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I hope this thread is not too controversial, but for quite sometime, I've noticed that mixed raced children (with one black parent) are often labeled as black. Mixed race children who are white/Asian, Hispanic/Asian, Native American/White, Arab/white, or any other combination are however, viewed as 'mixed,' and not solely labeled as one race.
My daughter is mixed. She is half white 1/4 Asian and 1/4 Hawaiian. She is usually called Asian. She has had teachers, strangers, employers, etc refuse to acknowledge her mixed race status and only labeled her as Asian. So No, mixed children are not always acknowledged as such.
Yes, the daughter looks like a depigmented partially-black person
From a scientific perspective, the color of a person's skin actually isn't that important. The shape of their skull and their features are what's used to classify a person.
Bull****.
There is no way scientifically to classify someone definitively to a particular race. There are no characteristics that all members of a race share that cannot be found outside their race.
I think because race is a social category rather than a biological one, most peoples' race classification is based on their looks and not their ancestry (this is not true of ethnicity). Also, black people accept mixed-race people who look mixed or black as black, while white people are less likely to see them as white (unless they look white).
Honestly I think there are so many "mixed race" people around these days that sooner or later we will drop the stupid racial classifications altogether in favor of some other way to discriminate against each other.
First, back off. I am not a "right winger," nor am I ever someone who argued that Barack Obama shouldn't be considered "black."
Obama is a classic case of identifying the way society views you in general.
Fine, but you're changing the premise of the discussion w/ the one-drop rule. I'd be surprised to find anyone living that still thinks like that.
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Again, not a right winger, but thanks for playing.
In Obama's case, any criticism or positive feelings I have for the guy have ZERO to do with his "blackness" in any way.
Barack Obama presents a case study for changing attitudes and awareness towards mixed people. After all, it wasn't white people who were questioning whether Obama could identify with the African American experience, since his mother was white, his father a Kenyan, and a step father who was Indonesian!
Even if you're not a right-winger, you're still pushing their agenda. Black Americans have always accepted 1/2 Blacks that look Black. It was never a question for the vast majority. There are many 1/2 Black NBA players who never get a second-look when they self-identify w/ Black. And until Obama came on to the scene the Right-wing also never had a problem w/ this either.
They are also the ones making a most of the hubbub about his upbringing being "not Black enough."
Barack Obama presents a case study for changing attitudes and awareness towards mixed people. After all, it wasn't white people who were questioning whether Obama could identify with the African American experience, since his mother was white, his father a Kenyan, and a step father who was Indonesian!
The only case studies that Obama represents were first, supporters of Hillary Clinton attempting to undermine his connection with African American voters and second and most recently, right wing conservatives attempting to do the same.
In either case, had Obama attempted to identify himself as bi-racial BOTH groups who have jumped up and down accusing him of denying his "blackness."
Quite frankly, your premise boils down to nothing more and nothing less than the old time brown paper bag test. In each of your examples you presented "bi-racial" children who look more "white" than "black." It is interesting that you didn't post pictures of "bi-racial" children, like my daughter who can pass as anything other than an African American.
I hope this thread is not too controversial, but for quite sometime, I've noticed that mixed raced children (with one black parent) are often labeled as black. Mixed race children who are white/Asian, Hispanic/Asian, Native American/White, Arab/white, or any other combination are however, viewed as 'mixed,' and not solely labeled as one race.
I see the point to your thread, but not in the claim you make. "Mixed" applies to anybody else, no more/less than others than to blacks. That said, the love for "color" really dates back to the times, and people, who consider being colorless/translucent/transparent/ghostly as being equal to greatness. They've made an attempt to take over, and control this nation, and also in other countries, for "purity" reasons. Add a drop of any color, and something colorless acquires color. I guess, that is why. People still exist who believe that there is such thing as "colorless people", the kind that created special water fountains for "colored people". And these would be the geniuses who believe "white" ain't a color.
Its ok to just say "mixed" if you just have to bring what race is into the conversation..what difference should it make. If one is an american for example it is in very poor taste and not patriotic to ever put anything in front of the word american. Say I am an american citizen. Dont say I am mexican american. or afro american or irish american...There are no such things,,Say I am an american of african decent or I am an american of irish decent..then its ok.Now if you are an illegal alien here you dont have a recognized status. You cant say I am an american of mexican decent because you are still a mexican first. You would have to say I am a mexican who is not suspose to be here.
At this point in time I would say there is a huge majority of people who are mixed. If your mother was Irish and your father Italian - that's being mixed.
I myself am a fruit cocktail with all the crossing over my ancestors did.
I need to correct you on the Mexican issue. Just recently the illegal Mexicans protested being referred to as illegals as they thought it was disrepectful so Obama has declared illegals as "undocumented Americans". But if we go with your "American" first then an illegal would be an "American undocumented".
I hope this thread is not too controversial, but for quite sometime, I've noticed that mixed raced children (with one black parent) are often labeled as black. Mixed race children who are white/Asian, Hispanic/Asian, Native American/White, Arab/white, or any other combination are however, viewed as 'mixed,' and not solely labeled as one race.
I'm black American and I clearly understand the history of slavery, etc and the "one drop rule," but what I don't understand is the insistence on continuing to keep the "one drop rule" alive. In truth, I've heard a number of blacks state that a black/white person is black, I've even heard black guys and white women state that their children are black. And of course, we all know that the majority of white & black Americans view Obama as black, despite the fact that his mom is white. I'm very perplexed by this, because from my understanding, it takes two black people to create a black child, just as it takes two white people to create a white child.
What does this say about the black American identity, if a black/Asian, black/white, black/etc, are labeled by society as black? Is it merely political?
On another note, are Soledad Obrien's children black as well, since her mom is a black Hispanic? Are they mixed, since Soledad is half Australian and half black/Hispanic, or white since her husband is white, and the children have mostly white lineage?
Recall Karyn Parsons from the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Karyn is mixed (half black/half white), but are her children black? Or are they white, since her husband is white and they clearly favor the father.
Is Wentworth Miller (Actor) black as well, since he has one African parent & one European parent?
This is all very confusing and it seems politically driven.
No offense but your original post seems rather naive.
People can label themselves whatever they like. Most people will label others based upon what THEY see. It doesn't matter if someone is biracial or multiracial because strangers are never going to known that person's racial background unless they ask the person.
Therefore, if one is biracial but obviously has some distinguishable African features then they will be perceived as "black". Also remember that there are many people with two "black" parents that have lighter skin or fewer African features than "biracials" because of the history of people crossing back and forth over the colorline during slavery.
In the end it really does not matter what other people call you as long as you know who YOU are.
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