Why are people who are partly "white" and partly "black" referred to as black? (generation, Baby Boomers)
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The above is the latest report about another shooting of innocent "white" people by someone identified as a "light skinned black male".
Why is it that people who are partly "black" and partly "white" are almost always identified, when race or color of skin is specified, as "black"? (Or at least this has been my observation.) It seems to me that this goes back to the 1800's when in some sections of the U.S., anyone with ANY black ancestry was considered black, period, and therefore often discriminated against.
And now, with so much racism still in existence, it seems that identifying someone who has done something wrong as black just fuels the hatred displayed by racists. This is highly evident on many current threads on City Data.
I think we should stop identifying people by skin color unless it is absolutely necessary -- such as when a description of a missing person is issued -- and then the person should only be described as "light skinned", "darker (or perhaps medium?) skinned", or "dark skinned", with the gender, color of hair and eyes, approximate height and weight, and description of clothing also given.
Of course, if someone wants to self-identify as "black", "white", "Latino", "Vietnamese", or whatever, that is fine -- but I just think that news agencies and law enforcement agencies should not arbitrarily assign any ancestry labels to people.
That is just my opinion, of course. What is yours?
Last edited by katharsis; 08-26-2015 at 09:49 AM..
That might change when the Boomer generation is dead.
Remember that when Boomers were young (and some not-so-young at all), interracial marriage was illegal in 19 states and discouraged by the strongest social means everywhere it wasn't illegal. That was the case when I first started dating.
The white mothers of what are now called "biracial" children essentially lost their own "white cards." They were largely treated by society as though they were black and their children were treated by society as black. If society could determine that a person was any part black, that person was treated as black. That's what Boomers grew up with as "normal."
Remember that the Boomer Generation still controls American politics, commerce, and media, so don't expect it to change until the Boomer Generation is dead.
Well, I think there is some truth in what you say as to how mulatos were treated. But don't be so sure that everything will chance when the baby boomers all die off.
Why is it that people who are partly "black" and partly "white" are almost always identified, when race or color of skin is specified, as "black"? (Or at least this has been my observation.) It seems to me that this goes back to the 1800's when in some sections of the U.S., anyone with ANY black ancestry was considered black, period, and therefore often discriminated against.
Yes but these days it's blacks who have perpetuated the whole "if you're partly black then you are black" thing. Case in point, if a biracial Puerto Rican goes around claiming to be white, blacks will call that person out as black.
But realistically, most black people who are partly white look black, and therefore that's why they are typically referred to as black. It's rare to see a biracial person who looks unmistakably white. It exists, but it's rare. Black genes leave a strong imprint.
Well it likely stems from old definition of a black person. That even if there is a single drop of a black blood in their veins, they are black. I think "negro" was the word used.
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