I have never been to any country on the African continent. I know no one from any country on the African continent. I know about as much about Africa as I know about Australia. Gorilla, wallaby - same difference, right? The TeeVee show where black people cannot swim to save their lives is called Survivor, right? So I have seen Africa and Australia...on the TeeVee. Given that, when I hear some well-intended white person, haughty black person, or defensively patronizing authority type reference me or people with similar characteristics as "African-American" I wince in a pain that is like nobody's business. Makes no sense.What? African, huh? I guess you're now graciously allowing me to claim a certain heritage I know nothing about, care very little about, and will never have anything remotely in common with, right? Am I Israeli-American too? How about Filipino-American? Nobody in my family can trace anybody to Africa. My life ain't Roots.
So what am I then? I'll let Tracy "Iceberg" Marrow from Newark, New Jersey via LA tell you:
A lot of people get mad 'cause I use the word nigga
You know what I'm saying
They don't like the fact that I use the word nigga
They say you a black man!
I tell em I'm a nigga they don't understand that
So I'm a say what I wanna say
I call myself what I wanna call myself
You know what I'm saying?
So they can stay off my dick
I'm a nigga, not a colored man
Or a black, or a Negro
Or Afro American, I'm all that
Yes I was born in America true
Does South Central
Look like America to you?
- From "Straight Up Nigga" from 1991's Original Gangster
All points are pertinent if not eloquently poignant in this song. I mean put your defenses down for one moment and think about it seriously. The struggle has just begun if you ask me. Calling somebody African-American doesn't equalize anything, it's patronizing.
I've been fairly racially ambiguous all my life. People have believed me to be Jamaican, Indian (dot), from certain African countries, Samoan, Nepal, from the Middle East, Hispaic/Latino, and of "Native American" origin (feather). As a Californian, it was not big deal either. But it was when I moved to D.C. in 1992 that I had to answer these questions over and over: "What are you?" "Where are you from?" "What is your race?" My answer is typically, "I'm from California." That either shuts people up since they then instantly understand that that's the only well-rehearsed answer I'm going to provide. But some people persist in asking what part of Africa, India, or the Pacific islands I originate.
"California!"
So, African-American, huh? You steal millions of my ancestral peoples, drag them over on shitty boats to the U.S.of A.--killing half of them en route--to build miniature golf courses and pick cotton and rape and lynch and you now allow me to claim Africa, huh? Fuck your PC graciousness! No thanks. You break it, you bought it, kids. Guess what? I am an American just like you!
Since I built it, it's mine too. Wanna divorce? Be ready to give up half. And, oh lookie here, now we're the President too (who actually can claim Africa in his African-American-ness, I'll totally give him that, his dad is from Kenya). But me? My father's from Texas of America, the son and grandson of share-croppers of America. The great grandson of your fucking property. I'm from California of America. Born in Los Angeles of America, raised in Claremont of America. Now I live in the capitol of America. That's the fuck where I'm from: America! I'm an American-American.
And when some spineless, helpless, trying-too-hard-to-appease mope looks me in the chin and mumbles something about "...just helping all the African-American children..." I will vehemently interject with: "African-American? That's worse than Negro. That's worse than colored." You may as well call those children little nigger babies. We're black people. Black power. Black pride. In 1967 your father would have never locked his doors and taken up arms in fear of the "African-American Panthers" stealing his lily white daughters. Naw, the Black Panthers scared daddy shitless! Black, black, BLACK! I have never been to any country on the African continent. I know no one from any country on the African continent. I know about as much about Africa as I know about Austria. Stop using that PC contrived bullshit.
And black people? Your use of "African-American" is the very worst. Cut it out.
And do not get me going on the term "Native Americans."
Quit frontin'!
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