Black Like Me

I am not sure if every black person or African American feels this way or not.  I have experience this comment twice in my life coming from people who call themselves professionals.  I can’t speak for every African American but there are some names and labels that I would appreicate certain people not calling me.  I am not sure if the accusers are even aware of it or cared.  I know most of you are wondering, what name did someone call him?  The name I was called or referred to as was COLORED.

There was a pastor and his secretary interviewing me for a position.  Honestly, I was not truly interested in the position but I do not like to leave any stones unturned.  Sometimes, we do not know where or when opportunity is going to come knocking.  As the interview moved forward the pastor  was talking about how he wanted to diversify his congregation at the church.  Now the interviewers already cross the line because they asked me about religion which of course I did not mind discussing.  Even though I know that it was not legal or ethnical to ask me certain questions I answered anyway because I wanted to have some fun.  I had no problems stating my beliefs and mentioning why I praise the Lord that I do.  I am truly confident in my ability, my beliefs and my religion that I hold close to my heart, so there will not be any changing of my mind.  Of course, some of the stuff I stated I can tell that the interviewers disagree with from their body language and face expression.  They already wondered why I was considering this job considering my education and qualifications.

Back to the subject at hand.  The pastors said that maybe I would be good because hiring a colored person could possibly attract more colored people.  Those were not the exact words but that was some of what he was saying.  I had no problem with wanting to diversify but the way he was trying to go about it was not genuine to me.  First of all, I was stun and shock because being referred as colored in the 21st Century I did not want to fathom.  It is not like I did not know we had problems with race relations here in this country but with this guy being a pastor and was not selective in the use of his words.  Straight up, I was pissed and knew I did not need to work there anyway.  I thought about writing the church and him a letter to let them know that was not the correct language or verbiage to use, especially if you are trying to welcome an African American.  Well let me rephrase that, if you want me as a member of your church.  I will be honest, I do not think he was conscious of what he said but I felt I should have been the one to correct him.  I felt terrible because I let him get away with referring to me as colored.

I will not go into the other time but it was an old white man  who was providing business advice free of charged to individuals looking to start their own business.  Now, this guy I do know he was a racial bastard.  The whole conversation was made on assumptions to an extend because he thought I was trying to get grant money (which I had consider applying for grant money at the time).  That whole encounter is a story within itself.

I have no quarrels being called an African American or Black.  I feel like some African Americans though, why should I consider myself less or half of an American when my white counterparts does not.  With that said, I am not offended by being referred to as that [African American].  Some people may say I am being hypersensitive or what should I address you as.

How in the hell are you going to call me COLORED?  Everything has a color and is colored.  I do not get that term personally.  White is a colored so maybe I should have referred to those two individuals as colored people in returned.  I tell you what, the next person who calls me COLORED I will address right then and there no matter what the setting is.

I named the title of this blog after a book titled, “Black Like Me” written by John Howard Griffin.  If you have the time check the book out. 

“YOU WILL RESPECT ME SIMPLE NO MATTER WHAT.  YOU HAVE ONE MORE TIME TO CALL ME COLORED AND I WILL PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE”. – Arthur Gadson

THE DEFINITION ACCORDING TO THE HERTIAGE DICTIONARY I FOUNDED ONLINE:

ADJECTIVE:

1. Having color: colored tissue paper.
2. also Colored Often Offensive
   1. Of or belonging to a racial group not categorized as white.
   2. Black or African-American.
   3. Of mixed racial descent.
3. often Coloured South African Of or belonging to a population grouping made up of persons of mixed racial descent or of certain other nonwhite descent, especially as distinguished during apartheid from Blacks, Asians, or whites.
4. Distorted or biased, as by irrelevant or incorrect information.

NOUN:
pl. colored or coloreds

1. also Colored Offensive
   1. A person belonging to a racial group not categorized as white.
   2. A Black person; an African American.
   3. A person of mixed racial descent.
2. often Coloured South African A person belonging to the Coloured population grouping, especially during apartheid.

Usage Note:
As a racial label, colored can simply mean nonwhite, but in the United States its usage has generally been restricted to persons of African descent. Though long a preferred term among Black Americans, it lost favor as the 20th century progressed, and its use today is often taken to be offensive. In South Africa, where it is spelled as in British English and usually written uppercase, Coloured has generally been used to refer to persons of mixed racial descent as opposed to those of unmixed Black African, Asian, or European origin. Its use as an official ethnic label ended when apartheid was dismantled