Diversity... what you need to know

[Flash]

How can you be 'African American' if you didn't emigrate from a country in Africa???

Because the government and many people themsleves identify themselves as such, just like many folks identify themselves as Irish-American because their great-grandfather came over from the old country 120 years ago. Got a problem with that? Good for you, and good luck changing it.

 

[BackOrdered]

How can you be 'African American' if you didn't emigrate from a country in Africa???

Who cares?

 

[Spekkio]

Jeez, it was a tongue in cheek comment.

And it was more directed at the fact that "African American" is PC codeword for "black," despite the fact that white people (and Arabs who are technically white but don't identify as such) live in Africa, too.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Jeez, it was a tongue in cheek comment.

And it was more directed at the fact that "African American" is PC codeword for "black," despite the fact that white people (and Arabs who are technically white but don't identify as such) live in Africa, too.

So what you are saying is that Charlize Theron could put African-American on her OCS application.

 

[Renegade One]

So what you are saying is that Charlize Theron could put African-American on her OCS application.

Yes, although I think she exceeds the age limitations for OCS. Next question?

 

[exNavyOffRec]

There is a map that shows how the US views people of the world and a big part of Africa says "African Americans", a buddy of mine lives in the UK and people from the US that go to work there will often refer to blacks there as "African American" because it is what we are told to use here to describe race, a friend of mine though hates the term, in his family they refer to themselves as "black"

 

[Renegade One]

There is a map that shows how the US views people of the world and a big part of Africa says "African Americans", a buddy of mine lives in the UK and people from the US that go to work there will often refer to blacks there as "African American" because it is what we are told to use here to describe race, a friend of mine though hates the term, in his family they refer to themselves as "black"

Interesting, but if it's a problem, it's a problem of their own making.

I'm no longer accepting any penalty flags from the PC Police because the constantly changing vocabulary of appropriate terms doesn't meet everyone's needs. If you actually live in America…"American" works best for me.

I can actually hear "Native American" drums beating right now…even though they, too, actually came from somewhere else…originally. As did my grandfathers and grandmothers.

 

[Tycho_Brohe]

I can actually hear "Native American" drums beating right now…even though they, too, actually came from somewhere else…originally. As did my grandfathers and grandmothers.

I believe the PC term for that is now "American Indian." Splitting hairs, really, since "indian/indigenous" and "native" are synonyms. Also, I thought "black" was now acceptable vice African-American, since the latter implies that someone is A) from Africa, and B) American, neither of which is necessarily true.
Really, though, all this PC-ness is driving me nuts. Like getting told we can't call them Irish pennants anymore, even though that's exactly what we are, and I've never met someone who's actually remotely offended by that term.

 

[Flash]

So what you are saying is that Charlize Theron could put African-American on her OCS application.

Well, if it was a choice maybe but.......

......I thought "black" was now acceptable vice African-American, since the latter implies that someone is A) from Africa, and B) American, neither of which is necessarily true.......

Every official form I remember asking for ethnicity/race/whatever has had white/caucasian, black and asian etc. and not 'African-American'.

I believe the PC term for that is now "American Indian." Splitting hairs, really, since "indian/indigenous" and "native" are synonyms.......

In Canada it is not acceptable to use 'Indian' when referring to Native Americans/Indians, they are referred to as 'First Nations'.

 

[jmcquate]

I'm from Ohio, which box would I check?

 

[Renegade One]

we can't call them Irish pennants anymore, even though that's exactly what we are, and I've never met someone who's actually remotely offended by that term.

By God, son, you're getting on the fighting side of me!!!

I had hoped the terms:
"Irish pennants", which refers to slovenly, tattered sails and running rigging…
"Paddy Wagon"…a pejorative term used in Boston and New York, primarily, to describe vehicles used to transport persons of Irish descent to jail…i.e, "the usual suspects".
"No Irish Need Apply": Self explanatory signs in American mills, mines and Union Halls of the 19th/20th centuries…
"Drunk as an Irish Lord": a reprehensible slap in the face to the looked-down-upon members of the Irish Peerage…
"Bog Trotters": Irish small or tenant farmers…Irish who relied on cutting peat moss from bogs for fuel...
"Mick": Derogatory term for persons of Irish descent…
"Mackerel Snappers": Also "Fish Eaters"; persons of particular European descent and/or religious affiliations, particularly Catholic and/or Irish Catholic.

...would have, by now, disappeared from the American lexicon. Apparently not….

Don't even get me started on whitey, white boy, white bread, wonder bread, cracker, honky, grey, ofay, redneck, cloud, gringo, milky, pale-face, round-eye, etc.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

To sum up the first post again, there are no "diversity spots" when it comes to selection boards. If you're competitve, there's a great chance you'll be selected based off your qualifications (GPA, ASTB, rec letters, etc.) and not based off your gender/race.

 

[jcj]

By God, son, you're getting on the fighting side of me!!!

I had hoped the terms:
"Irish pennants", which refers to slovenly, tattered sails and running rigging…
"Paddy Wagon"…a pejorative term used in Boston and New York, primarily, to describe vehicles used to transport persons of Irish descent to jail…i.e, "the usual suspects".
"No Irish Need Apply": Self explanatory signs in American mills, mines and Union Halls of the 19th/20th centuries…
"Drunk as an Irish Lord": a reprehensible slap in the face to the looked-down-upon members of the Irish Peerage…
"Bog Trotters": Irish small or tenant farmers…Irish who relied on cutting peat moss from bogs for fuel...
"Mick": Derogatory term for persons of Irish descent…
"Mackerel Snappers": Also "Fish Eaters"; persons of particular European descent and/or religious affiliations, particularly Catholic and/or Irish Catholic.
COMMACSNAP = Catholic Chaplain
...would have, by now, disappeared from the American lexicon. Apparently not….

Don't even get me started on whitey, white boy, white bread, wonder bread, cracker, honky, grey, ofay, redneck, cloud, gringo, milky, pale-face, round-eye, etc.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I am not touching the topic of this thread with a 10 foot pole.

 

[e6bflyer]

To sum up the first post again, there are no "diversity spots" when it comes to selection boards. If you're competitve, there's a great chance you'll be selected based off your qualifications (GPA, ASTB, rec letters, etc.) and not based off your gender/race.

Just like there are no "diversity spots" for screen boards or any non-statutory board for that matter....but it certainly helps to be "diverse". I say screw it, check the blocks that you can remotely identify with and let the cards fall. In this age, it is a disadvantage to be a white male.
There used to be a HSL dude in VT-3 who grew up in South Africa. He jokingly referred to himself as African American even though he is white. I say take that a step further and make it official.