ReginaStar
New Member
You see thats the thing, in the states the majority of people are mixed racially and ethnically.... So to say that the only way a person can be considered mixed is if both parents be are of different "races" adds to the confusion. Most southern whites (Ive read 1 third of white americans have black blood) have African ancestry to some degree and/or Native American ancestry. The majority of African Americans are mixed racially (ethnically too) too yet we only get classified as black because of the One Drop Rule. People can complain all they want to about the one drop rule, but it has had some positive affects for the African American community, such as it gives us a sense of unity politically (its a superficial sense of unity, but still it is some form of unity)...
In the US, it doesnt matter if you're a redbone (someone like me), high yellow, midnight, etc etc. we are considered black. Go to places like Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil etc. and see how much "unity" the afro descended folks (By afro descended folks Im talking about the ones who look black some what phenotype wise) have there.... They don't have near as much "unity" as us because they basically had a reverse one drop rule. Down there one drop of anything non black can make you mixed, no matter how dark you may be. So that guy that redbone brazilian that we would classify as black here, call himself cafe con leche, or that dominican that we would normally classify as black calls himself indio oscuro. The umbrella term "black" brought us together to some extent and the multiple classifications in Latin America kind of had the opposite effect to some extent.
Race in the Americas is completely fucked and there is no way it will ever get back on track. Confusion will always be here when it comes down to being mixed. I cant tell you how many times Ive heard a black person admit they have a white ancestor or a native ancestor, yet when you ask them what do you consider yourself, they say black... Or how many times Ive heard a white friend claim he/she has a native ancestor, yet when you ask them what do you call yourself, they say white. That makes no logical sense whatsoever. How can you admit you have some other admixture, yet only pick one.
Race in the Americas would need to be completely rewritten if you would like to see any progress. To say this kid is mixed, because they have parents of different phenotypes can be very misleading. That "white" parent might really be triracial and that "black" parent might also be triracial... But because they dont look racially ambigous the relationship gets called interracial, when in fact they are of the same "race" just of different percentages.
As soon as you add some other blood to the equation the outcome becomes unknown. Thats why you have "white" people who have kids that turn out some what black looking, or "black" people who have kids that come out looking damn near white.
What makes this even more confusing is the fact, that if you look far enough back in your ancestry you're going to find someone of a different "race"... So technically we are all mixed, it might not be recent admixture but still its admixture nonethless. To say it has to be recent admixture to be classified as mix is bs and to say that a person of recent admixture cant classify themselves as being of one "race" or another is bs....
My point is "race" in general is fucked up and it will more than likely never get taken care of in a way that makes it not confusing or contradict itself.
Your right alot of us have a mixed heritage. (Def not all) But I think there is a big difference in having ancestors a few generations back of a different race. Ancestors that you never meet, a culture they never shared with you. Most African Americans are atleast 70% black and most whites are atleast 80% and most even 98% white. With someone who is a direct descendant of two monoracial people their experiences will be quite different. When they walk out into society growing up the world sees they have parents of two different races. Their culture many times reflect that of having 2 different culture coming from both sides. They feel a real connection, real love to both of their heritages and the two people most important in their lives (well until they have their on children).