GC's 1001st Race Discussion

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Also, why identify by race? I hate that chit. If its not relevant, leave it out.

I agree.

[WhirlwindTNX]

Originally posted by Senusret I
Honestly, I'm more likely to ditch them than have a conversation about it. I am not obligated to educate someone where their parents failed.

Co-sign. I tried educating peopl my freshman year, but doing that ish will give ya gray hairs. So I don't have the time for people who are okay with their ignorance.

[ajuhdg]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Also, why identify by race? I hate that chit. If its not relevant, leave it out.

I'm glad you said this, my husband and I were talking about it the other day. We've lived in Germany for the last three years, and have come across people in our travels of all different types of people! We were saying how ONLY people in the US are picky about their label. For example, there's this awesome Chinese buffet right next to the base that we frequent. The owner is obviosly Asian, however, he was born and raised in Germany. He doesn't consider himself 'Asian German'...he's GERMAN. The same with a guy we met at our hotel in London. He's black, but he's ENGLISH, not 'African-English'.

My husband has encountered the same thing. He's Hispanic, and people are always asking him 'What are you?' or 'Where are you from?' He affirms that he's AMERICAN...not Mexican American. If you get him on a bad day though, you'll have to hear how his grandfather was in South Texas when it was still Mexico. That's a whole other story though.

I don't care for labels either, but I wonder how my 'mixed' son will be perceived when he gets older.

aj

[WhirlwindTNX]

I know what ya'll mean. The problem is that the government put these labels on us. I have met many people from Jamacia, Haiti, etc. that don't like being lumped into the category "African American" only because the color of their skin is like that of actual African Americans. People from places like Jamacia have a completely different culture than we do.

[Dionysus]

K....

It depends on the friend and what s/he said. Since none of us are immune to being ignorant, I will let one or two slightly ignorant things slide. I've said many ignorant things myself and didn't know better until someone called me out on it. If someone is that racist, I doubt that they will seek friendship with me in the first place. It also depends on how much I like that friend. I guess I have pretty much the same attitude as PhiPsiRuss.