Warb, should we call the group we’ve been talking about blacks or African Americans?
I suppose African American is the preferred term. If you want me to cease using the term black, I will.
My understanding is that black people refer to other black people as “Black” and not as “African American”. I’m not sure why calling someone “Black” is negative. It’s just a acceptably relevant label. Also, not that I agree with Whoopi Goldberg’s political or social views, but I remember hearing at one point about how someone asked her if she thinks of herself as Black or as African American–to which she said she was an “American”–and caught lots of flak for it. I think she had a valid point and I was annoyed at peoples’ reaction about it.