Stop Saying 'People of Color' When You Mean Black

https://www.msn.com ^ | 27 May 2021 | Andrea Plaid and Christopher MacDonald-Dennis

[Red Badger]

This week, we're marking the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. His death at the hands of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin—who has been convicted of two counts of murder and one of manslaughter—sparked a national conversation about racism in America. It's a conversation that's long overdue, that activists like us have been waiting for for too long.

But the national conversation hasn't been perfect. Far from it. And we've noticed one particular penchant that we feel requires correction: the use of the term "people of color" when what you mean is Black.

"People of color" or POCs as it's known in shorthand is a term that activists came up with back in the 70s to replace the commonly used terms "non-white" or "minority." The use of POC was seen as a way of centering the non-white narrative, giving minoritized people back their subjectivity in a sense. And it caught on, becoming commonplace in the media by the 90s.

The problem is when you use the term "people of color" when what you mean is Black.

Take, for example, police brutality. As America has come to understand finally, the police are disproportionately killing Black people. To use the term "people of color" or even the newly popular BIPOC, which stands for Black and Indigenous people of color, to speak about police brutality obscures Black people's specific struggle against police brutality.

[alexander_busek]

“Now Mr Sanford, these burglars, were they colored?” “Yeah. They was wWhite.”

Regards,

[CodeToad]

Actually, “Negroid” is scientifically correct.

[Red Badger]

Yes, but if you use it they will go berserk......................

[CodeToad]

They go berserk anyway. It’s their low IQ nature.

[Svartalfiar]

In the spectrum of light, I thought black was the absence of color and white was the combination of all colors.

For additive color addition, yes (light projector). In subtractive color addition (your printer), black is all colors and white is none.

[griswold3]

POC is easier to type than Black and Brown (Latinos are mistaken for Negroid)
Damn! I need a PC manual Not!!

[redshawk]

Would loved to have seen Sanford and Bunker as neighbors.

[griswold3]

At least you have Two classes.
Just think if they divided into subsections like the genders

[hanamizu]

As America has come to understand finally, the police are disproportionately killing Black people.

---

The primary job of the police is to deal with and arrest criminals. For some reason that really can’t be discussed, something like 5% of the nation’s population—black males between the ages of 14 and 50 commit well over half of the violent crimes in America. Police sometimes have to use deadly force to deal with these violent criminals, so I guess they may well be killed in ‘disproportional’ numbers.

The number of 70–80 year old women killed by police is also ‘disproportional’ when compared to their numbers in the population.

[Mr. K]

that is a brilliant point!

Maybe we should investigate why police are not killing 70 to 80 year old women! (Answer: because they don’t commit crimes)

[Vaduz]

People of Color = Non White?.

fixed

[TomGuy]

Nearly two decades ago, Oprah was one of the early users of the ‘people of color’ descriptive. Others basically followed HER lead.

[Red Badger]

How about MBs?

Melanin Blessed........................

[Vaduz]

Anything but the color work I guess.

[kanawa]

We are all 'people of color'.

There are relatively few 'black' people.

Guy left is black... Guy on right a shade of brown

imho

[Red Badger]

If you want to see really black people, go to Africa’s interior. They make our ‘blacks’ look positively pale...........................

[CodeJockey]

We’re over thinking this one. Just keep it simple and scientific.

Caucasoid
Mongoloid
Negroid

[higgmeister]

the police are disproportionately killing Black people

Wrong!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

As America has come to understand finally, the police are disproportionately killing Black people.

Lie.

Straight out, 100 percent LIE.

[_longranger81]

Ha!