Is "African American" wrong?

I used to be against the term "african american", mostly because I find it easier to just say "black". Other reasons included the fact that I have never been to Africa, and don't know much to anything about Africa, really don't care to go there, and honestly, do not care as much for it as I probably should. (while its interesting and it would be nice to see the REAL africa and not the "africa" you see in tv commercials, I find black culture within America more interesting).

I also learned recently through a blog by a black person, that "African American" is a term whites use to try to prove they are not racist. According to Abagond, the term African American is only a word scholarly types of people use.

But I found myself being less against it, the more I heard whites be against it, mostly because the whites that were against it, lacked any understanding for the word, and often would say something racist about the word or in some way or form reveal their racist views through objection to the word.

I just recently, and I literally mean recently, finally and truly understood the word. I guess it was when I was searching for self discovery and my identity as a mulatto (is mulatta the female version of the word?????) that I started to understand the term African American.

For starters, blacks are not treated as Americans, but most importantly, it gives them an identity. Blacks being able to have an identity didn't really start to happen until after slavery ended.

It annoys me when people say mean things about the term "African American' yet are perfectly okay with Asian America, Hispanic American, and etc. Most blacks who use the term African American strongly exhibit an identity, usually a positive one. While that isn't always the case, it is for the most part.

Mulatto is in such the same way. People say "mulatto" is a bad word, but it isn't. It simply describes someone as half white and half black. Its their identity, it evokes an identity, its much stronger than biracial.

African American does the same for blacks, it is doing for them what mulatto does for me. So why deny someone that identity? It does not matter if that term is an American thing only. It does not matter if its politically correct. What matters is if it gives people a positive identity or helps put them on a track to finding self discovery that without that term, they may not have found.

Domineering/Angry black woman stereotype

Black women suffer from stereotypes that range in complete opposites. You got the mammy and pickaninny stereotype. You got the sexually loose and sexually conservative stereotype (there is NOTHING wrong with waiting til marriage!). Then you got the worst stereotype of all...and this one is perpetrated often by black men.

It is the "angry black woman" stereotype. When black men give you reasons they do not go for black women, this is usually the main reason. White men are also bad about applying this stereotype.

It is damaging because it discredits perfectly good reasons for being upset. Essentially, its a way of ignoring their troubles. For centuries black women have been supporting black men and fighting for their rights along with their own, and now you have many classless (usually disrespectful) black men of today's generation who go around being hateful to a black woman. Its bad enough other races see mixed girls and black girls as least desirable...but now black men do the same...and the thing is if it wasn't for a black woman, they couldn't get with a white woman and get her pregnant and then leave her like a very good majority often do.

I am not angry that black men prefer white woman, because I personally prefer white men, mulatto men, asians, and latin guys over black guys anyways but it angers me when black men fault black women when they themselves are so fucking guilty of doing horrible shit.

Its pisses me off the same way white guys claim that the only white girls blacks like are fat rejects. Yes for the most part that is true, but not always. My cousin is beautiful and is your all american type of girl from a very conservative christian background and she has been in long term relationships with black guys...in one specific one she was abused sadly.

Black women, with the way they are treated have a right to be angry. Hell I myself am very angry. I don't hide it either, I am an angry person. I despise the world.

But one white guy said he no longer dates black women because he found them all domineering. He said he hadn't met one yet who wasn't one. Another guy said that they are all gold diggers.

Most guys will chime in and agree, even black men. Its easier to blame a whole race of women, than it is to blame yourself.

My mom was ditched by my dad and my sister's dad. She could blame the whole race of men if she wanted to, considering almost every biracial at least around here tend to be abandoned by the father. But my mom knows that she is partly to blame for what happened.

Those who let themselves believe a stereotype going into something, nothing that person will do, will change your perception. If you believe a black person to be violent, before you know them, then the moment they get angry, even if justified, you will attribute that to the stereotype and use it as a reason to down them and an entire race.

Its true that it only takes 1 bad black person to destroy what 10 good black people have done.

Ask yourself this, if every black woman you have been with was "domineering" then wouldn't you think, YOU are the problem?

I mean, either you go in with stereotypes and refuse to be proven wrong, or you are looking for those types of girls so you can use that as an excuse to dis on an entire race of women and still "claim" you are not racist. Or you just do not have high enough standards to attract good women. That or maybe you expect a girl to submit to you.

If its one thing that has separated black women from other races, is that most will not be submissive. In a sense, 200+ yearsof evolution is the reason why. Black women have not had it easy in America, not from the moment they stepped foot in this country. I do not know about their experiences in Africa, but in America they have always had to work. In slavery they were forced to work fields and be baby making machines. They had to have jobs even when married because blacks were not paid fairly and usually had to have 2 paychecks to equate half of what a white man usually made. On top of that they are females and females were not treated so great at all in history.

Black women couldn't afford to be submissive in American society. How could they, anyone who thinks they could have been, seriously needs to look at history again.

Men want women who will submit to their authority. They consider a woman who will not be abused, "domineering".

Men often tell women its their fault for getting duds for boyfriends. When will it be the mens turn to take responsibility for always going for the wrong types? Don't blame the whole race of black women just because YOU have problems!!!!

Respect History

Maybe its just the fact that I enjoy history more than the average person that propels me to say "respect history".

I am a firm believer in the theories that if one doesn't learn their history they are doomed to repeat it...and the more colder one, those who know their history but do not care for it, are likely to repeat it because of their cold hearted nature.

We have 3 kinds of histories. World History, our own country's respective history, and our own personal history.

There are times in our own personal history where we repeat an action but we try to change the results. We take what we learned from the first time, to try not to make those same mistakes. But no situation is ever the same.

It isn't necessarily wrong to repeat an action in hopes of a different out come, depending on the action. A repeat of the Holocaust is not okay, but it may happen because there are people sick enough to do that. The situation though would be different based on the target group (ex: in Russia, its anyone who is not white), and also different because well its the 21st hi tech century.

But I think the world is in as much turmoil as it is for 3 distinct reasons.

1. People do not learn from the past...or just don't care.
2. Some don't care and will repeat it intentionally and will try to justify it through propaganda (DO NOT underestimate the power of propaganda, its working right now in America the same way it was working in Germany in the 1930s and 40s only this time it comes from hate mongerers such as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck).
3. We refuse to truly learn the history of the world and all its countries partly because people have no respect for other countries and also because if we know our history and right from wrong, it would be impossible for hate mongerers to take power over you through sensationalizing media.

Number 3 is important. I believe the world would not be in such a mess if we actually knew the history of this world.

I was with a group of girls last night at IHOP. They were trying to explain the Bible to me, as I am an agnostic trying to understand Christianity again in the hopes of maybe one day returning to it. They are all Non-denominational, something I have been thinking of doing (I come from a Pentecostal family, and one of the girls did also and understood exactly what I went through as she went through even worse!). They explained to me something about the Bible, that most Christians do not realize. They said that preachers will only pick out bits and pieces and preach on that the entire time. The audience follows the lead and never looks it up for themselves or read the whole book to get a real understanding. It is in that way that people may sometimes misinterpret the Bible. It is in that way how the Bible will get used for evil acts such as slavery in the United States.

I am a staunchly against using the Bible in politics for any topic for that reason. As easy as you find something to support your argument, your opponent can do the same and will.

But it rings true for knowing our history. Not knowing our history will cause us to blindly follow. The joke is on all of us. Its always easy to blame people like Hitler, but many of the Germans deserve the blame too. They let it happen. They believed propaganda, the let themselves be sweet talked by a horrible man. Its happening right now in politics. Most people both democrats, and especially republicans, have no true idea anymore whats going on. They believe biased people who sensationalize everything to feed off of your emotions.

I am a moderate, and I always felt that the middle is the one that can save this country. Compromise instead of trying to play all or nothing.

People, respect what has happened in history. Learn from it. Not just your country's history but the world. If people seriously knew and comprehended everything that has happened in this world. There is no way the world would be in such a horrible condition that it is in right now.

People don't think history is important, and that is why we are in a mess.

"Are you mixed?"

Mixed people have probably at some point in their life, often from blacks and other biracials, have been asked "are you mixed?"

It is a question that is both burdensome and not a burden at the same time. How so? It gets annoying being asked several times if you are mixed, but at the same time its a relief too because most mixed people want to be seen as mixed, they want the world to know they have a parent that is of a different race.

This phenomenon often occurs during the middle school years...the pattern is usually like this:

1. elementary school: you know you are different from others, but it isn't too big of a deal to really phase you, that is if you attend a school that is diverse enough that you are not the only person of color...otherwise it may affect you.

2. middle school: everyone starts realizing they are different, in some way or form, and everyone starts splitting off into their own groups of people with similarities. Often the biracial, will find that they fit better with whites, yet may not quite belong as they may be considered "too black" for them. It is at this time many biracials and blacks will ask the question "are you mixed?" usually this is asked because they want an explanation for why you are the way you are.

3. High school: the question gets asked a little less, but is sometimes still asked by others most just make their own conclusions and assumptions or just don't care.

4. Post high school (and college): very few if any will ask if you are mixed, most by this point will assume you are black until otherwise. For some at this point, being seen as black no longer phases you or as problematic as it may have been before, you also become more steady in being you and allow yourself to be proud of who you are, even if no one else sees it. You start to find your racial identity, if not your identity as a whole.

Some people feel that they must say they are just "american"in response to this question as others are more rude. People get this way not so much because of being asked, but because the fact that one is too different from the norm...exotic.

Exotic is an insult to a biracial person. Whites think its a compliment but its not. Its kind of disturbing.

The "Incognegro" and why its better not to pass as a celebrity

Vin Diesel, Wentworth Miller, and Jennifer Beals all claim to be multiracial and biracial. But they all look like they could pass. In fact, I never would have assumed they were mixed, but that may not being saying much since I thought Leona Lewis looked white in her Bleeding Love music video...but in some pics she does look biracial.

The "incognegro" is an incognito black person. Meaning, they look white, sound white, and you'd assume they were white if you didn't know any better. They essentially go through the opposite of what most biracials go through which is being mistaken for black or that your white family is black because they assume you are black.

Some people have wondered why people like Miller, Diesel, and Beals are open to admitting that they are not white. Some say its because they are not ashamed of their heritage, which may be so. But maybe the true reason is, that they want to avoid a scandal.

Think about it, there are 3 routes these guys could take:

1. not admit or deny it. if no one asks, why feel the need to tell people? I mean you aren't trying to pass intentionally, you can't help it that someone looks at you based on race first.

2. openly admit to not being white, may lose a role or two or more because white society does not want a non-white action hero more than what you already see.

3. deny any black heritage, try to pass for white...but when the tabloids eventually find out the truth, you are doomed and your career is over because well, blacks don't want to support someone who would be that way, and well whites don't want to support someone who tries to fool them like that or better yet, pretend to be that way.

So if anything admitting the truth is a great way to avoid a worse scandal later on.

But is passing really all that wrong? I'd say to the person who passes, always go with #1. You can reap the benefits of looking white, but never deny your heritage for if you do that, it could work against you someday. Not being open about your racial heritage is not wrong. Pete Wentz's mother is biracial, but to this day most are not sure what her mix is. He is not very open to discussing it.

You don't have to prance around letting everyone know you are mixed....but if you can reap the benefits of looking white, I would say go for it...lets be real, society is racist and if you have anything that can make your experience in this racist world better, why not utilize it?

Blacks rail on the passing incognegro only because they are doing what they only wish they themselves could do.

A Biracial Journey...

I remember at the Mulatto Mafia group at Facebook, a biracial guy once noting how many biracials exhibit a creative nature.

I like to write poetry. And lately I have made poetry a bigger hobby than I have ever done in the past. It has spawned in me the need, the want to take on some more hobbies. One of those hobbies is a mulatto self discovery adventure.

I am currently reading through Project Gutenberg, The Narrative of William Wells Brown, who was a mulatto slave in the midwest. His story so far has interested me much more than that of Frederick Douglass. Maybe its because William Wells Brown was a midwesterner slave within Missouri and Kentucky, and I happen to live in Missouri and have family in Kentucky. So I feel a bigger connection to him, as he is able to give me insight on my state, my home, stories you won't find in the books or anywhere else really.

Also its interesting to hear about slavery in the Midwest, so often its portrayed as a Southern thing only...maybe this is where southerners these days get their ideas and notions that the midwest is worse than the south. As a midwesterner, I will openly admit that whites are pretty racist here, but the amount of hate groups in my state is no more than what you find in these southern states (who have a few more and those states are smaller than mine on top of that). Both have a dirty equated history.

But reading this, and writing poetry has caused me to get interested in the self discovery of being mulatto.

Or maybe its the fact that my history professor uses the word mulatto (he is white). I can't help but giggle because he is the first person to ever use that word, I would get lectured if I dared used a word that accurately describes me as being half white and black.

I am interested in reading about the experiences of other biracials, especially their childhood. I come from a family that could never understand, not even my mulatto sister.

But I am a very severely depressed person...and maybe what I need is to formulate a strong identity. Maybe the best way to start that is to become interested in what I am.

What is "justifying racism"?

Justifying racism is when someone does something racist, acts racist, likes something thats racist and then justifies it.

I have a theory on "justification". I have noticed that often when you have to justify an action you do, or something you say or like, it is often something wrong. Not always is it wrong. Or at least its perceived as being wrong to need justification.

Justifying racism is an attempt by someone who is either racist, or often condones racism to try to right something they often know is not right. Its an attempt to make one feel better or not have to feel bad at all.

In a different post (possibly in the other blog, Me vs. the World), I mentioned that one has to feel bad in order to provoke a prevention action.

In this case, its the exact opposite. One tries not to feel bad, by trying to justify it so they can keep doing that wrong action.

Two examples would be Chief Wahoo, the Cleveland's mascot for baseball. and the justification for John Wayne's racism.

The thing is both were overtly racist, yet white people will often try to justify it anyway possible. John Wayne isn't the only racist celebrity or famous person to be constantly "justified". He is just the biggest example for his racist comments in Playboy in the 1970s.

Justifying racism is a cold hearted technique that can only be used by a racist or condoner. You are essentially trying to rewrite history, are trying to tell a minority group that they don't know what is racist to their group. And often, people who justify these racist acts, are only doing it so they can keep glorifying and idolizing something they really shouldn't be doing.