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LIMOMx2
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Member since 5/05 24989 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
I am not floored at all. I hear this word often.
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Posted 5/8/07 8:48 AM  |
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munchkinbugs
My little loves!
Member since 1/06 8093 total posts
Name:
Lisa
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Re: Colored?!!!
I always thought that was a word we shouldn't use. But then Oprah said it the other day on her show referring to herself. I thought "why is she saying that??" I guess it's not as bad as I thought it was.
I don't know what's acceptable or not, so I don't say anything at all.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:02 AM |
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CaseyGirl
Mommy to 3 Boys :)
Member since 5/05 19978 total posts
Name:
Jen - counting my blessings...
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Re: Colored?!!!
Although it was not right or PC of her to call him that, she should know better but I guess she is a little ignorant...back when they were growing up, it was common to say that...my grandma says it all the time  and my dad asks her what color? blue? purple? 
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:04 AM |
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SweetestOfPeas
J'taime Paris!
Member since 3/06 32345 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
that's definitely an antiquated way of saying African American, but condsidering her age... I don't know. I don't think she meant any harm
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:04 AM |
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DaniJude
You're My Home <3
Member since 11/06 14815 total posts
Name:
Danielle
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by babybug631
I always thought that was a word we shouldn't use. But then Oprah said it the other day on her show referring to herself. I thought "why is she saying that??" I guess it's not as bad as I thought it was.
I don't know what's acceptable or not, so I don't say anything at all.
LOL I guess that's a good rule of thumb- we should all just refrain from speaking! 
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:24 AM |
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Jesaroo
is not the girl you knew
Member since 5/05 14266 total posts
Name:
Jes
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Re: Colored?!!!
its a generation thing.
my grandma says that too. she doesnt know any better.
who knows what we say now that will end up being taboo in 40 years time.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:30 AM |
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leighla
Support Cancer Research
Member since 5/05 16353 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Colored?!!!
Danielle, I have to say, I would have been just as shocked as you.
I don't think the term colored is acceptable any more and if I heard her say that I probably would have corrected her.
To say that it's just a generational thing and let it go isn't an excuse to me.
What if she said n*gger? Would that be okay if she always said it before from her generation?
I know "colored" is lesser degree word, but it is still a term that most of my African American friends would bristle at.
I always correct my grandma when she says stuff like that.
Actually, what I probably would have said was "Why does it matter that he's black - that has nothing to do with the story?"
But that's just me.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:39 AM |
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Shelly
She's 7!!!
Member since 8/05 14624 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
My grandparents, Jews from Poland and Israel came to thsi country in the 60's But they still spoke Yiiddish and Hebrew all the time.
I remember I heard my grandfather say "shvartza" in reference to a person. I was so offended, but so young I didn't want to say anything. I had never known him to be racist at all so I was very shocked.
Then he said the word in reference to my black jacket. Its then I reallized that Shvartza actually means the color black. He had no idea what connotation the word carried. He was just translating literally from the appropriate word in English.
I wouldn't be surprised that to a person in their 60's, "colored" was the PC version of other words used at that time.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:47 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by Shelly
My grandparents, Jews from Poland and Israel came to thsi country in the 60's But they still spoke Yiiddish and Hebrew all the time.
I remember I heard my grandfather say "shvartza" in reference to a person. I was so offended, but so young I didn't want to say anything. I had never known him to be racist at all so I was very shocked.
Then he said the word in reference to my black jacket. Its then I reallized that Shvartza actually means the color black. He had no idea what connotation the word carried. He was just translating literally from the appropriate word in English.
I wouldn't be surprised that to a person in their 60's, "colored" was the PC version of other words used at that time.
Nowadays, people still use it and many do know it is a derrogatory term that has evolved from a legitimate language - especially if they have been here in the US for a considerable amount of time. Sometimes they just do not think the group they are targeting understands - trust me - they do. That goes across the board though. I am pretty well versed in what ethnic slurs are geared towards my culture. I just don't use them.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:54 AM |
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Jesaroo
is not the girl you knew
Member since 5/05 14266 total posts
Name:
Jes
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by leighla
Danielle, I have to say, I would have been just as shocked as you.
I don't think the term colored is acceptable any more and if I heard her say that I probably would have corrected her.
To say that it's just a generational thing and let it go isn't an excuse to me.
What if she said n*gger? Would that be okay if she always said it before from her generation?
I know "colored" is lesser degree word, but it is still a term that most of my African American friends would bristle at.
I always correct my grandma when she says stuff like that.
Actually, what I probably would have said was "Why does it matter that he's black - that has nothing to do with the story?"
But that's just me.
but it IS a generational thing. thats why it is ok.
someone said that ignorance due to generation is acceptable.
youre basically correcting them for being their age. thats not fair to me.
i think to compare colored to ni**er are is ridiculous to be honest. even when that word was commonly used, they knew it was a derogatory term. unlike colored.
if you would correct her i would think that was VERY rude. correcting your grandmother is very very different than correcting a stranger.
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| Posted 5/8/07 9:55 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by ThusSpokeLaLolita
Posted by leighla
Danielle, I have to say, I would have been just as shocked as you.
I don't think the term colored is acceptable any more and if I heard her say that I probably would have corrected her.
To say that it's just a generational thing and let it go isn't an excuse to me.
What if she said n*gger? Would that be okay if she always said it before from her generation?
I know "colored" is lesser degree word, but it is still a term that most of my African American friends would bristle at.
I always correct my grandma when she says stuff like that.
Actually, what I probably would have said was "Why does it matter that he's black - that has nothing to do with the story?"
But that's just me.
but it IS a generational thing. thats why it is ok.
someone said that ignorance due to generation is acceptable.
youre basically correcting them for being their age. thats not fair to me.
i think to compare colored to ni**er are is ridiculous to be honest. even when that word was commonly used, they knew it was a derogatory term. unlike colored.
if you would correct her i would think that was VERY rude. correcting your grandmother is very very different than correcting a stranger.
I agree with Jess. Having parents who are senior citizens, I learned one thing. It is rare that people over a certain age have epiphanies and do an entire personality change whether it deals with social, behavioral or health issues. I would suggest the best thing to do is to teach future generations tolerance and show them examples of how intolerance has a negative effect on society.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:00 AM |
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Shelly
She's 7!!!
Member since 8/05 14624 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by Goldi0218
Posted by Shelly
My grandparents, Jews from Poland and Israel came to thsi country in the 60's But they still spoke Yiiddish and Hebrew all the time.
I remember I heard my grandfather say "shvartza" in reference to a person. I was so offended, but so young I didn't want to say anything. I had never known him to be racist at all so I was very shocked.
Then he said the word in reference to my black jacket. Its then I reallized that Shvartza actually means the color black. He had no idea what connotation the word carried. He was just translating literally from the appropriate word in English.
I wouldn't be surprised that to a person in their 60's, "colored" was the PC version of other words used at that time.
Nowadays, people still use it and many do know it is a derrogatory term that has evolved from a legitimate language - especially if they have been here in the US for a considerable amount of time. Sometimes they just do not think the group they are targeting understands - trust me - they do. That goes across the board though. I am pretty well versed in what ethnic slurs are geared towards my culture. I just don't use them.
True- but I am talking about over 25 years ago, when I was a little kid.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:02 AM |
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Goldi0218
My miracles!
Member since 12/05 23902 total posts
Name:
Leslie
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by Shelly
True- but I am talking about over 25 years ago, when I was a little kid.
Ah ok.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:04 AM |
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Shelly
She's 7!!!
Member since 8/05 14624 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by Goldi0218
Posted by Shelly
True- but I am talking about over 25 years ago, when I was a little kid.
Ah ok.
Wow. I feel very old right about now. I was going to type 20 years ago- but then I realized, the ealry 80's were closer to 30 years ago. 
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:06 AM |
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yankinmanc
Happy Days!
Member since 8/05 18208 total posts
Name:
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Re: Colored?!!!
In the UK its quite a common term, only recently have most people stopped calling mixed race people "half caste"
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:07 AM |
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leighla
Support Cancer Research
Member since 5/05 16353 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by ThusSpokeLaLolita
but it IS a generational thing. thats why it is ok.
someone said that ignorance due to generation is acceptable.
youre basically correcting them for being their age. thats not fair to me.
And to me it's not right to let someone say something simply because "it was acceptable back then".
If you don't let someone know it's not acceptable NOW, then how do they learn?
Is it okay for them to teach their children to say those words because that's what the family has always said?
That's how racism and derogatory words continue to have a life. Children learn from their parents.
I'm not saying to berate them. I'm saying gently say to them "You know, colored isn't exactly a word that most people use today. You may want to say black or african american - colored could offend some people."
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:07 AM |
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J9-13
We're gonna be big sisters!
Member since 6/06 14887 total posts
Name:
J9
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by beautyq115
My Grandma still uses that word...I know now it is not the correct word to use but she is in her 90's. She does not use it in a negative way this is just the word that she uses.
ETA...My Grandma really doesn't even know that it is not acceptable. She is set in her ways
My grandmother is EXACTLY the same way. She is 91.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:07 AM |
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Jesaroo
is not the girl you knew
Member since 5/05 14266 total posts
Name:
Jes
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by leighla
And to me it's not right to let someone say something simply because "it was acceptable back then".
If you don't let someone know it's not acceptable NOW, then how do they learn?
Is it okay for them to teach their children to say those words because that's what the family has always said?
That's how racism and derogatory words continue to have a life. Children learn from their parents.
I'm not saying to berate them. I'm saying gently say to them "You know, colored isn't exactly a word that most people use today. You may want to say black or african american - colored could offend some people."
i think by correcting then you would be berating them.
the thing is they dont think its being racist.
you mentioned somehitng about tehm teaching their children these words... but their children are now adults and living in THIS generation, so they know the proper use of the words.
i mean, like i said, my grandma says colored but my mom doesnt.
alot of ppl find the wording "african american" to be incorrect as they are no longer african, but only american.... but we dont go around corrcting people.
its for me to teach my CHILDREN the correct words, not my elders. JMO
and to be honest, since older people have been saying ti their whole life, its not that easy to change. as with many other things. it is the way THEY speak. and what they leanred as being socailly acceptable. i dont know, i just dont think they would change their words because someone on line at hte store told them they were wrong. i think you would only insult them in the end.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:15 AM |
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leighla
Support Cancer Research
Member since 5/05 16353 total posts
Name:
Lauren
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by ThusSpokeLaLolita
i think by correcting then you would be berating them.
the thing is they dont think its being racist.
you mentioned somehitng about tehm teaching their children these words... but their children are now adults and living in THIS generation, so they know the proper use of the words.
i mean, like i said, my grandma says colored but my mom doesnt.
alot of ppl find the wording "african american" to be incorrect as they are no longer african, but only american.... but we dont go around corrcting people.
its for me to teach my CHILDREN the correct words, not my elders. JMO
and to be honest, since older people have been saying ti their whole life, its not that easy to change. as with many other things. it is the way THEY speak. and what they leanred as being socailly acceptable. i dont know, i just dont think they would change their words because someone on line at hte store told them they were wrong. i think you would only insult them in the end.
I find it insulting that someone would use what I deem to be an offensive term in front of me. If I don't speak up I allow it to continue.
And I think you underestimate the power family has over their children. I have aunts and uncles who use the words Spic and N*gger and now their children do too - you can't always assume they are going to learn the right thing.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:29 AM |
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Jesaroo
is not the girl you knew
Member since 5/05 14266 total posts
Name:
Jes
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Re: Colored?!!!
i think youre right we shoudl agree to disagree.
i guess the main difference is that you DO find it offensive and i DON't.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:32 AM |
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mtnmama
Member since 5/06 4794 total posts
Name:
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Message edited 6/12/2009 3:34:56 PM.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:34 AM |
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alnem
This is gonna be a good year!
Member since 2/06 9562 total posts
Name:
Emily
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Re: Colored?!!!
as a person of ethnicity i dont get offended when people say "oriental" instead of "asian"...i actually giggle cause a person cant BE oriental only objects can.  (like a rug or a vase but not a person).
i would be floored if i heard "colored". some people just dont know any better. i would ONLY be floored if they used it in a very derogatory way.
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:54 AM |
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Kara
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Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
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They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Colored?!!!
Posted by Shelly
I wouldn't be surprised that to a person in their 60's, "colored" was the PC version of other words used at that time.
Uh, my parents are in their mid-60s and have never used the word colored... neither have any of their friends...
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| Posted 5/8/07 10:57 AM |
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