themselves Italian-American, Irish-American, Polish-American, etc., blacks decided they wanted to join in and went with African-American. You still aren’t a minority. That whole officially sanctioned victim status thing makes sense. > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by EasyPhil_ > **Nah, she likes may-o-naze** How does that make her not a sistah? Ja Rule likes it - I know because on some MTV show he had his personal chef whip some up from scratch for his turkey sandwich. And I know you aren’t going to say Ja Rule isn’t real…he even had a song about ihow real he is with Jennifer Lopez. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colin-powell-is-not-black/156069.md?page=4)