I see people put this term out there alot now, and every time I see it I can not help but think that it is a ignorant and belittling write off of non white people. To demonstrate lets take 4 races that are "People of color" and compare them
1. Hispanics
2. Arabs
3. Blacks
4. Natives.
The first group has a very long ancient on the iberian peninsula and have been major players in western politics since they were conquered by Rome. They were a people of renown in the middle ages and drove the age of discovery. Notably they engaged in slavery and often bought aslaves from African princes that had defeated their enemies.
Arabs. They have been prominent in world history since the bronze age, living in the middleast and parts of the Mediterranean. Some notable things are that they are the progneters of many modern sciences and were the last to disengage in slave raids.
Africans/blacks. They are the mother population of humanity and are responsible for a number of great civilizations, the nubians and Carthaginians coming to mind. Contrary to popular belief they were not actively enslaved by the white man but instead enslaved each other as part of the constant intertribal struggles.
Natives of North America. These people lived for 1000s of years with mesolithic technology. Also they have more extensive contact and cultural co-evolution with whites then any race listed above. They also have far fewer heinous war crimes to their name.
Even with just a few sentences you can demonstrate how these cultures often have less in common with each then they do with white people despite all being labelled "people of color". For example if Ethiopian black man and a polyneisan man meet what would they have in common besides skin color? Very little. Where as lets say for a minute that same black man meets a white man, what might they have in common upon meeting? Well religion is a safe bet (Ethiopians have a native form of Christianity).
My final point is that cultures and races swept under the term people of color often have less inncommon with each other then " white people"
1. Hispanics
2. Arabs
3. Blacks
4. Natives.
The first group has a very long ancient on the iberian peninsula and have been major players in western politics since they were conquered by Rome. They were a people of renown in the middle ages and drove the age of discovery. Notably they engaged in slavery and often bought aslaves from African princes that had defeated their enemies.
Arabs. They have been prominent in world history since the bronze age, living in the middleast and parts of the Mediterranean. Some notable things are that they are the progneters of many modern sciences and were the last to disengage in slave raids.
Africans/blacks. They are the mother population of humanity and are responsible for a number of great civilizations, the nubians and Carthaginians coming to mind. Contrary to popular belief they were not actively enslaved by the white man but instead enslaved each other as part of the constant intertribal struggles.
Natives of North America. These people lived for 1000s of years with mesolithic technology. Also they have more extensive contact and cultural co-evolution with whites then any race listed above. They also have far fewer heinous war crimes to their name.
Even with just a few sentences you can demonstrate how these cultures often have less in common with each then they do with white people despite all being labelled "people of color". For example if Ethiopian black man and a polyneisan man meet what would they have in common besides skin color? Very little. Where as lets say for a minute that same black man meets a white man, what might they have in common upon meeting? Well religion is a safe bet (Ethiopians have a native form of Christianity).
My final point is that cultures and races swept under the term people of color often have less inncommon with each other then " white people"
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
