(Bloomberg) — Herman Cain, the beguilingly personable pizza mogul and Tea Party sweetheart who is showing well in the so-far uncompelling Republican presidential nomination campaign, threw a flag early in an interview I conducted with him last week. I had made the dire mistake of referring to him as African-American.
“I am an American. Black. Conservative,” he said, punctuating each aspect of his self-identity. “I don’t use African-American, because I’m American, I’m black and I’m conservative. I don’t like people trying to label me. African- American is socially acceptable for some people, but I am not some people.”
What is it about the word “African” that the candidate doesn’t particularly appreciate?
“Most of the ancestors that I can trace were born here in the United States of America,” he said, hitting those last four words with a hammer. “And then it goes back to slavery. And I’m sure my ancestors go all the way back to Africa, but I feel more of an affinity for America than I do for Africa. I’m a black man in America.”
Amen! African-American is a label designed to separate, along racial lines, I despise labels. The Left loves to label, then divide people to gain power.
darcprynce
Dave C
Gatordoug
I think the more America hears from Mr. Cain the more he will gain in popularity
I agree although he needs to be more specific on issues, as in the debate tonight, he was specific on reforming social security, but not on some other topics, and he was the only one who gave the right answer on Gay marriage.