Has the use of the term "of color" been on the increase?

[Rickeroo]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

 

[Kal'Stang]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

There is no difference in genetics. Just differences in melanin.

As for your question, "of color" is usually used to speak of everyone but white people. Not just black people.

 

[ecofarm]

It's all the same to the OP (minorities). He's a "one drop" man. He can't see any reason to differentiate between black people and other minorities.


:lol:

 

[ataraxia]

There is no difference in genetics. Just differences in melanin.

As for your question, "of color" is usually used to speak of everyone but white people. Not just black people.

Yes. I think with the rising Hispanic population, there needed to be a term a little broader than just “black”.

 

[ecofarm]

Yes. I think with the rising Hispanic population, there needed to be a term a little broader than just “black”.

Some people disagree. One drop.

 

[Lursa]

Yes. I think with the rising Hispanic population, there needed to be a term a little broader than just “black”.

??? When it comes to Hispanics or Latinos, it wouldnt be very accurate to generalize like that...those groups have skin colors ranging from black to white.

People use 'of color' basically to mean anyone not a WASP or WASC.

they should just refer to us as bland and sunburny.

 

[phattonez]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

Using the term "people of color" is the easiest way to malign white people as the other. Never mind the fact that many of the people of color don't actually get along with each other.

 

[Keridan]

Yes. As soon as color became a useful term to the left, it made a comeback. Now "of color" has become a code for not evil...er...not white.

 

[Casper]

Ummmm, why do we need to refer to anyone's color, does it change the story somehow?

 

[Rogue Valley]

Yes. As soon as color became a useful term to the left, it made a comeback. Now "of color" has become a code for not evil...er...not white.

Lol. You sound like David Duke.

 

[Bodi]

It's all the same to the OP (minorities). He's a "one drop" man. He can't see any reason to differentiate between black people and other minorities.


:lol:

Would people of color apply to minority white population living in predominately black areas of Chicago?

 

[ecofarm]

Would people of color apply to minority white population living in predominately black areas of Chicago?

No, context is global. Black people cannot escape racial bigotry by going somewhere.

 

[Ouroboros]

There is no difference in genetics. Just differences in melanin.

As for your question, "of color" is usually used to speak of everyone but white people. Not just black people.

From Wikipedia:

Human skin color ranges in variety from the darkest brown to the lightest hues. An individual's skin pigmentation is the result of genetics, being the product of both of the individual's biological parents' genetic makeup, and exposure to sun. In evolution, skin pigmentation in human beings evolved by a process of natural selection primarily to regulate the amount of ultraviolet radiation penetrating the skin, controlling its biochemical effects.

I mean, if genetics didn't control skin color, then generations of people with heavy-melanin skin living in northern climes would start to lose their darkitude, right?

 

[Ouroboros]

Yes. I think with the rising Hispanic population, there needed to be a term a little broader than just “black”.

It's broader for politicized reasons. For several years there's been the growing meme that the rising Hispanic population will someday overwhelm the sheer number of Caucasian citizens and thus end the dominion of "white" culture. As another poster mentioned, though, there's no guarantee that, even if this happened, persons from Hispanic cultures would automatically run the country the way Afro-American citizens would want it run. But that's a thing the proponents of identity politics like to imagine happening.

 

[Kal'Stang]

From Wikipedia:

I mean, if genetics didn't control skin color, then generations of people with heavy-melanin skin living in northern climes would start to lose their darkitude, right?

Actually....they do. Why do you think white people exist? Science has determined that everyone on this Earth originated from Africa and that generational living in Africa where its hot and has more sun exposure is why black people have such dark skin. It was dark skinned people moving to the northern regions where there is less sun and living there for a millennia that produced white people.

Wiki is not always a good source of knowledge. It has its advantages, but always double check what is said on it.

 

[OrphanSlug]

This is going to end in all kinds of bad.

 

[Keridan]

This is going to end in all kinds of bad.

If you are right, it might be fun to watch it get there. Just sayin.

 

[Vadinho]

its a process. Language is a fluid tool, it adapts to the culture and times. I am glad we are moving towards color instead of brown, black or yellow. It really is about white vs. color now, one day it will just be people.

 

[trixare4kids]

Lol. You sound like David Duke.

No, he doesn't.
I agree with him.
When you call him someone who sounds like David Duke all you are doing is tossing a divisive racist pejorative akin to a Clinton deplorable.

It means nothing in the larger game called real life.

 

[Lursa]

its a process. Language is a fluid tool, it adapts to the culture and times. I am glad we are moving towards color instead of brown, black or yellow. It really is about white vs. color now, one day it will just be people.

LOL! We'll end up "color" and "colorless"!

 

[Ouroboros]

Actually....they do. Why do you think white people exist? Science has determined that everyone on this Earth originated from Africa and that generational living in Africa where its hot and has more sun exposure is why black people have such dark skin. It was dark skinned people moving to the northern regions where there is less sun and living there for a millennia that produced white people.

Wiki is not always a good source of knowledge. It has its advantages, but always double check what is said on it.

But now you're oversimplifying a process of genetic modification that takes place over centuries. My point was that "dark" people within a few generations don't change their coloration just because they live in climes where they don't need melanin-heavy skin, and that's because the genetic code has become "locked," for lack of a better term.

Now, do we know what skin color the earliest Cro-Magnons-- who are of the same species as homo sapiens-- had? Possibly you've read some speculation you find persuasive, and if so, that's surely your privilege. But at this time I don't think there's anything that definitely proves that they necessarily had dark skin.

Let's assume, though, that homo sapiens didn't arise from multi-regional developments, that they came from one African ancestor. That means that early cavemen might indeed have been darker than the average fictional depiction of cavemen, sure. But what happens as the descendants of that African ancestor disseminate into Asia and Europe is that their genetic makeup does change-- over centuries-- at least partly in response to the environment. At the same time, some genetic codes may remain in the mix rather than dying out. But in both cases, genetics controls that aspect of each group's physical makeup. The relative lack of melanin in "white" or "yellow" people doesn't happen until the genetic makeup of a given group articulates a new configuration.

 

[ataraxia]

Yes. Dark skin in sunny climates has the evolutionary advantage of protecting the skin against cancer. But in places with very little sun, too much protection against the sun keeps the skin from being able to synthesize vitamin D. So in such places, the lighter the skin and the more sun it can absorb, the better adapted it is to the climate.

Vitamin D deficiency leads to a disease of the bones called rickets. In the 19th century in England, rickets was also known as the “English children’s disease”.

 

[Bodi]

No, context is global. Black people cannot escape racial bigotry by going somewhere.

Nobody can escape racial bigotry unless they get to an area where there is no bigotry... that applies to all races.

 

[chuckiechan]

Lately on NPR on a Boston radio station, I've been hearing the term "of color" a lot more often. I'm wondering if this will eventually replace the term "black". I like to keep abreast of what the media says is the proper terminology to use when racially identifying Americans with different genetics than other Americans.

Blacks are being scrupped out of the discourse, little by little by the left. Excessive immigration has pushed them out of the workforce, what makes you feel they won't push them out of the conversation by "the cool people"?

 

[Bodi]

Blacks are being scrupped out of the discourse, little by little by the left. Excessive immigration has pushed them out of the workforce, what makes you feel they won't push them out of the conversation by "the cool people"?

The Democrats realize that their voting base is increasing and is Hispanic... the black people are screwed.