The Breakfast Club - The Breakfast Club Debates The 'Colored' Conversation: Is It Offensive?

Episode Date: July 17, 2023

The Breakfast Club Debates The 'Colored' Conversation: Is It Offensive?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God.

What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. We need help! That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast

Post Run High is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay.

Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best. And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, y'all. Niminy here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman, Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop.

Flash, slam, another one gone. Bash, bam, another one gone. The crack of the bat and another one gone. The tip of the cap, there's another one gone. Each episode is about a different, inspiring figure from history. Like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it.

And it began with me. Did you know, did you know? I wouldn't give up my seat. Nine months before Rosa, it was called a woman. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you listen to podcasts. It's topic time. Call 800-585-1051 to join into the discussion with the breakfast club let's talk about it morning everybody it's dj nv charlamagne the guy we are the breakfast club now we're taking your calls 800-585-1051 if you just join us during front page news we were talking about arizona republican referring to black americans as colored people What's his name? I don't know his name. Let's play the audio. Mr. Chairman, though, that was unbelievably inspiring. My amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or black people or anybody can serve, okay? It has nothing to do with color of your skin, any of that stuff.

What we want to preserve and maintain is the fact that our military does not become a social experiment. We want the best of that stuff. What we want to preserve and maintain is the fact that our military does not become a social experiment. We want the best of the best. We want to have standards that guide who's in what unit, what they do. And I'm going to tell you guys right now, the Russians, the Chinese, the Iranians, the North Koreans, they are not doing this because they want the strongest military possible. I'd like to be recognized to have the words colored people stricken from the record. I find it offensive and very inappropriate. Is the gentlelady asking for unanimous consent to take down the words?

I am asking for unanimous consent to take down the words of referring to me or any of my colleagues as colored people. The congressman's name is Eli Crane. Eli Crane is his name. Look, I'm not saying that colored people is not offensive because everything is about context. There's absolutely a context where colored people can be offensive. But I don't think that was one of those times. And if colored people is offensive, then we need to have a meeting because we use colored people all the time in various ways. We say people of color and people of color is just saying colored people with better grammar.

And double ACP is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Hell, in the way in intro, they say we're happy and we're singing and we're colored. So all I'm saying is if colored is offensive, colored people is offensive. And we need to have a meeting and revise some things. Don't you think? Well, I mean, the Wayans brothers are black, so they can say colored just like they can say the N-word. They can say it if they want. But when it comes to anybody on the outside race using it, I don't like it.

I think it's offensive. And if people don't like it, it just doesn't feel right. It doesn't sit right with me. How do you feel about people of color when they say people, when they refer to us and brown people as people of color? Because that's just saying colored people with better with better grammar i mean i don't really hear people said i said people here say black people i said everybody's african color what do you mean people of color is used every day they use that term all the time they lump us all in they be like people of color diversity and inclusion when they say people of color they

usually use they mean what black people they mean brown When they say people of color, they usually mean what? Black people? They mean brown people? They can mean Indian people. It can mean Spanish people. It can mean so many different people. But colored people means black people. That's not true. When you refer to, let's say, somebody Spanish or somebody Indian or somebody, they don't refer to them as colored people.

Colored people is referred to as black people. My point is, people of color, colored people, it's the same thing. You're just using better grammar. But if people are offended by it, people are offended by it to as black. My point is people of color, colored people. It's the same thing. You're just using better grammar. But if people are offended by it, people are offended by it. Maybe we shouldn't say it. It seems like every other organizational group, if they say they offended by it, people stop using it. The LGBTQ community is what there were words that we would say back in the 80s. That's right.

That that would refer to, like, for instance, homosexual. Right now, I don't think I can use that term referring to him. You can't say homosexual. I don't think so. Shut up, Envy. Why you make me sit sometimes? Yes, you can say homosexual. That's when you can't say homosexual. Take the sexual love. You can't say that part anymore. Well, that's different. But back then, you could. Same thing with a...

I know you couldn't back then, by the way. No, you couldn't. There's never been a time you could just call somebody the homosexual without the sexual. I don't remember that time. Maybe a little person. Little person. Before, you would say midget.

Now, you can't say midget. I still say midget. Little person sounds more offensive. Well, the little people. Well, you are a little person. So, you know what? Let's go to the floor. All I'm simply saying is, and by the way, when people are offended, they call their organizations, right?

To have their back. Yes. So, if I'm offended by the word colored people, I got to call the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. when people are offended they call their organizations right to have their back yes so if i'm offended by the word colored people i gotta call the national association for the advancement of colored people to have my back you know you see how stupid that sounds oh my god all right well let's go to the phone lines vivian good morning good morning how are you i'm sorry for laughing vivian charlamagne's a jerk and i hate him, but go ahead, Vivian. Yes. I'm calling because I disagree with Charlamagne.

He's saying, okay, first of all, it was established in 1909. Back then, the term colored was accepted and not to mention it wasn't exclusively for blacks. It was really for people of color.

And as time goes on, there are... Yes. I just told him that. So why would you say, why would it be called The National Association For the N-word

That wouldn't even be considered Oh because And there are a lot of terms Mm-hmm Oh I was gonna say Because the nighttime There are a lot of I'm sorry go ahead

I was gonna say There are a lot of terms That over time Become unacceptable Like the term The R-word You know for people With mental illnesses

Over time that became That's my point Back then There was words That were okay That we changed And you talk about She talk about Okay The R word, you know, for people with mental illnesses. Over time, that became... That's the point. Back then, there was words that were okay that we changed. And you're talking about... She's talking about... And we're not talking about the word retarded. People don't like that word.

Okay. Now it's a different word. Same thing with midget. Same thing with these LGBTQ words. Can we take a step back for a second? I concede that both of y'all are correct. I don't disagree with any of those points. But what I'm simply saying is, why do we still call it the NAACP then?

Why do we still say people of color? That's all I'm saying. So what should we change it to? I don't disagree with any of those points, but what I'm simply saying is, why do we still call it the NAACP then? Why do we still say people of color? That's all I'm saying. So what should we change it to? I don't know. What should we change it to? I'm just saying it just feels crazy. Because this is an established organization. It's been around for over 100 years.

You know, to change it now, it just wouldn't sound right if you asked me. But that don't make any sense. If we're saying that colored people is offensive, why wouldn't we change? And you're telling me that over time, colored people has gotten more offensive. Why wouldn't we tell them to change the name of the organization? We should then. Hello, who's this? This is Kim.

Hey, Kim. Good morning. What's your thoughts? I completely disagree with what Charlamagne is talking about. Charlamagne, you have got to take a second and think about the words that you're saying. You're listening to respond, but you're not listening to understand. Yes, ma'am if the naacp was started in 1909 it makes perfectly good sense the context text of the word matters like how he was saying it was in a derogatory manner it's the same way we use the n-word in

our culture it's accepted within our culture but we know surely when somebody's saying it in a negative way so you can't just keep saying oh this organization uses it so why is it defensive offensive it's absolutely offensive the way it was spoken do you think that makes sense like you think it makes perfectly okay so let me ask you a question we're saying that the term colored people is offensive right you're saying that i'm saying in the context that it was used and the way it was used was offensive i don't think the context that he used it in on that floor is offensive i think there is a way that that uh word can be used in the context that offensive but not the way he used it just now on that floor 800-585-1051 we're gonna take more calls if you're just joining us

um arizona republican uh he was on the house floor and referred to black americans as colored people we're asking what your thoughts will play the audio when we come back it's the breakfast club good morning it's topic time call 800-585-1051 to join into the discussion with the breakfast club morning everybody it's dj nv charlamagne the guy we are the breakfast club if you're just joining us we're talking about arizona republican on the house floor referred to black americans his name is eli crane eli crane and here's the audio mr chairman though that was unbelievably inspiring my amendment has nothing to do with whether or not colored people or black people or anybody can serve okay it has nothing to do with mr speaker any of that stuff what we want to preserve and maintain is the fact that our

military does not become you can stop it right there and listen colored people absolutely can be offensive but everything is about context you know there's absolutely a context where colored people can be offensive i don't think that was one of those times. And once again, I'm going to keep saying this. If colored people is now offensive, then we need to have a meeting about the term people of color. Because that's just saying colored people with better grammar. And we definitely need to have a conversation about the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Right. It's like the term when you refer to Jewish people. Right. And you take off ISH. Right.

But for years, people would just say, hey, the so-and-so live in that area. It wasn't supposed to mean derogatory. It was how people would say it. Then we realized that they didn't like it, that it was derogatory. So we don't say that word. Now we say Jewish.

But no, it's still a context to that too, though. Because, you know, you can say, I remember we had the head of the ADL up here, Jonathan Greenblatt, and we talked about that. And he said it's all about context because there's a like you can say that word shortened

in a negative context look at it we won't even say the word because we don't we don't necessarily understand I try not to practice bad habits because we don't know you know what I mean

I've been trying to stop saying the N word for years that's a damn lie I have you called me you said N word the other day because you be acting like one I try not to say it

but I can't think of no other word see let's go to the phone lines hello who's this hey this is Shanae You said N-word the other day. Because you be acting like one. I tried not to say it, but I can't think of no other word. See? Let's go to the phone lines. Hello, who's this? Hey, this is Shanice. Hey, Shan. Good morning.

What's your thoughts? So I'm not against color. That's because black women have different beautiful colored children. But I do think we need to look at the word minority a little bit. Just because what's the opposite of minority? Majority, right? Yep. Why are we left-handed, you know? Okay. I mean, that's just a numbers thing. minority a little bit just because what's the opposite of minorities majority right yep why are we left in you know okay i mean that's just a numbers thing i don't i get what she's saying but it's just a numbers but minority means is we're low in numbers as opposed to the majority

of people which is but if you put all the colors together we're the majority the colors together with a majority is King from Oxnard. What's up, King? Talk to us, brother. What's up, Envy? I wanted to talk about that color thing. So what I noticed, though, is like I'm rolling with Charlamagne on this one because what I noticed is every morning you guys play like this thing from the

Wayans brothers where they say we're happy and we're single and we're singing singing singing we're not single we're singing we're singing okay we're singing but that's what i was but that's what i'm saying it's like like if we if we go on like you know take offense to some of these words and we gotta take it out like he was talking about the n-double-a-b-p we gotta change that too and then we gotta stop playing that stuff you know in the morning and and all of that and we're gonna be taking offense to it you know what i'm saying i mean it's common sense to me my brother but you know common sense ain't common nowadays i'm with you thank you bro hello who's this this is char hey char good morning talk to us good morning um first of all i think um nz is right it's's a feeling, number one.

Number two, it's coming from people who we perceive don't like us. And it sounds like a label when they say it. When we speak about it, it's a description. But when they speak about it, it's a label. Just like Jewish people, you don't say the j*****. You say Jewish. It's derogatory. Yeah, but those people also don't have organizations named after their slurs.

So if colored people is indeed a slur. Like we have the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. We're describing ourselves. So why can't somebody else describe us in that way? Like I'm trying to find, I'm just. No, what they say, they're labeling us That's a label So what is people of color? What is people of color?

People of color, we're describing ourselves But don't you think that's just colored people with better grammar? No, because colored people is referred to as black people People of color is black, is brown people Is Indian people So people of color is offensive too? Indian people But colored people is as well No, brown people, it's Indian people. So people of color is offensive too? It could be Indian people.

But colored people is as well. Colored people is not safe. No, colored people is described as black people. No, it's not. When you say colored person, nobody ever think it was a Latino. If you say colored person, nobody ever think it was Indian. That's y'all being stupid. No, colored people is referred to as black people. Let me pull up colored people definition.

You're right as well. We do need to have a conversation about changing those kind of discussions. The term colored in British usage, the term refers to a person who is wholly or partly of non-white descent. That is not just black people, y'all. What are we doing here, man? Seriously, what are we doing? Why are we acting so silly here? Well, what's the moral of the story?

I mean, the moral of the story is what I said earlier. I'm not saying that colored people is not offensive anything can be offensive right because everything is about context so there's absolutely a context where colored people can be offensive i don't think that guy using it on the floor was one of those times but on another note if colored people is offensive if it is a slur as y'all are trying to tell me this morning then we need to have a meeting because we say people of color. And I feel that's just saying colored people with better grammar. And we have the NAACP, which is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

We need to have a meeting and revise some things, don't you think? Right. Well, we could discuss, especially when y'all keep saying, well, we created that word back in 1909. But over time, it seemed to be a bad word all the more reason we probably should revise some things right? I'm just simply saying we're arguing about something that seems very common sense to me

alright well let's get to the rumor report let's talk about big colored b**** then BBC? well it's actually big black b**** so it's not colored but I changed it to colors that you like BCC we're going to you like BCC, big colored BCC

Okay We're going to talk about BCCs when we come back Okay Alright You got very excited about that We'll get to it next, it's the Breakfast Club, come on Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own?

I planted the flag This is mine I own this It's surprisingly easy 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God.

What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zaka-stan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-a-stan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a

chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. As a kid, I really do remember having these dreams and visions, but you just don't know what is going to come for you. Alicia shares her wisdom on growth, gratitude, and the power of love. I forgive myself. It's okay. Have grace with yourself. You're trying your best.

And you're going to figure out the rhythm of this thing. Alicia Keys, like you've never heard her before. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y'all, Nimany here. I'm the host of a brand new history podcast for kids and families called Historical Records. Executive produced by Questlove, The Story Pirates, and John Glickman, Historical Records brings history to life through hip-hop. Each episode is about a different inspiring figure from history,

like this one about Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old girl in Alabama who refused to give up her seat on the city bus nine whole months before Rosa Parks did the same thing. Check it. Get the kids in your life excited about history by tuning in to Historical Records. Because in order to make history, you have to make some noise. Listen to Historical Records on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. This is Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8th, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same

as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, and every single wig removal together. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.