Monday, Nov. 25, 2002
More of this stuff, posted at 5:14 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Wow, this discussion is getting a lot of people going. I actually think the dialogue is pretty interesting. When I said I was "over it," I was referring to the anger. I'm no longer mad, I just think some of this stuff is interesting to talk about.So here goes a few things:
Only one person who has signed the guestbook has mentioned any alternatives to the phrase "people of color." That was "minority." This is a term that many people have taken offense to because it does not apply to people of a mixed-race background, nor is it in inclusive term in many communities. There are entire states in which the "minority" (notice the quotes) population exceeds the "majority" (notice the quotes) population. By the year 2020, the Census expects this to occur in most states. Thus, the term "minority" could not only be considered offensive, it is a big misnomer, and no one has offered any other words that are any better. In addition, the word "minority" has to be qualified as to what kind of minority is being discussed - gender? sexual orientation? age? religion? - and changes depending on location, and if it isn't qualified (which it most often is not), then it is very offensive to me, because then it just lumps all sorts of minorities together without taking into account the vast differences in how the different types of minorities interact with society and the issues within their groups. Plus, "minority" is simply incorrect if referring to a global population. Use of the term "minority," some claim, can obscure the global reality that white people are the actual minority and in effect reinforces racist assumptions. It can stigmatize the people it seeks to classify.
Like many others have said in the guestbook, "people of color" is a pretty widely-used term. It's endorsed by the NAACP and almost all colleges and universities. Jesse Jackson uses it regularly. Ditto Kweisi Mfume. Bill Clinton. Amy Tan. Alice Walker. The fact that cultural leaders use it is important to me. It's a forward-thinking term that is inclusive and celebratory and shows solidarity amongst races.
There is no one term that everyone is going to be happy with. But, so far, I think "people of color" is the best one offered. I do think people are taking this a bit too seriously, me certainly included, though, like I said, I find the discussion interesting and useful.
My use of the term is carefully weighed and is the result of hours and hours of multicultural training plus some personal research that suggests it is the best term to use for the situation. I consider myself an inclusive individual and go out of my way to ensure that everyone around me feels included. I deliberated on the term, and still find it to be the best term out there to use. I didn't just pick it up somewhere randomly - it's something I consciously learned about, thought about, and then incorporated into my vocabulary over the course of years. And, yes, I think it's the best term to use.
By the way, I've responded to everyone personally who actually left me with a name to respond to. Why are people not having the guts to sign their names? I especially was amused by the reader who said that because he or she used to go to an inner city school, they were aware on the issues of all the races and what best term to use. Or the reader who said that because they live in a big city, they knew that "people of color" IS (caps his) an offensive term. People who don't sign their entries suck, by the way.