Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2000 16:48:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: vera
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I would like to know why are some multi-racial(of “black” and “white” heritage) people so upset when “Black” people call them “Black”. Why should this affect your everyday life? So what if some people still think in the past, does this really effect your life? Will these peoples’ views stop you from getting jobs, endanger your health, decide who you marry? What’s up with this silly “self-esteem problems” nonsense. Really there are too many pressing and more important events in this world than to cry every time a “Black” person calls a multiracial person “Black”. Some multi-racial people call themselves “Black”. Do you want to tar and feather them? If you don’t like the term “Black”, so be it, but this crying and whining is rather tiring. You can call yourselves whatever you want I don’t give a hoot. I am a light-skinned black female who is about 3 shades lighter than my bi-racial friend. I am sometimes asked my race more than my friend. If you saw her walking down the street you would think she was “Black”. I don’t care if people think I am bi-racial, I am more than a label. All I want is respect given to me and I will respect you. If in time people start calling multi-racial people “multi-racial” would those multi-racials complaing about the “one-drop rule” then focus on more important matters? My boyfriend now is white and when we have children if anyone asks them “Are you multi-racial/black/white?”. I hope they will say, what difference is it to you.
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 10:34:35 -0700
From: Beth Gray
Subject: Response to a Letter to the Editor
Someone recently sent in a letter asking why mixed people with partial African ancestry are so rejecting of “blacks”, and issued a reminder that this whole miserable system was begun by “whites”. No one is likely to forget the latter. However, I don’t think people are aware ENOUGH of the following. W/B Mixies have suffered every form of menace and verbal and physical abuse (with the possible exception of lynching) from “blacks” that “blacks” have from “whites”. Such irony. As “blacks” know, there is nothing like abuse and violence to instill hatred toward the perpetrators.
This person should read the personal accounts of mixies that have been written in the last 20 years or so since that material is easiest to find (Gaskins, Root, Zack). However, the antipathy comes from a long history of jealousy and hostility on the part of “blacks”. While mixies certainly experience racism from “whites” it’s rarely as personal and ugly as the kind practiced by “blacks”.
Finally, go to the Interracial Voice Editorial Archives and read “Mullato: A Definition” and “What We’re Up Against” by Liam Martin. Really read them. Understand what he is saying about experience, identity, and freedom of choice and then multiply THAT by 400 years worth of the lives of individual and community experience. Then you will just BEGIN to get the answer to your question.
Links:
https://www.multiracial.com/store/biracial.html
http://www.webcom.com/~intvoice/liam5.html
http://www.webcom.com/~intvoice/liam4.html
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 18:02:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: delois
Subject: Letter to the Editor
I’m responding to Beth Gray. Can you tell me what “Blacks” have done to mixed race people? Sometimes you cannot tell a “Black” person from a Mixed person? Did Blacks make Jim Crow laws? Did Blacks burn crosses on lawns? Did Blacks deny mixed race people equal access to the law? I still cannot understand the anger toward Black people. I keep reading about mixed people saying Blacks teased them and made them try to pick one race. Well what about the dark skinned Blacks who are made fun of by Black people for being “too dark”, “oh you’re nice looking for a dark person”. I have heard Black people call dark people “Sambo, darkie, blue, soot”. Are mixed people that thin skinned? In stead of focusing on the past, what are you going to do about the present/future? Whine about Black people or do something really constructive with your life? If Blacks are so bad, just stay away from them and stop this infantile crying. For a race of people who have just started to have political clout and power, Blacks sure have been powerful force over Mixed(white/black) people according to you. Give me a break.
Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2000 14:54:48 -0800
From: Beth Gray
Subject: FWD: Letters
It continually fascinates me how people are unable or unwilling to comprehend what they read. They’re too busy taking knee-jerk exception to what they don’t like and don’t want to hear—like the truth.
Someone asked a question, and I gave part of the answer. It’s fact whether anyone likes it or not. Not just in the past, but it continues in the present. Rather than respond, “delois” should have read Liam Martin’s editorials. ALL of them. Like it or not, our experiences exist, are true, and are valid. “delois” doesn’t seem to know that multimixies have been trying to STAY away for 400 years. And in the present, we AND the post 60’s mixies are still trying to GET away so we can be WHO we really are regardless of WHAT others think we should be. It’s not about phenotypes it’s about a different IDENTITY AND CULTURE. GET IT?
Staying away from “blacks” and re-establishing mixed race America is a large part of the MM and of trying to change the census. If it were that easy then the drive for the multiracial category would have succeeded.
Date: Wed, 8 Nov 2000 16:12:27 -0800 (PST)
From: delois
Subject: Letter to the Editor
In response to Ms. Gray, I don’t think you can talk for all multiracial people. I only replied to your post. I stated my opinion, I’m proud of it, if you didn’t like it you shouldn’t have responded. You really shouldn’t let words get to you. Some don’t want to associate with “monoracial” and some do. The point is no one can talk for such a large group of people. You might want to be apart in your own utopia but some won’t. Just as some “monoracial” people do not want to associate with other “monoracial” people. I cannot speak for all multi-racial people and I’m sure they do not have a “Spokesperson”. So what exactly are you trying to establish? How do you determine who goes into your “multiracial haven”? half black, quarter black,3/8ths black, 1/16th black? I just think the whole idea is stupid. Why can’t the labels just cease? Will the multiracial community only include people who are fair or will it include people with dark skin who look “monoracial”.
I don’t associate with people I don’t like, I don’t constantly talk about them because they are not important to me. So obviously black people must be important to you. If you don’t decide my mortgage payments, employ me, take care of me, why should I care what you think. The same should apply to you, if blacks don’t do anything for you, why even bother. Such pettiness, there are more important things occurring in this world than what label you want placed upon yourself. All people want to be respected no matter what color, you can label yourself anything you want, but if you do not have love, happiness and respect in your life what different does that silly label do for you? PS “mixes” have not tried to stay away for 400 years, what planet are you on? MOST BLACKS ARE MIXED. You can reply if you want, but I’m through with this message board, you bore me.