A color complex

If you didn't know it by now, I am a black man.

So, being a black man, there are certain things I just don't tolerate. One of the things that's high on my "I don't tolerate this shit!" list is ignorance from white people. When they speak to me, they better speak correctly. Don't use ni--er, or try to be hip-hop, especially if you really are not. Some people can pass, and have a working knowledge, but on average no.

Where am I headed with this? I was talking to a white friend the other day, and he was trying to explain this particular girl to me. His description sounded something similar to this, "black girl, about your height, long hair, big rack, hangs with so and so". That's a pretty good, and average description except for one thing, he doesn't explain her skin tone to me. Which brings me to today's question.

Is it acceptable for white people to call describe black people by a shade of brown? I mean, have you ever heard a white boy describe a siser as mocha, dark-chocolate, or even yellow? Can they do this? How am I supposed to react? Personally, it seems ok for them to describe a sister as coffee, or bright, or even brown. But I don't want some white dude calling a brother midnight black, or blue-black, or even charcoal.

The main point is this, as far as we have claim to come in racial relations, in actuality we haven't even begun to open up racial dialogue. Until the day a white man can say did you see that dark lil' black boy run by here...I know we have a long way to go.