Race relations have historically been really messed up in the United States. Nobody has ever really been able to get comfortable. It's like Butch Walker said. I could change, and you could change, but everybody would stay the same.

Black People have been called everything in the history of our country. Negro, Black, African American, and all sorts of other terms which can all have a derogatory connotation if used in such a manner.

But just as often, people become angry when words are used in a manner which was not intended to be offensive. This does not make sense to me. Don't be afraid to call anyone who helps you, hurts you, saves you, loves you, or anything else Black.

Why?

I don't call black people Negros, because I am not spanish, and do not refer to myself as Blanco.

I don't call black people African Americans, Because I do not refer to myself as European American.

I don't call black people Ebony Americans, because I do not refer to myself as an Ivory American.

Don't be afaraid to call me white, and I wont be afaraid to call you black. All it denotes is a diffrence of skin color. Any connotations you add to the words white or black are yours and yours alone, so just get over it, when someone is relevantly describing you and mentions your race in such a fashion, don't get offended, and when you are describing someone else in such a relevant fashion, don't be afaraid to unless you've added a bad connotation to that word in your own mind.

Of course, if you and me both realise this, it wont make a pennyworth of diffrence to our culture. It's like Butch Walker said, I could change, and you could change, but everybody would stay the same.

But at least you and me wont hate each other over nothing.