Racial issues in DCPS for mixed race kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really don't think biracials are being harassed about their identity. I think that the way race is lived is highly personal. This discussion includes issues of color and class. There is also a strong undercurrent of power which is part of discussions of racism. If someone on the street says you are black and you don't feel that way, that person at most has made you have a bad day. If someone excludes you from an opportunity because of your race and/or ethnicity this is something completely different. The challenge in a school setting is that you want your child to be treated with respect and not discriminated against.

I grew up in urban and suburban settings. I was teased by some black kids growing up in the urban setting, but I was excluded by white teachers from extracurricular activities because I was not white or "white enough" (hair not straight enough). I cannot recall a single incident of teasing although it happened relatively frequently (at least a few times per week), but the incident with the teachers makes my blood boil to this day.

- A biracial person who self-identifies as black, but is often perceived as not being black

That is your experience and I have to respect that. However, don't dismiss other people's experiences. Just like you it was the teachers who mistreated me the most. The only difference in my case is that it was the black teachers. They ignored me when I raised my hands, they isolated me in the classroom, and quite a few said some racist things to me. Also, having black girls who wanted to brutally beat me up all because of the shade of my skin wasn't a pleasant experience as well. Some black women go insane when they see biracial women with black men too. My ex-boyfriend and I used to get harassed all the time by black women. Even is own mother told him, "You couldn't find a real sista!" These negaive incidents over the years really set the tone for me in regards to black women in general. I don't think that I would ever fully trust a them.

That all to do with Skin Tone and nothing to do with you being biracial....light skinned black women went through the same thing, even though both parents were black...people like Whitney Houston talk about having the same issue. Also dark skin black women can tell the same tale of being ignored and having biracial and fair skinned black kids chosen over them...ur story is not unique..get over it and move on everyone else has

Thankfully, I have moved on. I thank people like you for helping to realize that I made the best decision years ago to disassociate myself from mean spirited people. It's been a blessing. I'm living my life and I'm loving it! However, I will continue to warn people to be cautious about miserable people like you.

I will continue to warn people about mental case anti black people like you. I pray ur not married to a black male...I wonder how he would feel about you not "trusting" his mother the women who raised him since she is a black women. The fact that you say you can't trust "black women" tells me your NOT OVER IT

Seek therapy!

Yes avoid my statement at all cost LMAO. Truth hurts sometimes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd recommend looking into Eaton. It has a lot of diversity, both racially & socio-economically, & very strong academics. We are a biracial family & have found it to be a warm, welcoming & inclusive environment.

I agree with this. As a mixed race family, the first thing I would look at, considering any school, is the demographic profile. No way I would send my kids to predominantly black school. Eaton's demographics mirror as closely as we would like to find for our family. If you look at DCPS you can compare school profile pages easily. If you do want a demographic profile that is not 80%+ white don't even bother looking at Janney, Key, Lafayette, Murch, or Mann.

Are you mixed raced? So whats the difference between a majority black school and a majority white one? Are black people an evil group of people or something? My goodness the racism and ignorance directed toward blacks in this thread is an eye opener. I'm not mad though I like hearing what "others" really think about my race no matter how ignorant. It lets me and my family know what the read deal is

Stop being so dramatic. This thread is discussing the hardships biracial children face if they choose to be labeled as biracial versus one race. There has been criticism aimed at AAs who make the self-determination of biracial children difficult. This BS about what "others" think, etc.. is over the top. What "others" think is that AAs should be a part of solution for biracial children by allowing and encouraging them to self-identify as biracial. Get a grip.

Not being dramatic just being honest...I def would not want my kids around the Biracial posters in this THREAD....peoples ignorance and hate spill over to the kids, there have been nothing but attacks on AA in this thread and if their attitude is the same at home trust me it spills over to the kids, and thats not something I would want my kids exposed to. I have family members who live around "others" in high income area and their kids have come back and reported ugly racist things said to them at sleep overs and play dates by other kids taught in their homes. BLACK parents have to be extra caution of that...now I know that caution extends to biracial people as well...trust me i'm not mad you people are non factor but its just good to know so I can keep an eye out. Chow

+1. I am not biracial but have been confused as biracial all my life by white people because of my hair and skin tone. I also do not have a biracial extended family which is quite large. However, most of my relatives on my father's side look white and are confused as "white" by white people. For example, they experience racist comments about blacks made in their presence and their kids are constantly informed that they are biracial because one of their parents is white. Probably AAs too but these people don't comment on it. I have always thought that it was some white parents of biracial children that did not understand or were not comfortable with their children's black heritage. My family has always been comfortable with who they are so I mistakenly assumed that biracials, including the 3/4 white ones, who almost always look more mixed than my family would not be so uncomfortable with their black heritage. I'm going to ask some of my friends from Lousiana, who look white or almost white, if they experience this negativaty from biracial children towards them as well. BTW - the "one-drop" rule was not started or promoted by AAs.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/onedrop.html

[Anonymous]

1. You're post was crazy as are you
2. Get a DNA. All of these "white AAs" have European DNA. That's white good ball. Get a grip!

[Anonymous]

I know we all know that race isn't a biological construct etc., but this is still a well-made short video on "the myth of race." I thought it was interesting that apparently Mexicans have sometimes been labeled as white and other times as not white throughout American history, and that former MSNBC host Karen Finney was apparently criticized for being not black enough--not by other blacks, but by conservative commentators. Anyway, enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnfKgffCZ7U

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. You're post was crazy as are you
2. Get a DNA. All of these "white AAs" have European DNA. That's white good ball. Get a grip!

My point EXACTLY! As in all those AAs that you try so hard to distinguish yourself from. Why do you keep calling people names that don't agree with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:21:02 again. Not sure it's wise to enter the fray again, especially about the racial identity issue, but here goes:

My parents, immigrants, moved Stateside in the sixties--mother is black; father is a different race. My parents said pretty much nada about race to my siblings and I growing up. However, we were raised in a black neighborhood, attended a black church, etc., so culturally we grew up with a mostly black American experience (along with some contribution from each of my parents' countries of origin). I have sort of a Jennifer Beals look, whereas my sibs are several shades darker, but none of that seemed to matter much.

Black Americans are definitely not the only group that have their issues with color, European admixture, etc. My father's ethnic group has tons of issues with color. I'm proud of both sides of my heritage, but I've always identified moreso as black. My siblings and I would've been laughed out of town had we tried to identify solely as my father's ethnic group. I've found a lot more acceptance among black Americans.

Interestingly, because of my racially ambiguous look, I'm not readily identifiable as black--and I've been privy to racist comments by non-blacks (luckily, I can probably count these times on one hand). I think the OP's child may face the same issues, since being 1/4 black he may not look phenotypically black. It is then up to him whether he wants to challenge people on their comments--which would mean disclosing that he is part black, which can be awkward, since they've just offended him--or just sort of take note and move on, keeping with a "fly on the wall" status.

I'm not really sure what my point is--I guess just to defend black Americans a bit, and to say there is a level of complexity to issues of race and racial identity that can't easily be captured by sweeping generalizations about AAs, biracials, or whites. There is definitely a historical context related to the "peculiar institution" of slavery that influences racial identity for people with some African ancestry in this country. Sorry to get all Henry Louis Gates, but it's true. I get that some PPs have had painful experiences--while we can extrapolate a bit from these, hopefully we all each realize that there are good aspects to all of these cultural groups, and that our own experience won't necessarily apply for others.

Thank you!

I have a feeling your Dad is Puerto Rican just like my husband. And for the record, I would have no problem with my girls marrying black men as long as I knew that the entire family on both sides accepted their choice and did not 20 years later start spewing venom in front of their poor kids. And it ought to be easier because there are plenty of Black Puerto Ricans. I just want to make sure they also keep up their Spanish (I became fluent, one of the reasons his non-stateside but more Americanized father's family likes me, while MIL downstairs does not - she won't speak Spanish with our kids) because I had friends in college both from NYC and LA who were teased about not knowing their "native" language by people of their same "ethnic" group.

It sure is a complicated world out there. I just kind of keep hoping that we all keep mixing so much that it becomes less of huge deal - as a mom of biracial bicultural kids I would love to see that process just keep going and going and going until almost nobody knew or cared about what box to check.

If your husband is Puerto Rican, it sounds as if his issues with your daughters dating black guys has more to do with self-loathing than racism. The vast majority of Puerto Ricans are of recent/easily traceable African ancestry. Most of the Puerto Ricans I know (and I know a lot), look bi/multiracial. Didn't you mention up-thread that your husband's grandfather is black? Anyway, it sounds as if there's a lot going on in your house around culture, color and identity. Hopefully, you two will figure things out before your daughters end up in therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd recommend looking into Eaton. It has a lot of diversity, both racially & socio-economically, & very strong academics. We are a biracial family & have found it to be a warm, welcoming & inclusive environment.

I agree with this. As a mixed race family, the first thing I would look at, considering any school, is the demographic profile. No way I would send my kids to predominantly black school. Eaton's demographics mirror as closely as we would like to find for our family. If you look at DCPS you can compare school profile pages easily. If you do want a demographic profile that is not 80%+ white don't even bother looking at Janney, Key, Lafayette, Murch, or Mann.

Are you mixed raced? So whats the difference between a majority black school and a majority white one? Are black people an evil group of people or something? My goodness the racism and ignorance directed toward blacks in this thread is an eye opener. I'm not mad though I like hearing what "others" really think about my race no matter how ignorant. It lets me and my family know what the read deal is

Stop being so dramatic. This thread is discussing the hardships biracial children face if they choose to be labeled as biracial versus one race. There has been criticism aimed at AAs who make the self-determination of biracial children difficult. This BS about what "others" think, etc.. is over the top. What "others" think is that AAs should be a part of solution for biracial children by allowing and encouraging them to self-identify as biracial. Get a grip.

Not being dramatic just being honest...I def would not want my kids around the Biracial posters in this THREAD....peoples ignorance and hate spill over to the kids, there have been nothing but attacks on AA in this thread and if their attitude is the same at home trust me it spills over to the kids, and thats not something I would want my kids exposed to. I have family members who live around "others" in high income area and their kids have come back and reported ugly racist things said to them at sleep overs and play dates by other kids taught in their homes. BLACK parents have to be extra caution of that...now I know that caution extends to biracial people as well...trust me i'm not mad you people are non factor but its just good to know so I can keep an eye out. Chow

+1. I am not biracial but have been confused as biracial all my life by white people because of my hair and skin tone. I also do not have a biracial extended family which is quite large. However, most of my relatives on my father's side look white and are confused as "white" by white people. For example, they experience racist comments about blacks made in their presence and their kids are constantly informed that they are biracial because one of their parents is white. Probably AAs too but these people don't comment on it. I have always thought that it was some white parents of biracial children that did not understand or were not comfortable with their children's black heritage. My family has always been comfortable with who they are so I mistakenly assumed that biracials, including the 3/4 white ones, who almost always look more mixed than my family would not be so uncomfortable with their black heritage. I'm going to ask some of my friends from Lousiana, who look white or almost white, if they experience this negativaty from biracial children towards them as well. BTW - the "one-drop" rule was not started or promoted by AAs.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/onedrop.html

You must be new to this thread. Those of us who actually read a few of the prior posts already know that it has been established that white people, by social convention and law, created and enforced the myth of white racial purity. However, prior posters have repeatedly made the point that MANY AAs, along with skinheads and klansman, are currently the most ardent supporters of the one drop myth. Next time, please familiarize yourself with the conversation before you jump in and attempt to "educate" anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd recommend looking into Eaton. It has a lot of diversity, both racially & socio-economically, & very strong academics. We are a biracial family & have found it to be a warm, welcoming & inclusive environment.

I agree with this. As a mixed race family, the first thing I would look at, considering any school, is the demographic profile. No way I would send my kids to predominantly black school. Eaton's demographics mirror as closely as we would like to find for our family. If you look at DCPS you can compare school profile pages easily. If you do want a demographic profile that is not 80%+ white don't even bother looking at Janney, Key, Lafayette, Murch, or Mann.

Are you mixed raced? So whats the difference between a majority black school and a majority white one? Are black people an evil group of people or something? My goodness the racism and ignorance directed toward blacks in this thread is an eye opener. I'm not mad though I like hearing what "others" really think about my race no matter how ignorant. It lets me and my family know what the read deal is

Stop being so dramatic. This thread is discussing the hardships biracial children face if they choose to be labeled as biracial versus one race. There has been criticism aimed at AAs who make the self-determination of biracial children difficult. This BS about what "others" think, etc.. is over the top. What "others" think is that AAs should be a part of solution for biracial children by allowing and encouraging them to self-identify as biracial. Get a grip.

Not being dramatic just being honest...I def would not want my kids around the Biracial posters in this THREAD....peoples ignorance and hate spill over to the kids, there have been nothing but attacks on AA in this thread and if their attitude is the same at home trust me it spills over to the kids, and thats not something I would want my kids exposed to. I have family members who live around "others" in high income area and their kids have come back and reported ugly racist things said to them at sleep overs and play dates by other kids taught in their homes. BLACK parents have to be extra caution of that...now I know that caution extends to biracial people as well...trust me i'm not mad you people are non factor but its just good to know so I can keep an eye out. Chow

+1. I am not biracial but have been confused as biracial all my life by white people because of my hair and skin tone. I also do not have a biracial extended family which is quite large. However, most of my relatives on my father's side look white and are confused as "white" by white people. For example, they experience racist comments about blacks made in their presence and their kids are constantly informed that they are biracial because one of their parents is white. Probably AAs too but these people don't comment on it. I have always thought that it was some white parents of biracial children that did not understand or were not comfortable with their children's black heritage. My family has always been comfortable with who they are so I mistakenly assumed that biracials, including the 3/4 white ones, who almost always look more mixed than my family would not be so uncomfortable with their black heritage. I'm going to ask some of my friends from Lousiana, who look white or almost white, if they experience this negativaty from biracial children towards them as well. BTW - the "one-drop" rule was not started or promoted by AAs.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/onedrop.html

You must be new to this thread. Those of us who actually read a few of the prior posts already know that it has been established that white people, by social convention and law, created and enforced the myth of white racial purity. However, prior posters have repeatedly made the point that MANY AAs, along with skinheads and klansman, are currently the most ardent supporters of the one drop myth. Next time, please familiarize yourself with the conversation before you jump in and attempt to "educate" anyone.

+1. Also this ignorant poster keeps talking about so-called black people who "look white". Again, if these people took a DNA test they would find they have significant European "white" heritage. You don't end up blue-eyed and blonde-haired by magic. Those phenotypes come from Europe. While it was common to group such people into the AA category for convenience and by (racist) convention, these people are biracial or MGM (multigenerational biracial) as explained here ad nauseum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd recommend looking into Eaton. It has a lot of diversity, both racially & socio-economically, & very strong academics. We are a biracial family & have found it to be a warm, welcoming & inclusive environment.

I agree with this. As a mixed race family, the first thing I would look at, considering any school, is the demographic profile. No way I would send my kids to predominantly black school. Eaton's demographics mirror as closely as we would like to find for our family. If you look at DCPS you can compare school profile pages easily. If you do want a demographic profile that is not 80%+ white don't even bother looking at Janney, Key, Lafayette, Murch, or Mann.

Are you mixed raced? So whats the difference between a majority black school and a majority white one? Are black people an evil group of people or something? My goodness the racism and ignorance directed toward blacks in this thread is an eye opener. I'm not mad though I like hearing what "others" really think about my race no matter how ignorant. It lets me and my family know what the read deal is

Stop being so dramatic. This thread is discussing the hardships biracial children face if they choose to be labeled as biracial versus one race. There has been criticism aimed at AAs who make the self-determination of biracial children difficult. This BS about what "others" think, etc.. is over the top. What "others" think is that AAs should be a part of solution for biracial children by allowing and encouraging them to self-identify as biracial. Get a grip.

Not being dramatic just being honest...I def would not want my kids around the Biracial posters in this THREAD....peoples ignorance and hate spill over to the kids, there have been nothing but attacks on AA in this thread and if their attitude is the same at home trust me it spills over to the kids, and thats not something I would want my kids exposed to. I have family members who live around "others" in high income area and their kids have come back and reported ugly racist things said to them at sleep overs and play dates by other kids taught in their homes. BLACK parents have to be extra caution of that...now I know that caution extends to biracial people as well...trust me i'm not mad you people are non factor but its just good to know so I can keep an eye out. Chow

+1. I am not biracial but have been confused as biracial all my life by white people because of my hair and skin tone. I also do not have a biracial extended family which is quite large. However, most of my relatives on my father's side look white and are confused as "white" by white people. For example, they experience racist comments about blacks made in their presence and their kids are constantly informed that they are biracial because one of their parents is white. Probably AAs too but these people don't comment on it. I have always thought that it was some white parents of biracial children that did not understand or were not comfortable with their children's black heritage. My family has always been comfortable with who they are so I mistakenly assumed that biracials, including the 3/4 white ones, who almost always look more mixed than my family would not be so uncomfortable with their black heritage. I'm going to ask some of my friends from Lousiana, who look white or almost white, if they experience this negativaty from biracial children towards them as well. BTW - the "one-drop" rule was not started or promoted by AAs.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/onedrop.html

You're not black. You're MGM, which was absorbed by the black community due to one-dropism. Now after multiple generations people promote it as fact. This is how brainwashing words and becomes as natural as nature itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd recommend looking into Eaton. It has a lot of diversity, both racially & socio-economically, & very strong academics. We are a biracial family & have found it to be a warm, welcoming & inclusive environment.

I agree with this. As a mixed race family, the first thing I would look at, considering any school, is the demographic profile. No way I would send my kids to predominantly black school. Eaton's demographics mirror as closely as we would like to find for our family. If you look at DCPS you can compare school profile pages easily. If you do want a demographic profile that is not 80%+ white don't even bother looking at Janney, Key, Lafayette, Murch, or Mann.

Are you mixed raced? So whats the difference between a majority black school and a majority white one? Are black people an evil group of people or something? My goodness the racism and ignorance directed toward blacks in this thread is an eye opener. I'm not mad though I like hearing what "others" really think about my race no matter how ignorant. It lets me and my family know what the read deal is

Stop being so dramatic. This thread is discussing the hardships biracial children face if they choose to be labeled as biracial versus one race. There has been criticism aimed at AAs who make the self-determination of biracial children difficult. This BS about what "others" think, etc.. is over the top. What "others" think is that AAs should be a part of solution for biracial children by allowing and encouraging them to self-identify as biracial. Get a grip.

Not being dramatic just being honest...I def would not want my kids around the Biracial posters in this THREAD....peoples ignorance and hate spill over to the kids, there have been nothing but attacks on AA in this thread and if their attitude is the same at home trust me it spills over to the kids, and thats not something I would want my kids exposed to. I have family members who live around "others" in high income area and their kids have come back and reported ugly racist things said to them at sleep overs and play dates by other kids taught in their homes. BLACK parents have to be extra caution of that...now I know that caution extends to biracial people as well...trust me i'm not mad you people are non factor but its just good to know so I can keep an eye out. Chow

+1. I am not biracial but have been confused as biracial all my life by white people because of my hair and skin tone. I also do not have a biracial extended family which is quite large. However, most of my relatives on my father's side look white and are confused as "white" by white people. For example, they experience racist comments about blacks made in their presence and their kids are constantly informed that they are biracial because one of their parents is white. Probably AAs too but these people don't comment on it. I have always thought that it was some white parents of biracial children that did not understand or were not comfortable with their children's black heritage. My family has always been comfortable with who they are so I mistakenly assumed that biracials, including the 3/4 white ones, who almost always look more mixed than my family would not be so uncomfortable with their black heritage. I'm going to ask some of my friends from Lousiana, who look white or almost white, if they experience this negativaty from biracial children towards them as well. BTW - the "one-drop" rule was not started or promoted by AAs.

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/onedrop.html

You're not black. You're MGM, which was absorbed by the black community due to one-dropism. Now after multiple generations people promote it as fact. This is how brainwashing words and becomes as natural as nature itself.

I'm a PP who's been following this whole convo. I agree with your point but wish we could moderate the strident tone. Look, even if she's MGM, she may want to identify as black for reasons that go beyond the "brainwashing" of the one-drop rule. The thread has been focusing on AAs who express racist views along those lines, but in the background is the obvious fact that a lot of whites are racist and express racists views about non-whites. Maybe those experiences and other reasons (for example, affinity with traditional black culture) makes a biracial or MGM person feel more comfortable identifying as black. If so, let them be. You don't need to tell that person "you're not black! You're MGM!" It's up to them how they want to identify.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Heh - I wonder if people will think I am my kid's nanny when he's born later this year!

I can say that as a black woman who went to both public and private schools, I did get treated differently by teachers until labeled as "articulate". It's pretty sad to hear that stuff like what people are describing still happens.

I wonder if it is also name based? ex: Does "Jaquan" get treated than a black kid named Scott?

Oh, they will. I'm Latina but super light skinned and blue eyed. I'm regularly called the nanny for my two half white kids. People are dumb.other than skin time, hair texture and hair color...they look like my clones. The under 35 group, however, nails it regularly.

[Anonymous]

This might be of interest to some following this thread.


http://stateofthereunion.com/pike-county-oh-as-black-as-we-wish-to-be/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:21:02 again. Not sure it's wise to enter the fray again, especially about the racial identity issue, but here goes:

My parents, immigrants, moved Stateside in the sixties--mother is black; father is a different race. My parents said pretty much nada about race to my siblings and I growing up. However, we were raised in a black neighborhood, attended a black church, etc., so culturally we grew up with a mostly black American experience (along with some contribution from each of my parents' countries of origin). I have sort of a Jennifer Beals look, whereas my sibs are several shades darker, but none of that seemed to matter much.

Black Americans are definitely not the only group that have their issues with color, European admixture, etc. My father's ethnic group has tons of issues with color. I'm proud of both sides of my heritage, but I've always identified moreso as black. My siblings and I would've been laughed out of town had we tried to identify solely as my father's ethnic group. I've found a lot more acceptance among black Americans.

Interestingly, because of my racially ambiguous look, I'm not readily identifiable as black--and I've been privy to racist comments by non-blacks (luckily, I can probably count these times on one hand). I think the OP's child may face the same issues, since being 1/4 black he may not look phenotypically black. It is then up to him whether he wants to challenge people on their comments--which would mean disclosing that he is part black, which can be awkward, since they've just offended him--or just sort of take note and move on, keeping with a "fly on the wall" status.

I'm not really sure what my point is--I guess just to defend black Americans a bit, and to say there is a level of complexity to issues of race and racial identity that can't easily be captured by sweeping generalizations about AAs, biracials, or whites. There is definitely a historical context related to the "peculiar institution" of slavery that influences racial identity for people with some African ancestry in this country. Sorry to get all Henry Louis Gates, but it's true. I get that some PPs have had painful experiences--while we can extrapolate a bit from these, hopefully we all each realize that there are good aspects to all of these cultural groups, and that our own experience won't necessarily apply for others.

Thank you!

I have a feeling your Dad is Puerto Rican just like my husband. And for the record, I would have no problem with my girls marrying black men as long as I knew that the entire family on both sides accepted their choice and did not 20 years later start spewing venom in front of their poor kids. And it ought to be easier because there are plenty of Black Puerto Ricans. I just want to make sure they also keep up their Spanish (I became fluent, one of the reasons his non-stateside but more Americanized father's family likes me, while MIL downstairs does not - she won't speak Spanish with our kids) because I had friends in college both from NYC and LA who were teased about not knowing their "native" language by people of their same "ethnic" group.

It sure is a complicated world out there. I just kind of keep hoping that we all keep mixing so much that it becomes less of huge deal - as a mom of biracial bicultural kids I would love to see that process just keep going and going and going until almost nobody knew or cared about what box to check.

I'm the PP you're quoting. My dad's actually Asian Indian. A bit of trivia--so is Kamala Harris, former attorney general of CA, who is also half black and half Indian (but who is usually referred to as African American--she went to Howard, so maybe that's how she identifies).

Anyway, this just kinda speaks to my point--African Americans aren't alone in the politics of skin color, hair texture, facial features, etc. I'm sure some of this is not uncommon in PR, DR, some Asian cultures, etc.

I agree; I hope it all sort of doesn't matter one day and that people can just be proud of their heritage, whatever it is, and call themselves whatever they want. But knowing human nature, we'll find something else to bicker about!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This might be of interest to some following this thread.


http://stateofthereunion.com/pike-county-oh-as-black-as-we-wish-to-be/

Wow, this town is interesting. I didn't listen to the whole audio file, but I did find the below link with photos of residents of this same town in Ohio. These people pretty much appear white in appearance, but proudly identify as black. The one-drop rule in extremis--but hey, if it works for them, then great!

http://www.beyondblackwhite.com/drop-rule-rules/

[Anonymous]

^Guess I would to in some Podunk town in Ohio. When in Rome... That's really what this about. It's not about DNA. It's about what's germaine in an area given as much weight as genetics and actually trumping it. That same group would be thought of and treated as white in many parts of the world and "one dropism" if mentioned by them to assert their "blackness" would garner blank stares. But, c'est la vie!