Is it ok to refer to black people as "colored"?
451852
I think it's odd; makes them sound like the rainbow. Dude, their human!
516343
it sounds like it's only racist if you try really hard to make it be.  But I don't think most people would think it was...unless of course the context of the phrase is in a racial matter.
1081792
It's a personal choice.  If you don't want to be called African-American, then tell them so.  I myself am Black and I also use the term African-American.  I may be wrong, but I don't think the politicians came up with this term.  I believe we started using this term as a way to honor our ancestors.  Check on wikipedia.com for the origin of the term African American.
551148
It is not OK. I don't call a white person Cracker. First of all, it would make me look like the biggest degenerate alive.  Secondly, I would be a hypocrite because i'm promoting racism and I'm black.\n\nI do know what you're referring to. I've seen blacks call white people this name often and the only thing I can think of is that some people feel they have a GO card because they're black and the whole history of racism/slavery thing..Unfortunately, this only perpetuates the problems and further points out our tainted history.\n\nI'm black and engaged to a white man and we have a beautiful daughter so I would never call a white person a racist name for the sake of my daughter's budding identity.
316248
African-American is a politically correct term for black people, you need to look back at the history on how black people were called before becoming P.C. term.\n\nGeneration ago, black people or black slave are capture in Africa and sold as slaves by the white people, they were called slave, but a degratory remarks or name were used to called these black people, there were called Negro, which is the earliest name used before Nxxxxr were derive from this.\n\nAs America become more civil with human right and equality laws, black protest and civil right movement, the term slowly evolve to African-America to denotes the black people came from African origin but are now American citizen.
1186249
did you get this from a myspace bulletin or something?\n\nNobody uses the term "colored" anymore anyways.  This isn't the 1960's.
165459
we label others based on the differences we see.  People have different colors, different cultures, and different facial features.  Because of this, labeling is thought to provide security within yourself.  You feel more safe "knowning" than not knowning.  However, some labels are sterotypical and are racist.  For example, some people might label Blacks to be drug dealers... so for that reason, parents of another race might try to keep their kids away from them for safety.  However, not all blacks are drug dealers, and there is no correlation between blacks and drug dealing, but unfortunately some people think that way.  We label people to draw conclusions about someone.  We try to assess what we know about them by looking.
519753
It's not racist in and of itself to identify a person's race when describing them, but it is a signifier that you interpret their race/gender to be out of the ordinary for the situation. for example if you say "the black judge walked in" or "the woman judge walked in" rather than "the judge walked in".\nI suppose you can determine someones comfortability with race/sex relations when they use these signifiers to describe their personal relationships, i.e., "Some of my best friends are Black/White/Asian/Women/Etc."
365378
Lets break down the words "white people" and "black people" take out the colour what do u have PEOPLE IT DOESNT MATTER THE COLOUR OF YOUR SKIN IT JUST MATTERS OF WHAT KIND OF PERSON U ARE! WE ARE ALL PEOPLE. In this world we are all brothers and sisters nomatter what the colour
868584
You do know that when you say "I'm not a racist, I have black friends" it makes people a tad suspicious.\n\nAnymoo, as an African American I must say...\n\nBoth are offensive and idiotic. I wish all those words would not be used anymore. News flash, it isn't cool.
236396
First not all African Americans are offended when he/she is called black. Some people are sensitive and some people are not. Realizing that some people have a problem with that shouldn't be the first thing that is noticeable. There are some Caucasians that have a problem being called White Breed. Everyone has there reasons and no matter what that's the way some people are. \nThe biggest question is will racisim every be concored? That's a never ending thing because yet again everyone thinks different, the thing about that is don't take it so personal.
681387
What would you need to say? I would say that any person, regardless of their race or nationality, is just a person. We all have our faults and our good points. I think you need to look at a person for WHO they are, not what color they are. We all bleed the same color right?
997926
You know, it isn't the word itself, it is what you mean when you say it.  So if you use Bushaka instead of the N word, then in essence it is just as bad as the N word if you actually mean the N word.  Remember, "negro" means "black" in Spanish, "niggardly" means "cheap" although it has nothing to do with the N word.  However, if you tell someone they have taken a niggardly approach to something, they will be insulted if they don't know what the word means. If you call some Black people "Colored" today they will want to skin you alive, but back in the 60's, many Black people preferred the term.  So, remember, it isn't the word itself, but what you mean by the word.
1019535
I don't think so.  If you say "Hey you chinc" or "What's up ni**a"  then yes that's rude and offensive.  I'm white and I grew up with many different black people and I consider many of them close friends and I never have to think twice about saying "black" because calling them "African American" is too long and official, she's my irish friend, he's my cuban friend, and they're my black friends.  Why is that offensive?
792721
Good question. No, I don't call people by "colour". They're people first.\n\nBut I don't get it how we're supposed to call black coloured people African American when some of them have been Americans or from Caribean for numerous generations. Many have never been to the continent of Africa and their parents and grandparents haven't been either.\n\nA lot of Asian Americans have never been to Asia -- or their parents or grandparents either.\n\nWhites get called whites, not European Americans or Hungarian - Icelandic -  French - Samoan Americans.... the whole ethnic thing gets old fast. \n\nEverybody's got 2 parents. Say your mom is British and your dad is Bulgarian. Your mom's mom is Swedish, your mom's dad is half Colombian and half British. Your dad's mom is Danish and your dad's dad is 1/4 Russian, 1/4 Bulgarian, 1/2 Irish...... if you think multi-ethnic backgrounds like "Irish - Bulgarian - Russian - Danish - British - Colombian - Swedish - American" is insane look at the background of somebody like Keanu Reeves. \n\nMaybe we can all get off the differences bandwagon and focus on similarities for a change.\n\nWe're all ONE race. It's called THE HUMAN RACE.
144489
I am white and I would never use that word. Among our friends, I can't think of anyone who uses that word so please do not classify all whites in the same category, okay? Oh to answer your question. NO, it is not OKAY!
738163
unless you are close to someone I would think it would be offensive,no matter what color they are.