EPISODE 185 "BLACK, BROWN, WHATEVER""

I don't have a problem with who I am. I call my self a black person about 99% of the time. Rarely do I describe myself as an African American unless I'm shading in a box or circle on some sort of form. I just never have been the one to describe myself that way. Of course I'm not literally black, I am the color brown if anything, but I have never been bothered by someone identifying me as a "black" person. The topic of this show is should that bother me and does it bother you. You see much like a majority of people of color, aka "black" people, I have ancestors from the contentent of Africa. But I have never truely identified with that ancestory. I feel less african than I do white to be frank. The thing is, I know that is where some of my bloodline comes from, but I also know my bloodline has been tainted with Native American and White somewhere along the line. My last name is not an African name. It is not that I am ashamed in anyway that my people might have been slaves, but to call myself African American to me just doesnt make sense. I know that the term "black" people came from some racist cracka back in the day more than likely to attach us people of color with a negative term in the sense that "black" is deemed as "evil" or "bad". I get that. But since I really dont give a damn , nor do I let the term rule my thoughts or behavior I just never felt bad about it, like I never felt bad about calling white people white when some of them clearly are not. Its just a way to quickly identify someone, or maybe it's something more sinister? 1) What term should we use to describe ourselves (black people) and which do you prefer? 2) Do you think the term "African American" makes sense if you cant prove your people are from Africa? 3) Do you care if your last name is really your last name or a slave name? 4) How should people who are mixed describe themselves?