December 3, 2003 Allow me to respond to Peter Venter's letter of November 27. The term "African" refers to indigenous people of Africa. Africans include all people of African ancestry living in continental Africa and throughout the world. Being African is not, as you say, a state of mind. It denotes race - always has and always will. White people living on the African continent are in no moral position to call themselves African. Please read the entire article at: http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=225&fArticleId=298909
Good article This sister nailed it pretty good in this article. But I'm curious now about who she includes or feels has the right to be called an African. If your blood is diluted but you identify as an African, are you excluded from this sister's definition?
I'm just wondering though, if whites cannot cal themselves "African", then does that mean that us blacks cannot be American's or Europeans?
I think the author of that post [good post, I agree 100%] has already answered your question. If you're of African descent and have a british accent, the next time a white asks you where you're from, tell them you're from England and watch their expression turn into one of denial and confusion, followed by a, "No, I mean where are you originally from" Whites don't consider blacks in Europe to be European, never have, never will, so neither should Africans consider Europeans who reside on the continent to be African. It has been my lifetime experience as a black man living in Europe [25 years] that British citizenship conferred upon me by right of birth makes no difference in the eyes of the natives. As far as they are concerned, I'm an African who happened to be born in England and as a consequence, do not have the right to be considered anything but African, you see it in their faces as soon as they lay eyes on you, "look, it's one of them" and I agree, I'm not European, not British [thankfully]. By that same token then, neither are whites living in Africa, African, never have been, never will be! What's that Malcolm said about babies and ovens? Peace