racial question?

Question

why is it that when a person is half white and another race they usually refer to them as the other race. like halle berry is an african american actress but technically she is only half. same with alicia keys. they are part white

---dave chapelle had an episode with a sketch called the racial draft and it was set up like a sports draft. very funny but i makes me wonder is that how its done. a certain race claims you and thats what you are unless you pull a tiger woods and choose not to be identified by one race.

lol to the first answer...i dont think i made my question clear. got caught up explaining i guess

Question: why are people like alicia and halle etc classified as black singers/actresses when they are bi-racial? they are just as much white as they are black.


ps. i just mentioned dave chapelle because it was funny and made a good point. i do know it is just a comedy show

Answer 1

I know you are right. Its kind of annoying. You shold acknowledge both races. I never think of people like alicia keys and halle berry as black cause they are not. Same with Miariah Carey. She looks straight up white but she is half and half latin...I guess it wil take time for those things to change.

Answer 2

Well, it just depends on how much of the different race has come out...

If a white woman marries a black man and the kids turn out to be very dark, then they will generally accept the african american "tag" .

But if they come out more white than black, then they will have a choice in the matter.

There have been instances where a person, claimed to be black because it gave them a "lift up" into getting a job. But, when that person had other differences, and found out that the "black" wasnt going to get them into something or they were being let go because they were black or some other thing, then they changed thier minds and accepted the "white" in them and the turmoil that, that brought was a whole peck of trouble because you just cant claim one race, because its more convinient to get ahead, by being black, then, because of another circumstance, claim to be white because of some other motive and hinderance.

And dave chappelle is a comedian and has a whole host of writers for him and you should not take your values from comedy, its like saying Saturday Night Live is REAL???

I wish you well..

Jesse

Answer 3

I agree with the first answer, race is determined by the way you look, if you are 1/2 white AND 1/2 black, and you look "light skinned" then thats what you are.

Answer 4

i think some of that comes from what ethnicity the individual chooses to be identified as...sometimes neither ethnicity will "claim" an individual...it's all going to a mute point in awhile.


***with all the genetic testing that is readily available, there have been individuals who have been quite surprised by their ethnic make up, and some who have used it to recieve grants, etc....i read an article in the paper a few months ago...a set of twins who appear "white" found out through genetic testing Native American, and African...this information would be helpful in obtaining financial aid for college.

Answer 5

The color of a person's skin in the first thing most people notice. It's that simple. I wish we were all purple.

Answer 6

That's why they call it RACE. Ii's a sprint from birth to death. If you are in the lead you can call yourself anything you want, if you are behind people call you what they want.

Answer 7

There are just 2 kind of Race's
if your blood is red... your the normal kind.
if your blood is blue(or any other colour)... you r a freak.

Answer 8

I'm mixed or bio-racial and i refer to myself as a mixed person.

Answer 9

race is whatever you look like, because thats all it is looks.

Answer 10

hmm..gud thought!! but were is d question dude..!!! nywz u r rite...!