Be Honest - Do folks (white and black) see biracial people as black/white/neither (please explain)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:unfortunately minorities won't let the labels die in their neverending need to be victimized.

I saw a documentary about how black war veterans (think it was WWII but could have been Korea) were denied GI home loans unlike white veterans. The result of that was that white families could build up equity in their homes, save money and send their children to college. The black families were forced to rent, in areas where rentals were available, and were not as able to save money for their childrens' education. So even discrimination like that have a negative financial impact on future generations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are both "biracial," as some people like to call it. We both consider ourselves black. Our kids definitely look racially "ambiguous" but we describe our family as black. This does not bother our non-white parents one bit. We don't have any angst or confusion about the issue (much like Obama, come to think of it), and it is who we are culturally. My kids are told by other kids all the time that they're "not really black." We teach them that this is not a compliment, that we define ourselves by who we are culturally, not by what others call us. Tiger Woods can call himself whatever the hell he wants, but if he wasn't a famous golfer he'd have the same trouble hailing a cab as any other brother. Actually, I find it amusing how whenever someone of mixed race becomes famous (for a good reason, like golf or being the President) white people rush to point out that they're not "fully black." Strange how I don't see them doing that with "biracial" brothers on the street. Bottom line: you can consider me and mine to be whatever you want; as far as we're concerned, we're black.

that is silly. you are not black (what does that even mean anyways?), you are a human being with one parent who has more european features and one parent with more african features. your attitude reminds me of the Jim Crow "one drop" rule. It is absurd. So if I have two AA grandparents I am "black", but just one and I am "not black". Can't wait until we get passed this nonsense and have a true colorblind society with no quotas, no affirmative action, no census labeling, no nothing. (To do that we need to encourage as much intermarriage as we can!)

[Anonymous]

I view bi-racial or multi-racial children as bi-racial or multi-racial.

Sorry, not trying to be cute or snarky. It's truly how I view it.

Oh, and I'm Asian, if that matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:kids of biracial couples are black. only because they have darker skin. races are dumb labels that have no basis in any science (not like we have different human breeds), but unfortunately minorities won't let the labels die in their neverending need to be victimized.

example - Obama is about as black as me: raised by white family and didnt really know his black dad, but everyone calls him "black".

You're so right, these minorities have such a strong need to be victimized. Like Matthew Shepherd, tying himself to that fence and forcing himself to be killed. And that black man dragged to his death in Texas. Such a strong need for victimization there. It's pathetic, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:kids of biracial couples are black. only because they have darker skin. races are dumb labels that have no basis in any science (not like we have different human breeds), but unfortunately minorities won't let the labels die in their neverending need to be victimized.

example - Obama is about as black as me: raised by white family and didnt really know his black dad, but everyone calls him "black".

You're so right, these minorities have such a strong need to be victimized. Like Matthew Shepherd, tying himself to that fence and forcing himself to be killed. And that black man dragged to his death in Texas. Such a strong need for victimization there. It's pathetic, isn't it?

ugh. there are horrible people in this world, no doubt. but if you want to look at the statistics, black-on-white crime is much higher than white-on-black crime. is that racism too? let's get over the race nonsense.

[Anonymous]

I see biracial people as the stepping stone generation to a future society that has outgrown racism. When I see biracial couples with kids, it makes me smile. Although we have quite a ways to go, I see them as bridging the gap between two different cultures.

But as far as visual perception, I think people will classify a biracial person according to what they physically look like. I have two kids that are 3/4 white, but one looks 100% white and one looks 100% South Asian. People perceive one as white and one as Asian, even though they are both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I view bi-racial or multi-racial children as bi-racial or multi-racial.

Sorry, not trying to be cute or snarky. It's truly how I view it.

Oh, and I'm Asian, if that matters.

I agree. I'm white, my daughter is white. I was a surrogate for friends and the genetic father is black. That baby, while she stills looks like me in some ways, is biracial. Her dads also refer to her as biracial.

[Anonymous]

Your president is black and you guys still wondering about color of the skin.
I wonder when will you learn your lesson?!?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I view bi-racial or multi-racial children as bi-racial or multi-racial.

Sorry, not trying to be cute or snarky. It's truly how I view it.

Oh, and I'm Asian, if that matters.

This is my view, as well. I've been around biracial couples all my life. One couple was best friends with my (white) parents. I never considered their children "black" or "white", but bi-racial. That's how I feel with bi-racial couples across the board.

[Anonymous]

Black, white, both -- all of the above probably. To me, your son is just another kid in my child's class. There are several multi-racial kids in the class, so it's frankly too tiresome to come up with any easy descriptions for them. I guess if you/he call him "black" then that's what I'll call him. If you call him "white" then I'll call him that. How do you describe your son to other people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your president is black and you guys still wondering about color of the skin.
I wonder when will you learn your lesson?!?!

To whom are you referring?

[Anonymous]

Then what about olive-complected Mediterraneans?

I'd say many Sicilians I've known (and I'm Southern Italian) are darker than most of my African American friends (who aren't bi-racial, by the way).

So what does it matter?

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the midwest, in a family that taught tolerance of all races, religions, and sexual orientation. I went to charter (magnet) schools from MS to HS, where I was in the minority. Still, living in the midwest, there was a social taboo against inter-racial dating & marriage - - you just didn't see it much and when you did, you took notice. I'm not prejudiced- it was just so uncommon that you noticed when you saw it.

I'm so happy to say that after living here for 5 years, that "take notice" has completely worn off for me! I know for certain my kids don't care about race when making friends or (for my oldest son) dating. And that makes me very optimistic about the future of our country, that each generation cares less and less about the color of our skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your president is black and you guys still wondering about color of the skin.
I wonder when will you learn your lesson?!?!

And where are you from? I am thinking your country hasn't gotten over its racial, social, religious, tribal or what have you discrimination either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are both "biracial," as some people like to call it. We both consider ourselves black. Our kids definitely look racially "ambiguous" but we describe our family as black. This does not bother our non-white parents one bit. We don't have any angst or confusion about the issue (much like Obama, come to think of it), and it is who we are culturally. My kids are told by other kids all the time that they're "not really black." We teach them that this is not a compliment, that we define ourselves by who we are culturally, not by what others call us. Tiger Woods can call himself whatever the hell he wants, but if he wasn't a famous golfer he'd have the same trouble hailing a cab as any other brother. Actually, I find it amusing how whenever someone of mixed race becomes famous (for a good reason, like golf or being the President) white people rush to point out that they're not "fully black." Strange how I don't see them doing that with "biracial" brothers on the street. Bottom line: you can consider me and mine to be whatever you want; as far as we're concerned, we're black.

that is silly. you are not black (what does that even mean anyways?), you are a human being with one parent who has more european features and one parent with more african features. your attitude reminds me of the Jim Crow "one drop" rule. It is absurd. So if I have two AA grandparents I am "black", but just one and I am "not black". Can't wait until we get passed this nonsense and have a true colorblind society with no quotas, no affirmative action, no census labeling, no nothing. (To do that we need to encourage as much intermarriage as we can!)

WTF? Not the PP that you quote, but I think it's more "silly" that you would question someone else's self-defined racial/cultural identity.

What you're missing is the fact that there is an African-American culture that AA biracial people can and do proudly choose to identify with and participate in. Having black ancestors and identifying as black isn't shameful, or something to be "gotten passed" [sic].