Black or African-American

I am just going to jump into this since I have been gone for so long. Barack Obama is now the Democratic nominee. This fits loosely into a conversation that I was having about a month or so ago. I was at a meeting for MSO(Minority Student Organization) and a question came about first it was about should the black community in America help out Africa more. I said that before we help Africa we need to help ourselves here in our own Black community. The Black community in America is in Chaos. Death tolls in some places are as high as war zones. EVERYONE WAS AGAINST ME. That was a short discussion it quickly changed to do you prefer to be called Black or African American. I said that I rather be called Black, seeing that I am not African, I have no close relatives in Africa nor do we share the same culture. This is what made them explode. I was quickly vilified for my beliefs. We went back and forth. I tried to explain that I have so much more in common with black people here in America than I will ever have with Africans. I was continually attacked no one came to my aid. Some people too this WAY TOO persona. I was asked why I joined United African American Men,and why I joined my fraternity.I was offended, but I didn't get too upset. I tried to explain to them that I joined because of what they stand for, and my respect for my heritage. Then I was attacked with "that is the same thing" I then tried to explain to them that it is not the same thing. Heritage is where you come from and culture is the customs and traditions of the society that you live in. We argued for a good five minutes while someone looked up the definition and I was proven correct. I later told one of my closest friends about the situation and he agreed. He also gave me a new insight. These people are SO Pro Black that they are blinding themselves can't see the forest for the trees. You have to take care of home first. If you child is starving and so is the little boy down the street, you only have money to feed one who are you going to choose? So I ask you African-American/Black people what do you prefer to be called. Non-African-American People what do you prefer to call people of that Persuasion?