You said: "I'm sorry, I don't feel her explanation is reasonable."

Here we have a difference in opinion and nothing is wrong with that. However, I feel that by her qualifying her use of the word to create a particular image, she has done enough.

I already know the history of the word and its negative usage so I will not comment on the parts of your response that revisits this.

You said: "I respect Bantu-Kelani as a person who starts (potentially) good reasoning threads, but at the same time she becomes more and more arrogant when people ask her politely to change her terminology, and that's a sad thing. I think we are all hear to learn, and not to impose our arrogance on others."

While I respect your position, I find you are being arrogant for feeling that another informed African should not use the word 'negro' in any context whatsoever especially when he/she has stated the qualified reason for using it.

Now it matters little to me if you and others choose to harp on that and not accept that there is another issue that is not being addressed.

The original people who were labeled negroes (black skin, broad nose and woolly hair) who felt and still do feel the brunt of racism from whites and "blacks-who-feel-they-are-more-closely-aligned-to-whites" (colorism) are being told by some that they must remain hidden under the general Black and African label and not to speak of the ongoing color discrimination that particularly affects them. This "dark-skinned-broad-nose-kinky-hair-Black-African" (for want of a better word) gets discriminated against based on color from those outside and inside the Black/African race and are most affected by institutionalized racism that plays favoritism based on skin shades.

Also, some so-called informed Africans try to impose their position on everyone and do not accept the fact that people should only make shifts when they feel the conditions are right for them to so do. If some feel that by badgering and distracting they can force such a shift then I am of the opinion that they are reacting like slave masters themselves who want everything done their way and to their own timing.

I strongly feel that Kelani is making a serious point that should be considered and in spite of those who fail to acknowledge her qualified use of the word in a general sense, I support her in choosing to continue.

Someone is not free because they are forced to act the way you want.