CORRECTION:
"Joe Scarborough refuse to listen to the detailed explanations both Jonathan Capehart and Al Sharpton offered on the fallacy of equating reactions to Harry Reid’s statement to the reactions to Trent Lott’s" - Racial Arrogance - the practice that some whites use to devalue the discourse of blacks despite the fact that they have little or no factual or experiential data to support their claim. Although anyone from any race can do this the narcissism of white privilege makes Scarborough's behavior common amongst some whites and predominant amongst conservatives.

"both Jonathan Capehart and Al Sharpton offered on the fallacy of equating reactions to Harry Reid’s statement to the reactions to Trent Lott’s. " - racial arrogance.

Honest Joe,
I am trying to look beyond your typical "blacks are (more) racist than whites dodge. What exactly do my comments reveal my "prejudice"? Exactly how "racial hatred and self loathing motivate" my comments?
Peace,
sejoseph

It seems that the Republicans and White America had a crystal ball concerning the future of America and began it's rallying cry against a united country regardless of color a long time ago. The battle for racial equality intensified with the election of the so called first black president of the United States of America. Even though "enough" whites and other groups beside just Black folks helped to elect him into the White House, racist within and without the Republican party have secretly harassed Black folk for too long, just because. Every time we move forward, the others are there. It's for us as a people, regardless of the President's inability to deal with race from the perspective of the average Black American, to be thankful for "our" progress, but remember it was still his move. obama is the President. It was a collective leap forward, if fought for, but a personal accomplishment that others seem to forget is in his heart. That's why the issue of race is so difficult to discuss. It was a personal victory. But collectively we shall overcome.......

Black people need to evolve into a healthy viable global people. First we need to stop the N word and the self hate we have for various skin tones in the black community and the black on black crime you see. Satan can't cast out satan. A house (race in this case) divided against itself can't stand. Blacks look at the world with segrated lens. And we solve nothing separately. First we must love God (Yahweh) then ourselves, our families, and our culture, our commnunities and then we can show love (compassion, forgiveness, hospitality etc.) to our fellow man and quit this finger pointing. Barack Obama is a black leader...of the free world not limited soley to the petty whims of just the black community. YOU DO THAT! I do that...And if he does assist 'his people' through the dark pigmentation of skin [which is becoming more and more tiresome to make that distinction]
if he does so correctively then recieve because we are a messed up people in many ways and have to be sensitive to how we are viewed collectively.

As a Caucasian American borned in Natchez Mississippi in 1942 I believe I have some knowledge and much ignorance on racial terms. Coming up we heard most white folks and some blacks call black people the now famous "N" word; However, my grandmother used the word nigras, darkies and colored as not to offend. I also remember the swing to negro from n_gger as a uncle of mine was asked by a black dock worker he had known for a while to not call his the prior. My uncle seemed amazed and replied "Listen Blue!" I don't call a chigger a chigro, so why would i call you a negro." Racism was alive and well, but my mother and I tried hard to not use any words that offended black folks. Negro was considered polite and proper in the 40's and 50's. Colored was also considered polite and was on water coolers, waiting rooms and other segregated signs around communities. I felt as a child that many white kids and younger guys were disrespectful to older black gentlemen and women by calling them boy or gal. Of course, all whites were called the same by other whites in charge or wealthy. I saw no reason to mistreat black people as a child or why they had all these different drinking and seating areas. You know, sometimes I had to do without a drink too, because some grownup might take offense to me drinking out of a colored fountain. We were ignorant of the hatred, but with all the laws and chances for young black children now they should go along way if they try. My children couldn't get scholarships like my fellow black workers, but that was the law then. I don't like Senator Reed because i find him arrogant like some professors and pastors i have met. I hope any black folks over the age of 50 will forgive my less concern for word terms since we lived during real racism. Some folks will make a living on the past and words that stir up the young who can't remember it. I must say I would find it strange to used the terms Caucasian American or European American when addressing my self. Of course, I suppose we all look for something to identify with and take personal pride in. Hopefully, we can all blend in someday. gumbo

Negro is not just a Spanish word. It is linked to a history and culture that supported white supremacy. It is still used in for historical reasons i.e UNCF, NAACP. Older blacks may use it interchangeably with black and African American, but using it to refer to a 47 year old black man by a white politician that has a pro-civil rights platform to use such a loaded word is very off putting. If a man like Reid feels comfortable using the word Negro, what do conservatives say about blacks behind closed doors?

Preach against us to stop calling each other niggas...and then work on the word Negro. Take the speck out of our own eye, before we try to remove it from our brothers or sisters of another race!

Everytime I read about someone whining about a white person calling a black person 'Negro' or any other offensive term, it all goes back to us doing the same thing! Once we as a race respect each other, don't demand it from any one else!

That is just common sense.

It's ALIVE!
CLDV: The brief answer to your inquiry is "no"-- the extended version is this: People should be referred to by the name they choose--the name they call themselves. Words matter and moreover the person deploying the word matters and the time of deployment and the space where the vernacular is used makes a difference too. Negro as a color of a pair of pants is different than Negro as a racial configuration. Let's be grown up about the whole thing -- racial distinctions are meant to wound and distinguish. White is colorless and normative, it always has been. We as subjected classes are in a double bind. We love our difference but are made to pay for being the thing that whites will never be but desire to become. Can we just use Negro as a color? No.

On another note: Peace and Blessings, Prayers and Sympathy go out to the victims of the Haitian earthquake. Lord have mercy.

Although the word "negro" is used causally but to many still looked upon as a racial term, shouldnt we just accept it as just a word to refer an african american or those with a dakr skin color. The word negro is a spanish word for black and when hispanics use the word to refer to a color, others assume they're talking about those of dark skin color.