Is this racist and what to do?

[fedup33]

I was in a group today and at coffee time, somebody mentioned 3 or 4 times that the term " black coffee" is unacceptable. Apparently on arrival in the US a relative had told them this, virtually as soon as they landed.

This sounds like the sort of guff surrounding " Ba ba black sheep". Its nonsense and it's racist. Sneeky racist bit still racist.

Never heard that.

I was told off for offering coffee ‘black or white’ about 20 years ago at work - never heard it other than that. I thought it was bonkers then and do now - I can’t see that it’s racist at all. I’d be interested to know why it’s considered that way though - did they say?

Well.. it's just the colour of the coffee as a consequence of adding no milk... is it not ?? 😵‍💫

My parents have started saying shit like this.

It’s very annoying.

It's nonsense

It seems to me ( in an all white group) that it's racist. A nod to " Oh how silly we can't say anything nowadays"

Black coffee is not a racist term if thats what you're asking. I suspect things like this actually come up as people trying to peddle the idea that 'wokery' abounds and political correctness has gone mad. I would bet my house the pushing of this rumour is not by black people. Its a bit like the idea the pets are being eaten.

This feels like a right wing moan of "everything is so woke nowadays", but as a white woman I'm certainly not an authority on the matter. Unless there's a cultural explanation in the background we are missing, references to this are just to the colour of the coffee in my view.

It’s not racist, op 😳
Lots of things are black and can be described as such without any racist intent whatsoever.
Like coffee, for example…
Do you think this sort of embarrassing nonsense helps to dispel real racism in any shape or form?

Chicken Nugget can be racist.

I actually have no idea what you are getting at?

You say it’s sneaky racist?

I can’t work out whether you are asking if black coffee is racist (it’s not) or if people talking about how her relative living in the US said it was and people were laughing and you think that is racist. TBH, I would laugh and I am not white. But I wouldn’t say ‘you can’t say anything nowadays’ as I don’t believe that to be true.

I have heard that from people in the US and think it’s ridiculous. But it was a long time ago I came across it. It’s not a mainstream or common thing. I was there last year for work and this never came up.

What??

Did they actually say ‘oh can’t say anything nowadays’?

Or was someone just sharing an anecdote?

Yes! That was the tone. Indignation and clearly lies. I doubt anybody would greet somebody after along flight with a warning about how to order coffee.

I suppose if it felt uncomfortable , it was. It wasn't said with the assumption that all the group would have a little ironic , right wing raise of the eyebrow.

If black coffee is racist then surely Black Friday is too

Its racist towards whites. It means cheap white meat.

Wow. Never heard that one.

I suppose, avoid using anything that might offend. If in doubt ask. But don't repeat it over and over, looking for a reaction.

The term black coffee in the context of coffee is not racist.

I agree making out it’s seen as politically incorrect term when it isn’t is subtle racism.

Ah so you think they made up a lie? To get in randomly ‘that you can’t say anything nowadays’.

How well do you know these people? Was it in a work setting?

If I thought someone was lying just to make I point, I would feel uncomfortable. But how do you know they were lying?

I think exaggeration if part of recalling a story. If someone says ‘as soon as I got off the plane she told me xyz’ I wouldn’t think it was literally as soon as they got the plane, like the first thing that was said.

Not sure you can do much. If they are friends or at a hobby, you could have said something like ‘did they really say that?, strange to say that as soon as you got off the plane?’

If it’s a work setting it’s more tricky. You can’t prove they lied but I would keep an eye out and see if this sort of thing comes from that person again. After all, if they got off the plane, met their relative and they got back to the house and were offered a drink and said ‘yes black coffee pls’ and then were told ‘saying black coffee is racist’, they are just recounting a story. Complaining or mentioning you think they have an ulterior motive with no proof, wouldn’t be helpful to you at all.

I don't think in general that it's racist, although I suppose someone could think of a way to do so. The only time I've ever encountered it was in Florida, in 2002. I was told off by the young woman serving me and that I had to say "Coffee without milk."

I've got a black cat, have I been offending him for years? What about my black trousers, do they have to go? Maybe we should just ban the word black all together. We could go a bit Voldermort and say 'the colour that must not be named' instead.

I'm more of a double chicken McCrispy, meself. Being called after a tiny little morsel of food adored by children wouldn't concern me a great deal.

Black is only interpreted as a racist adjective by people who think being black is inferior.

Or by people who think it’s a really funny non-racist joke about racism. which is ironically racist in its belittling of valid concerns black people have about how they are treated by wider society.