Republican congressman from Arizona referred to Black Americans as 'colored people' on House floor
Republican congressman from Arizona referred to Black Americans as 'colored people' on House floor
Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty moved to strike Arizona Rep. Eli Crane's \
Notably ironic as he was speaking in support of an amendment to ban inclusivity training requirements for military members.
Fuck Republicans, but just for a sanity check, is it normal to say "people of color?" As in, "The judicial system is biased against people of color." That's in my verbal lexicon, and I'm suddenly questioning it.
Slurs are so interesting, being on a broad shifting scale based on contextual usage. I think it's interesting, for example, that "handicapped" has become a slur in my lifetime through it's general misuse.
10Yes, "people of color" is considered respectful.
And you're right, language can change pretty fast. I've seen plenty of respectful words become slurs. I've even seen slurs be reclaimed by communities. Don't even get me started on person-first vs identity-first language.
13“Black people” is not a slur, but “blacks” is. So is “negro people”, even though “negro” literally means “black”.
Bigots ruin everything, including language.
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think it’s interesting, for example, that “handicapped” has become a slur in my lifetime
Hell, my mom used to work for an organization called ARC. When I was little it stood for "Association for Retarded Citizens". The organization still exists, but stopped being an acronym in the '90s.
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But they're totally not racist, and definitely don't want to bring back Jim Crow
10Don't make me summon my ancestors back from the graves to beat some sense into their behinds.
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"But that's what the 'CP' in NAACP means!" <- white people who have never actually known a black person socially.
6Why is that a bad argument? If an organization has it in its name, surely its at least understandable someone might call them as such by accident.
4It's a fine argument for people who grew up during a time when "colored people" was the less racist way of referring to POC.
Like, maybe this guy's great-grandfather, seeing as the NAACP was named in 1909.
But, to be a bit more charitable, his grandfather probably used the term (it peaked in usage in the 1960s), and maybe his father, if his father was one of those people who stubbornly resists change. But Rep Crane himself was born a decade after "colored" had gone from the least racist term to a decidedly mid-level racist term (after social shaming began to be applied to the more racist ones).
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Why is that a bad argument? If an organization has it in its name, surely its at least understandable someone might call them as such by accident.
1Knowing someone socially doesn't always equate with showing respect.
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"Oh, my lucky stars, a Negro!" --this guy, probably
4They don't even try to hide it anymore.
4How the hell can you be this clueless in 2023
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