Ahh, ok.Luke wrote:No worries.Forlorn Drifter wrote: Not trying to start an argument, just trying to get info...
How do you refer to people of that skin tone then? I assume African American?
Nah, I don't even say African American. And I'm trying to be overly politically correct, it's that skin color isn't usually used when I describe someone. I recently described my buddy Elliott (maybe the only "black" Elliott) to my parents by saying "Elliott and I palled around a lot during grad school. Firm handshake, strong jaw, joyful personality and his wit is sharp as a tack. He looks like a young Lawrence Fishburne".
Well, he does look like a young L.F. and that was tertiary when describing his appearance. I guess I'm a bit hypocritical as I will point out the sex of someone, but labeling people as "black" is dumb to me; always will be. Obama isn't "The first Black President", Halle Berry isn't the first "Black" woman to win an Oscar, and people of "color" shouldn't be honored as such nor should they want to be.
Closes can of worms.
I honestly don't consider those things when I point someone out. I usually say hair color, general size, shirt color, etc. I also use race and gender though, because it helps to recognize the individual. If fourteen people are all wearing blue shirts, all have green eyes and dark hair, and one happens to be black, I can't think of any way to describe him otherwise.
And on the argument of whether or not we should recognize someone for their accomplishments and take their ethnicity into context... I can't honestly say I support that. It seems to only make it important because they were of a different color/religion/sexuality, etc. I think it takes away from the achievement of the individual when we do that.
