Comments on: I am neither black nor white. I'm both

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:42:01 +0000

I am a white mother of bi-racial children and I don't care if my child is darker than his black father, they are bi-racial!!! We teach others around us how we want our kids to be viewed. Before each school year, we meet with their teachers and let them know that they are
bi-racial. Whenever we fill out forms, if we can't check a black and a white box, then we check the "Other" box and write in bi-racial or multi-cultural.

Society can see my kids as black all they want............but they aren't. They know that, I know that, their father knows that and we make it a point to let anyone who miscategorizes them for any reason know that. We educate others on how we want to be viewed as a family. It's really not that difficult!

By: Allison

Allison — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:41:45 +0000

I am so incredibly moved by Grace's words. I am a Jamaican born American and a child of a mom who was mixed.
I now have a son who is biracial and I have struggled for a time arguing with friends even, saying, "why on God's green earth would I tell my child to choose between one race or the other? To do so would say that he has to negate one parent and that is just ridiculous.
I found myself pushing hard for my child to say, "you are black", because there are still so many negative ideas and images about being black, that I wanted to find a way to instill a love and strength and courage in that part of him so that no one can tear it down. But in truth I shouldn't have to do that. It is as though I am making excuses or apologies as to why the world is still so backwards. The fact is there is only one race...THE HUMAN RACE.
There are things far beyond color that make us beautiful and one, I wish that is what we would focus on as a people.
Maybe I am confused by it all, because the whole topic makes me sick.
Life is hard enough, we don't need any more false walls to limit, who we are, or ways for us to continue to hurt and hate one another.

By: Stalyon

Stalyon — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:39:54 +0000

Ignorance is the condition of being uninformed or uneducated, lacking knowledge or information. It may also refer to:

The stage America is in when it comes to identifying people of MIXED DECENT. America sadly to say has people who want to be in this catigory. They want to think that everyone is either BLACK or WHITE, however the TRUTH is that many Americans come from a wide array of nationalities and culutures that are of MIXED DECENT. If you told a IRISH american man that he was that of the same as a ITALIAN American in 1776 he would probably punch you in the face. The fact of the matter is to make it easier on applications and things of the such we have come into a way of thinking that is ignorant and needs CHANGE. The ways of old are changing and so do the actions and thoughts of those living in this NEW era. THE ONE DROP RULE needs to be looked over and vitoed out of the American system as it has too many flaws and in the big picture keeps many Americans in a stage of ignorance. However today we have many MIXED AMERICANS taking the stage because people want to put you in a box, however people such as Tiger Woods and Barack Obama and many other great Americans make it impossible to do so and that confuses many, even Jesse Jackson who is BLACK and speaking of Mr. OBAMA as if he was a slave who needed his nuts taken off.

The answer is simple, we are all humans of ONE race and that is the HUMAN RACE. We send both BLACK, and WHITE people to the moon. Our bond of medicine is of one bond we do not look at medicine and see how it can cure ONE race vs. ANOTHER race, we look at how we can for example cure CANCER that does not discrimitate on a particular race or culture or demographic, if only one could see thru the eyes of God can one truely understand that we are all of the dirt, we breath and we die, BLACK or WHITE, or of MIXED DECENT lets be respectful of all as we are all in need of eachother.

By: Eric R.

Eric R. — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:39:26 +0000

Bravo! Nicely put.

By: Renata

Renata — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:36:42 +0000

I believe that being biracial,multiracial,black,or white shouldn't matter. The point is everyone should be treated the same and equal. We're all humans and people,not colors. America is a melting pot of many people. In the African American community there is much self-hatred for one's self. We look at what's on the outside instead of the inside. We hold each other back instead of helping one another. It's like the William Lynch Story. We all should just be Americans instead of a race. There's only the human race of people and love.

By: Michael Nassenstein

Michael Nassenstein — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:35:33 +0000

Way to go, that is excactly what i told my daughter, half german and half korean, be proud of both your parts and identify with both and you will be happy. Glad to see that in this segregating world someone has sense, and this from a young person, it should shame all the older persons that identify and categorize others by race.

By: Michon

Michon — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:34:53 +0000

Grace has so eloquently verbalized what I have felt while watching our country evolve. I am Korean and Black. If you were to ask me to choose which I identify with the most, I would say both. It is unfair to ask me to give more importance to one part of my heritage over the other. My husband is of Mexican descent. How would you categorize my son? He should not be subjected to questions about what his ethnic makeup is.

Our country is more of a melting pot than ever before. I hate the cliche, but it is true. Mr. Barack Obama is a symbol of the blending of ethnicities, however he is so commonly referred to as African-American. He is a man that is biracial. That is the historical perspective that should be referenced.

I feel no need, nor will I ever try to select which race I am. I am proud to be who I am – a proud American woman who is Korean and Black.

By: orin

orin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:34:30 +0000

if you as a beautiful young woman was stopped by a cop or followed in a shopping mall , is it because you are black? white? Biracial? Or is it because of your color? Think about it ? There is not a black person in america who is not bi-racial .... maybe because your first generation it is more in your face ..... If a woman who maybe ignorant with our caucasian background finds an ignorant reason to hit or slap
you .... is she attacking the person in us who is like her or the person who is of our africian ancestory ..... You are young we as humans have a delima ... you young lady are on a quest as we all are.... keep pursing....keep challening and my god bless...

By: Monica

Monica — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:23:51 +0000

I'm Peruvian and my husband is white American. I have two incredibly beutiful white skin, blue eyes girls... and every where we go people think (and ask me) if I'm the baby sitter... or maybe dady's new latin girl friend... But you know what?... we don't care! We are racing our girls teaching them that we live in one world, that we are all the same, that we have to accept each others.... and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE..!!!!

Let's stop calling each others names... we are all humans, men and woman... that's it, please!

By: JeromeM

JeromeM — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:23:32 +0000

Then why is CNN (CrappyNews Network) so racist? They always refer to Obama as black even though he is more white than black because typical to the black culture the father abandoned him to his cocaine usage and he ended up being raised by his well to do gransmother (VP of the largest bank in Hawaii) and his well to do mother who got a PHD from Harvard. She only had food stamps when she was in college which is what many well off 'slumming' white people do.

By: Krystin

Krystin — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:14:31 +0000

I really appreciate this blog entry. Very well written,very well said and right on. As a bi-racial person myself, I have often felt the same way and believe it is necessary to be expressed...even when society doesn't want to accept it. People of mixed backgrounds are beautiful and are fortunate to have sides of multiple races and ethnicities. Indeed, it is representative of hard fought against divides being broken and global society being represented. To be forced to put one's self in one category is to kill off who we are because we are neither and all.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:12:51 +0000

RIght on. The real challenge for all humans everywhere is to see if we can rise above the limiting barriers of "race" and work together to overcome the increasingly serious problems that all living beings face in these troubling times. Race is a distraction when we take a look at what's happening to our world.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:11:53 +0000

It's nice to see a biracial woman that could pass as white dictating how I should define myself.

I am biracial and I realize that I am just black to most people. Some other biracial people need to get over themselves. You're not that special.

By: Emily Barnett

Emily Barnett — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:10:58 +0000

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo. My grandchildren are Blended and I am glad that someone has stood up to be heard. My granddaughter was told when she signed in to her High School she marked both races and was told no she had to choose one. she is proud of both parents but the school told her what one to choose because that way she would be more likely to get a minority scholarship. Please do not stop, spread the word everywhere.

By: Alice

Alice — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:06:17 +0000

I am Black, Cherokee, Chippewa, Blackfoot. There is German, Irish, Italian and Russian in my family lineage. I grew up speaking English and Spanish, took sign language, French in school, learned some Swahili, German, Italian, and French from my father who was in WWII. My father taught me to always be proud of who I was for I made my ancestors proud. That I stood on the shoulders of all before me as they all lived for the day that I came into being. That they all lived for the day I needed courage and strength. My father was Cherokee, Chippewa and Black. My mother was Blackfoot and Black. The German, Irish, Italian and Russian from my father's lineage. He taught me about Cesar Chavez, Leonard Peltier, MLK, Jr., John and Bobby, Malcolm and everyone who thought to change the world during the Civil Rights Era up until he died. His main point was that I/we are "members of the world's family" and to understand our role in the family we must learn every culture of the world. I was not taught to see "color" but to look at the soul and heart. They both taught me that "society" could be brutal but it could also be inviting. They taught me to challenge myself if no one else did. But most importantly they taught me my name. That is who I am, what I should answer to and how I will be remembered. For my actions will be "logged" under my name. I believe in humanity, not just my own but everyone's. To do otherwise is to give up on myself. I won't give up on you because I won't give up on me. My siblings say that it is foolish to be "a double or triple minority" but I won't deny my parents or those who shaped them. I am me. It doesn't matter to me if some say I am Black or this or that. We all are supposed to answer to a higher calling. These things don't define but they also don't take away from who I am. We all are part of the collective world order (family) that should promote and protect one another. There are good and bad people of every hue in every aspect of life but it is the good that should be the norm and celebrated.

Discussion is good. It is a start. But it dies before things are settled, before things are finished. It is time to talk until there is a solution. Then let us all act accordingly.

By: Jaimee

Jaimee — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:00:49 +0000

I'm a white woman married to a black man. We have one "brown" son. That's right.... he's not black, not white, but brown!!! Most people think he's Mexican!!!

As far as I'm concerned, as long as he is kind, charming, considerate, disciplined, and wise, his color will have absolutely NO impact on what he is able to achieve in his lifetime.

By: Brad

Brad — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:59:28 +0000

Well said, but you know, why must we be latin american, or african american. Point is, you are an American. On my moms side her father or grandfather is from India, on my dads side, I have cherokee and jerman. So what am I? InJerkee American? No, I'm an American, as are all my fellow brothers and sisters, dispite color.

By: NWA fan

NWA fan — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:58:58 +0000

That was nice what Grace said, but she's HOT! Who cares if she's black or white?

By: Monica

Monica — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:58:09 +0000

I'm proud to say Im multi-racial!! I'm black, white, cherokee and lumbee. I claim all my racial makeup. I grew up in the South in the middle of the civil rights struggle where the "caste system" still reigns today. My birth certificate says "Negroid" but my skin color is very pale. My whole family is a rainbow with white skin-green/blue eyes-straight blonde hair to black skin-brown eyes-kinky black hair. Throughout my life, I have been discriminated by both races. Some whites and blacks would see me as dark as a night and some whites and some blacks would see me as white as snow. And some would see me invisible. I see myself as a loving person who would help others and will strive to live my life in the pursuit of happiness.

By: Lisa P, CT

Lisa P, CT — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:58:02 +0000

What an inspiring young woman, we can all learn a lesson from her. Can I vote for her for President instead of Obama who looks at his grandmother as a typical WHITE person...
I'm sure with this positive attitude, this woman will be whatever she aspires to be.. All the best to her.