The term African-American is overused and often inconsistent. Since the name Negro became obsolete sometime in the early 70s, the term African American rose to prominence when referring to Black Americans. Inherently, nothing odd about this term until you realize how commonly misemployed it is.
The most common misuse of the word is when it is said to describe any Black person living today. A Black person born in Africa or anywhere outside of the Americas is constantly referred to as African American despite not being a native of either a North or South American country.
Another inconsistency is heard when the American part of the label only includes Black people in the U.S. Despite having Black people in every country in the Western Hemisphere (particularly in the Caribbean and Brazil), they aren’t considered a part of the term African American. For whatever reason, the United States of America has a monopoly on being American despite being just one of thirty-five countries apart of the Americas. It leaves quite some confusion when trying to differentiate other types of Afro(s) people by calling them (example); Afro-Cubano, Afro-Canadian, etc. The U.S happens to be in the Americas like dozens of other countries.
For the sake of consistency, a Black person from Brazil should be called “South American African American” and Black people from the States should be called “North American African American” which would be utterly pointless. African American only being accepted for U.S natives is technically wrong since the U.S isn’t the only American nation.
What is arguably most perplexing about this term is that virtually nobody uses it for people of Africa who aren’t considered Black. Suppose an Arab man decides to move from Cairo to New York City; he would technically be an African American if you take the label literally. It becomes even funnier when a White supremacist from South Africa could move from Johannesburg to Chicago and describe himself as a literal African American.
African American is an absurd term constantly incorrectly used by virtue of upholding political correctness utilized by upscale liberal Whites who are still subconsciously afraid of Black people, trivializing the plight of any Black person. African American has somehow been equated to a step in the right direction as if changing Negro to the deceptive and euphemistic African American makes for reparation for slavery or Jim Crow.
White Americans aren’t called Euro-Americans, they’re just White; so, what makes Black people different exactly? Could it be the underlying racial tensions that make-up social politics in First World nations?
Activism (if you can call it that) shouldn’t take form in this fashion. There are many ways to better integrate society than this cheap attempt to extend an olive branch in an area where it isn’t needed.
No Black person is offended when called Black, so keep it simple, just say Black and get on with it.
