[OFB Cafe] Political Challenge

[saki]

Steven Hatfield wrote:

> As my African American friend Mike Simmons once told me

As a mere Brit, may I ask why it is, in the much vaunted melting pot of 
the USA, there are no groups insisting on being defined as English 
Americans, German Americans, Jewish Americans etc., and making a 
political platform out of the description?

Is it because to be other than African American and wishing to be 
identified as a member of another ethnic group is racist?

Why not just "my friend Mike" Steve?  Or does the "African American" 
make your argument more acceptable, more PC, your friend's opinion more 
important?

How many decades must it be that such language, and the attitude that it 
is all "the white folks" fault that after well over a century since 
slavery was abolished in the States, goes on?

I am currently reading a biography of Richard Burton (no, not that one), 
and, in the period of the 1850's, he describes how (being opposed to 
slavery)  travelling incognito in the Horn of Africa he finds the slave 
trade is driven by the locals (black), and supported, and financed by 
Arabs. Where is the breast-beating among "African Americans" about their 
own involvement in the Africa/America slave trade going to start? Why 
are they united in being "black" or "African American", when in Africa 
as a whole it is still tribe against tribe?

Just a few questions.

Oh, and "Be careful what you wish for- you may get it"

Terence