Can we please quit calling black americans "African Americans"? It's devisive. Okay, Obama really is African American, as his dad is from Kenya and his mom from the U.S. But anyone whose parents were both born in America should just be an American.

It's only devisive if you make it so.To me ,an "African American" is simply an American of African ancestry.

I'm offended that you've decided to call yourself domedude.

I think I should be able to tell you what to call yourself!

The name you've chosen for yourself is divisive! Domedude. Do you think our country was founded by people who call themselves domedude? The name you want people to call you, domedude, is unAmerican.

And don't bring any of that First Amendment stuff to me either. Oh no! I get to choose what you should call yourself. Not You!

Not only is it ridiculous for you to choose what you want people to call you, but have you forgotten about all the creative names that people who didn't like you created for you? There are plenty of perfectly good slurs that people have been calling you for years that are better than domedude. At least I think those names are better for you. And again, your name is unAmerican . . . because I said so!

Sheesh. I bet you don't even wear a flag lapel pin.

I wonder how many of the "there shouldn't be hyphenated Americans, they should all just be Americans!" people have confederate flag bumper stickers...

When I was born almost 60 years ago, the race on my birth certificate was "colored." Then I was 'Negro', then I was 'black', and yes, I've been called (just a few times) the "N" word. Now I am African-American. Took a while to get used to the term, but I like it. I am descended from Africans - nameless ancestors I will probably never know anything about. But they survived the Middle Passage to survive here and over time produce me. I like acknowledging their undocumented contribution to my existence, even though I am at least a fifth generation American.

And yes, I think people have a right to decide what they want to be called or identified ethnically and to expect others to respect their self designation.

So every black person chose to be called "African American"? I must have missed that. As long as they want to be called something different, they'll be viewed as different. Plus picking a screen name is hardly a valid comparison. Try again.

No domedude. Some African-Americans choose to call themselves Black. Many prefer African-American. I'm sure you can find some who prefer Negro. The point is: IT'S NOT YOUR DECISION.

African-Americans have been called many different things since we were brought to this country. Rarely has it been our choice to decide what we are called.

Frankly, speaking as an African-American, I could care less whether you view me differently or not. And I seriously doubt that calling myself whatever name YOU think is appropriate will prevent people that view me as different from changing their minds.

Who are you to dictate what anyone else should be called?

Quit while you're behind, domelady (I decided domelady makes me feel more comfortable, so I'll call you that from now on. . . . and if you complain about it, it's just because you're too P.C.).

I agree.... No one should tell me what to call myself. Therefore, you are to refer to me as Swedish, French, German, Irish, Native American, American.

Thank You.

So every person should be able to be referred to by whatever they want? Boy, that could get complicated. I guess the census forms will need to be revised.

If someone wants to be called "African American", it is certainly their choice. When does everybody else get to decide what they want to be called? Still seems much better if we're all just "Americans".

So you think changing domedude to domelady is like calling African Americans just Americans? So that's like an insult?

Thatso?

Be my guest. Please use that description from now on as I find it quit pleasing to the ear and it easily rolls off the tongue.

I'll respect your right to call yourself what you wish and I won't be so presumptuous as to assume that I know what you should be called.

domedude, why is it "devisive"? I don't agree that it is devisive. However, from another perspective, I could argue that we should remove "race" from polls. I am sick and tired of polls dividing out black,white, and hispanic voters. THAT is what is devisive!

I think it's devisive because it labels someone which always brings out stereotyping, at least to a degree. I think if we're all just have the label "American", each person will be judged individually.

I actually agree that the polls shouldn't report results by race. It makes it seem like that is the most important thing. Sadly, it seems to be, and not just for whites.

Funny, I know people whose families have been here in the US for decades, or even more than a century, who still say they're "Irish" or "Italian" or "German", even though neither they nor anybody else ever mistakes them for anything but a native-born American citizen.

Funny how that works

According to my Anthropology book all human life sprang from Africa about 80 millennia ago so I guess that makes us all ….human beings.