Yes

by Ja Sparrow

Created on: January 11, 2011

Yes.  Race is becoming more and more ambiguous.  If the arguement is for "identification purposes", that seems a weak arguement to uphold.  One of the main problems with categorizing people by race is that many races have been mixing for thousands of years.  Almost all black americans have mixed blood with Native Americans and Caucasians from generations ago when there was slavery in the United States.  Before 1492 the Americas was the land of the free.  Then Christopher Columbus came and began the enslavement of the aboriginal peoples he thought where from India-because he thought he was IN India.

It is believed that the Native Americans here, were mainly descendents of Asia.  However, archeologists say that the statues of the Olmecs (ancient native american peoples of central america) have "negroid" features, suggesting African descent.  And after the Spanish and Portuguese domination of South, Central and much of North America, came the French and British domination from modern-day Canada and the original American Colonies. 

So my ancestors, who may have been of Asian and/or African descent were categorized into what is now known as "Latin Americans" and specific to the country my mother was born in "Mexican" but my father's side of the family was on the Texas side when the borderlines where drawn between Texas and Mexico so they became "Hispanic Americans".  My mother has light skin, and could be mistaken for a woman from the middle east.  My skin is a dark reddish-brown, and I do not feel comfortable with categorizing myself as of the "White" or "Caucasian" race even though as an individual I now carry the last name of some Spanish folk. 

I am not my ancestors, but does that mean I should ignore the fact that my ancestors have a colorful history?  I say no.  And as far as race, I feel more comfortable identifying myself as "Native American" but I have no tribal affiliations and do not seek any "benefits" that the government may have to offer as a person who has "Native American" status. 

I have cousins on  my mother's side who are "half-black".  Because it is their father who is of a dominantly African descent, they label themselves as "African descent/black" yet speak Spanish and eat the foods of both Mexican and Black-American cultures. . .

There are more and more inter-racial couples that are having kids with more and more colorful combinations and lines of descent.  I suggest doing away with the categorization of people in different races as a step forward-recognizing that we all bleed red blood.  We all have the same shape and color of organs on the inside.  As far as race goes, I say I'm "human". 

When we recognize every person as part of the Human race, do you think that might make a difference in international relations?  What about what we would now recognize as "inter-racial" relations? 

Earlier I mentioned races mixing for thousands of years.  Reference:  world history.  The Arabs of the middle east mixing with the Caucasians of Europe and the peoples of Africa.  The peoples of Africa with the peoples of India, Europe, the Americas, etc.  The Europeans with Asians, Africans, Native Americans, etc.  The Asians seperating out to the many islands and quietly assimilating into countless cultures.

I find the seperation and categorization of people into races to be so primitive.  Even when done on paper.  Yet this is the situation.

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