Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 09:49:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: jaquio
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I don’t get it. Most of the people that post here that happen to be mixed with black (African descent) seem to really have a problem with that part of them. How is it negative for a group that you are a part of (which you are) to accept you as one of their own? If we did things the way you all are saying there would be NO Black/African Americans in this Country. I have been reading for awhile and have yet to see anyone post the fact that OVER 90% of the people that make up the African American Community are MIXED with 2 or More races. So REALLY who is Black ?? What makes you different ?? I for one have African, Native American, Mongolian, and Scotch Irish blood, Yet, My white/black father and black/Indian/Mongolian (white?) Mother both Look black, well as black as any other person that wears that label. And even given that, I Appear to be what people would consider OTHER, Other than Black. I am Very Light with green eyes, long sandy blond hair. Hispanics are always coming up to me and speaking spanish. Should I be Offended like most of you would be when people assume that you are what you are (part of them)? How many get upset when people assume that you are white? Do you raise hell ? Think not. Do you think that you will be treated better? No matter what label you try to tag on to yourself, whites will still see you as black and blacks will still see you as trying to be seperate from the REST of the MIXED fold(Black). This is addressed to those of whom are descended from African Diaspora.
Editor: First off, you generalized by saying that “whites will still see you as black.” Ahh, the white bogeyman argument. The only people coming to this forum and pushing that B.S. are one-droppers who despise the free-will expressed by those who wish to identify with all of their heritage, not just the part that they find acceptable. I’m still waiting for all of these “white people” to come here and push one-drop. Maybe someday….
Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2000 00:22:29 -0700
From: Kenji Hughes
Subject: To Multiracial Activist Editor – “Least Desirable”
I applaud the Multiracial Activist for providing a forum for this important set of issues that have been (and continue to be by most people) overlooked for so long.
I would like to add my two cents to the issue of black/multiracial identity that was touched upon in the postings from “Cheyenne Yarber” and “jaquio” sent on August 31st and September 13th, 2000 respectively.
In the first e-mail “Cheyenne Yarber” claims his/her biracial identity and simultaneously denies having the appearance of a black person:
I came out copper brown with green eyes. Now for all the one drop rule supporters, DOES THAT SOUND like what a person from Africa would look like??? I didn’t think so.
Ignoring, for the moment, the fact that there are many racially mixed people in Africa, I believe that the above statement illustrates an important point. There is a definite tendency among mixed people who are part African to try and disassociate themselves from blacks in general.
Before I continue I want to make it clear that I understand that race is a social construct which is gradually (albeit slowly) becoming obsolete and which one day will hopefully be largely irrelevant. Having said that I think it’s important the we not ignore the desire of many part African people to deny their blackness, or to play up their other lineages. From my observation this tendency is definitely stronger among people who are mixed with African than those who are mixed with different combinations. The reasons for this are obvious. Black people have been and continue to be the most vilified group on the planet; almost universally considered to be the stupidest, ugliest and laziest of races among the majority who believe (consciously or subconsciously) in distinct racial categories and characteristics.
So I see two reasons for mixed/black people to assert their mixed identity:
1. To acknowledge the reality of racial mixture and attempt to get others to acknowledge it as well.
2. To escape membership in the least desirable “racial” group.
So how do we know which train of thought someone is coming from when they make the multiracial claim? It’s hard to say sometimes, most often it’s probably a mixture of the two. In any case I think reason number 2 is very important to acknowledge, otherwise you’re really in denial of reality, at least as much as the so called “one droppers”.
If you reject distinct racial categories, without confronting the white-supremacy, and thus black inferiority, within yourself then you’re essentially trading the American model of racism for the Brazilian one. In the Brazilian scheme of racism (at least in it’s classical form) there aren’t distinct racial groups (or there are many), but rather a continuous spectrum of colors and features encompassing white, black and Amerindian. White however is still the most desirable color and black the least.
The enlightened era where people have the freedom to define themselves and not be pigeon holed by others will never become a reality unless people deal with white-supremacy (and all of it’s legacies) in addition to acknowledging the mixture of peoples. Denying racial classification without acknowledging white-supremacy is effectively claiming superiority to black people and black people pick up on this. I believe that this is a legitimate source of hostility that mixed people sometimes get from so called “one droppers”.
I’d like to hear any feedback that anyone has on the position that I’ve expressed.
Sincerely,
Kenji Hughes
Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2000 09:08:57 -0700 (PDT)
From: George D. Allen
Subject: Letter to the Editor
Mr Hughes in “least desirable” makes some good observations and expands my personal understanding. These preceptions help me understand why civil rights organizations justify being very exclusive to one category.
I believe there is another reason people assert their identity as being something other than black who are mixed racially.
If they have a cultural identity, as the Dominican Republic, which is a legitimate nation/culture, and that identity is denighed to exist for reasons of white supremacist doctrine, the rejection of being classified on a hate basis which rejects the existance of that nation/culture is pretty reasonable. What right do racist have to force people to discount their own cultural identity.
Another reason may just be reactionary. The attacks and dirty tricks of racism in schools is based on black. My son is half Domincan. We have had a great deal of hate based alteration of grades and multiple detrimental things done because of this 1/32 rule of black ancestry. His grandfather on his mother’s side was Chinese. We have never been attacked or cheated because of this Chinese ancestry. It seems to be like a game of paper and scissors, one thing beats another thing. Perhaps if being mixed race of only Chinese and “Anglo” were the case we would be reacting to whatever is thrown at that catagory as the white supremacist kicked in a different rule.
Another might be what your ox is that is being gored. If you are Hispanic in Texas, you would be hard pressed to get excited about blacks being categorized as the lowest rung on the whitesupremacist ladder because they have plenty of hate stored up to cover Hispanics completely. Having your child shot into the disposal chute in school automatically and irrevocably simply because he is Hispanic has the exact same result as having your child shot into the disposal chute because your child is Black or part Black.
Remember pitting race against race and covering children with hate to destroy their opportunites has nothing to do with melanin pigmentation. It is to give the children of those doing the hating all the opportunities by excluding all others. As often stated to us, it is “us against them”, where all others are them. You have heard of mothers who have enough love to go around, well the essence here is that to assure no one gets anything but us these folks have enough hate to go around
Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2000 19:40:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ron
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I’m writing in response the letter that “jaquio” wrote. Most of the people on here hate the black side of themseves. there are always saying I’m not black. I’m multiracial. People are only fooling themselves. Society always treated light skin blacks (the mixed one better than other black. Miss Mariah Carey has been offered the role of Wonder Woman, do u think that if she was a brown-skin black women that they would have offered her that role, NOT !!!!! She got it cause she looks white. Rather she dyes her hair too look more white and straightens it. I dont have an issue with interracial realtionships, i have a problem with people who are ashamed of their black side. I look at all these people that go through this drama of being mixed, it’s kinda sad. I’m a biracial black male who identity has such. I realize what my black ancestors have gone through. I wouldnt dare spit in their face so that I grin up in a white person face. Some of these people dont realize what some blacks have gone through so that they are allowed to even marry a white person. It sad, real sad