Politically Correct
Angelika And yet another all-American controversy unfolded in New York last week. There was a consideration to erect a bronze statue in honor of the firefighters who perished in action after the attack on the World Trade Center. It was decided to use the three firefighters who raised a huge American flag shortly after the attack as a model for the bronze figures (including the flag). The problem was that the real three firefighters were all white. This was deemed politically incorrect, and--just like that--it was decided to depict one white, one black, and one Latino firefighter. The firefighters in New York promptly protested, arguing that this completely distorted the actual event. Others countered that it was not about depicting reality but about the symbolic content. The fact is that almost the entire corps of firefighters in New York is composed of white individuals, which is surprising given that all skin colors are represented in New York. In any case, the project was initially put on hold. The artist is now considering other design possibilities.
Behaving politically correct is considered good manners, especially here in San Francisco; however, sometimes it can lead to some peculiar outcomes. But in principle, it's a good thing not to act like an insensitive oaf and, for example, to choose your words carefully. To prepare you for your next visit to America, here's a quick "crash course": Black Americans are referred to as "African American." You should definitely avoid using the terms that Black people use among themselves if you have a different skin color, as these are interpreted as insults.
Instead of "Indian", Americans refer to "Native Americans." The word "Indian" nowadays characterizes a person who comes from India. Referring to Asians as "Oriental" will earn you many disapproving looks; the correct term is "Asian-American." In general, caution is advised: not every person who looks Asian comes from China, so it's better to choose the broader category "Asian American."
People from Latin America are referred to here as either "Latinos" or "Hispanics," with endless discussions about which term is better. This debate begins with the definition of Latin America itself: Which countries are included, and which are not? Many are bothered by the fact that the term "Hispanic" emphasizes Spanish roots too much, as Spain ultimately dominated and oppressed Latin America. Others feel that both terms are overly generalized, so many Mexicans living here, for example, prefer to be called "Mexican American" or something similar. But, at the moment, neither "Latino" nor "Hispanic" is completely off the mark.
When filling out official forms in America, one typically encounters the phenomenon of having to check off their ethnic affiliation. This still feels strange to me and not politically correct at all. I remember the first time I came across the term "Caucasian" and had no idea what it meant. In my desperation, I checked the "Other" category and wrote "white" on the corresponding line, which later turned out to be unnecessary because "Caucasian" means exactly that. By the way, the "Other" category is now included on every form, as many people find it difficult to assign themselves to a specific ethnic group and/or terminology.
