All this politically correct and appropriateness is all really just being pulled out of proportion, and not just in America. I am from South Africa, therefore I am African, but I am white. So what would I be called if I moved to America? I'm assuming I should then be called African-American, but that seems to be applied to only black people. And for those not aware, the black people here in South-Africa all belong to different cultures, so just saying African-American, if they are from Africa, I would think is offense as well, as you could be from the Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa and so forth culture (and just for those who don't know, they don't all get a long and really dislikes being called Xhosa if they are Zulu for instance). It's not just a language, it's a culture and lifestyle for them. I really wish people would stop being such hypocrites jumping to statements that you are “racist” or “homophobic” or everything else there might be just because of something you say, that is not actually even offense to anyone, other than the hypocrite making a scene about it and they aren’t even the race that should feel offended, if it was in fact racist.

I agree. I'm white and prefer to be called white, not Caucasian. I don't even know what the hell Caucasian means or it origins. I always check the "other" box and write in white. Tell them to gtfo if they give you problems.

there is no difference.

its the same thing.

I want to be called a German-Norweigan-Jewish-American from now on.

I'm not black but I find African American more racists than just saying black.

well at least it wasn't the n word

People love to overreact to stupid things. Everyone is just too sensitive these days and afraid of being "politically correct" which is a joke.

Okay, "black" is more correct than "African-American!" Just because people want to be more "sensitive" and "caring," doesn't mean they're right. If you were born and live in America and are black, you're black! There's no "African" in you. You have to have some African in you to be African-American. Besides that, if you're black, I'm pretty sure you have the right to say that word without sounding racist. I'm sorry people are so ignorant, OP.

Point out to them that they're racist for assuming that all dark colored skin people are from Africa. And that you're not African American (unless of course you have recently moved from Africa in which case I apologize) any more than any white or Hispanic person that's been in the US for several generation is german-American or Guatemalan-American.