Glenn Beck Suggests ‘African American’ Is a Stupid Term

Glenn Beck is always saying something outrageous. Particularly if it has anything to do with race and pertains to African Americans. This go-round, he may have taken his desire for attention too far. Like a child with ADHD he seems to be incapable of behaving himself. In a recent interview, the conservative radio talk show host asked, “Is the term ‘colored’ such a bad thing?” Beck went on to suggest that for blacks to refer to themselves as African Americans is “ridiculously stupid,” adding that the terms”black” and “colored” were more appropriate.

It is Beck’s belief that using the term colored in 2011 is “completely fine” adding“we have been made to feel bad about saying colored” and the term African American is a “superman cultural distinction.”

During a discussion of his “Restoring Courage” rally in Jerusalem, Beck asked his co-host, Pat Gray,”Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you feel ridiculously stupid everywhere in Africa, in Europe, in South America, in Jerusalem when you would say the words ‘African American?’ ”

Attempting to frame his suggestion, he employed the example of South Africa saying “In South Africa, it’s ‘black’ and ‘colored.’ ” Adding insult to injury, Beck inferred that the use of the descriptive term was anti-American and unpatriotic. Beck stated, “You weren’t over in Africa. Your great, great grandfather was, your great, great, great grandfather may have been, but you weren’t,” he said. “Sure, this country sucked for blacks. Sucked. Beyond sucked, for a long time. But it doesn’t now. It doesn’t now. Be proud to be an American.”

Glenn Beck is an example of what is wrong with American political culture.  He is merely an extension of Newt Gingrich and tea party enthusiasts who think they can take America back to the times of Jim Crow or the Ante-Bellum South in which African Americans were second-class citizens and not worthy of the same rights of liberty and self-determination as whites.

–torrance stephens, ph.d.