Why are Mediterranean brown skinned people considered white in America?

Question

You and me ( Sicilian) are Exactly what I am talking about Ahmed!!!


KKK of California, I will say a prayer for your blackened heart.

Answer 1

I think there's a number of different reasons for this. The context of your question though seems to be specifically "why does the U.S. federal and state governments, and its citizens following, consider mediterranean brown skinned people 'white'", like Sicilians for instance. The real problem here is that "race" in general is such a problematic thing to accurately define and measure because so many people in the world, and especially within this country, are now are of mixed ancestry. Some argue, in fact, that "race" does not even really exist for this reason alone. Here in this country however, race is still stressed because there a number of political advantages to it, and its used to measure societal gains or losses with regard to historically disadvanged groups who are of the same "race", among other reasons. Outside of politics and societal studies however, the idea of race in this country is very real and powerful, however covert as it may be. Historical events and influencial persons and groups have played the biggest part in your question from a governmental point of view. I think the easiest answer though is that your average small town american wants to define you in the easist and simplest way. So, if you're not (or don't define yourself as) "black", "latino", "asian", or native american, you're simply "white", no matter where you're from.

Answer 2

I'm not sure where you get that idea. I've never considered any other race as white - but then again I dont usually think about their color.

In fact it doesnt really matter what color anyone is to most Americans. Some it does, but they are usually hate groups like KKK or the Nation of Islam (not really Islamic though they say it is, but a wierd off shoot from Islam and is very racist against whites)

Answer 3

Mediterranean people are olive skinned (like Kim Kardashian skin), not brown! You're probably thinking of Hispanics, who are typically mixed with Native American. Thus making them brown.

Answer 4

What I learned way back many, many, many, many years ago, was that race is a matter features. That even darker olive skinned people are of the white race. There are only three races, White, Black and Yellow.

Answer 5

Which brown skinned people are you referring to .. Cause most of the ones I know of are white.. or olive completion, but they are definitely Caucasian. Are you referring to those peoples living in Northern Africa?

Answer 6

well im from egypt and im brown, and we are considered caucasian, i guess its becuase there are alot of middle eastern people who are both white and brown in color

Answer 7

It's not so much a white/nonwhite thing, as a Euro/non-Euro thing.

Answer 8

dont know where you get that idea from honey...

Answer 9

cuz they are european?? i dunno..