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PopeBeanie posted an update in the group The African and The Indigenous FreeThinkers 2 years, 10 months ago
@ysumlin Thank you for starting this group!
As a non-African and non-Indigenous guy (and calling myself “white”), I’m interested in how you and others feel about use of the term “People of Color”. Out of respect for your intentions for this Group, I’ve not taken the liberty to create a topic about this in your Forum. In fact not seeing any topics there yet, I certainly don’t want to author the first topic there! So that’s why I’m writing this question to you here, in the Home section of your Group.If you’re interested in how my interest in the topic of the term People of Color came up with me, take a look at https://atheistzone.com/forums/topic/use-of-the-term-people-of-color-poc/
Note that it is four pages in length, so I wouldn’t blame you if you feel you can’t spend the time reading it, or if you just want to do a quick skim of it. I don’t even expect a response to me. Quite coincidentally, this topic came to mind to me this morning, while listening to a San Francisco public radio station’s show with a black LA Times reporter as the primary guest, who used the term often.
I understand and agree with all you’re saying except “There’s no such thing as white people and yet you and others find this term non offensive or disturbing, but instead you ask me about the term People of Color and it appears you don’t have an idea of where white people come from.”
I do understand where humans came from pretty well. And I’m perfectly fine not calling you a person of color if that’s what you wish, while I hear and read many other people, African-American or black or whatever moniker or category chosen or not chosen calling themselves “people of color”, and I respect their choice. Jumping to the core of why such terms matter and their acceptance or rejection matters does of course require knowledge of history, but also knowledge of how people themselves who are affected by that usage feel about that usage. I’m seeing good people with good intentions, using that term, even when speaking of themselves. Its usage is *very* common now, even among people to whom it would matter the most.
Again, I respect your choice and insight, and wholeheartedly want to fight against prejudice, and am happy with educating people on our terrible history that includes (as Jake is especially educated about) shameful historic usage of the term.
I do not believe in any “superior” race or human, nor even any pre-humans or animals, but I do strongly believe in educating or pushing back against any human or group that does believe in any such hierarchies.