“I can never figure out why ‘colored people’ is not politically correct but ‘people of color’ is.”
No reason whatsoever, except that “colored” was popular in the past, while “person of color” is more recent. Though at the time used by the well-meaning (also the condescending and pandering, but that’s no different today for any PC-approved terms), “colored” nonetheless had to become unacceptable. First because racists used it, too. More importantly because PC language must change or die.
Someone might tell you “person of color” is better than “colored person” because the former puts the person first, or somesuch nonsense. Don’t listen. “Colored” is wrong for the same reason “African-American” is better than “black,” however tenaciously black clings to life: so that you can use it as a weapon against people who still say it.
What a mighty political tool it would be for us conservatives if suddenly comfotable liberal language mutated into no-no naughty words. For instance, if Obama’s beloved “fairness” sounded to Jane American Idol like “communism.” Oh, the fun we’d have.
Few are truly ‘black’ and almost none of them have ever been to Africa, much less being born there.