Happy Father´s Day and Happy Family Day!! What a beautiful day we have today in our Beautiful USA! Today´s post is about Families! As I have shared on many occassions, America is continuing to evolve to a multi-ethnic nation. My family, like so many American families, has many ethnic roots, inluding: Latino, Native American, Northern European, Asian, African American and Middle Eastern.
The U.S. Census Bureau, citing "the racial and ethnic makeup of our country has significantly changed since 1977", changed their ethnicity categories in 2000. They added the “multi-ethnicity” option.
As the Census Bureau reports:
The most profound change to the question on race for Census 2000 is that respondents are allowed to identify one or more races to indicate their racial identity. There are 15 check box response categories and 3 write-in areas on the Census 2000 questionnaire, compared with 16 check box response categories and 2 write-in areas in 1990. The three separate identifiers for the American Indian and Alaska Native p
opulations (American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut) used earlier have been combined into one category - - American Indian or Alaska Native - - with instructions for respondents who check the box to print the name of their enrolled or principal tribe. The Asian and Pacific Islander category has been split into two categories Asian, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. There are six specified Asian and three detailed Pacific Islander categories shown on the Census 2000 questionnaires, as well as Other Asian and Other Pacific Islander which have write-in areas for respondents to provide other race responses. Finally, the category Some Other Race.. has a write-in area.
CNN Reports: The 2000 U.S. Census was the first time Americans were allowed to identify themselves as "multiracial," and more than six million people checked more than one box in the race and ethnicity category. Included in the multiracial category is the Democratic presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama. With a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya, Obama is the nation's first biracial candidate for president.
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54 comments:
Your title does not match what you have printed and the picture of the Pitt family is also incorrect in regards to the title. If this is your idea of multi-racial, you are confused.
the answer to your question: "Is Barack Obama black or multi-racial?" I would think he would answer that as he is Black, since that is what he identifies himself as and from what he has said about his mothers family. What about what Michelle Obama has said about Barack being a Black Man? What about the Black Americans, 95% + who have voted for him simply because he is "Black", when the question in the beginning of his campaign was "Is he Black enough?"
Our country has always been "multi-racial." There is no "evolving" going on. Whites have always been the majority but as I said we always have had many races living here.
As far as Obama goes, I agree liquid, he identifies with the Black side of him and plays down the White side. Sounds a lot like a lot of Hispanics that I know. They only want to identify with the native indian side (many do this because they feel it gives them some kind of claim to the U.S.) and they play down the White-Spaniard side of themselves.
Liquid,
Sounds like you are in the land of de-nial unless you believe the old "One Drop Rule". I think Barack is multi racial. In the census, he would have to check more than one box!
"The one-drop rule is an historical colloquial term in the United States that holds that a person with any trace of African ancestry (however small or invisible) cannot be considered white[1] and so, unless the person has an alternative non-white ancestry that he or she can claim, such as Native American, Asian, Arab, Australian aboriginal, the person must be considered black."
Pat, sounds like you are also in de-nial! Obviously you did not read what the census bureau said about our country evolving (check out the link):
"the racial and ethnic makeup of our country has significantly changed since 1977"
I dont see why you both are in such denial about what is clearly obvious to the rest of us in America and to the Census Bureau.
"the racial and ethnic makeup of our country has SIGNIFICANTLY changed since 1977"
Again, we have always had different races and different ethnic groups in this country. It "evolved" long ago. But the traditional culture of this country remains the same and the only way that will change is if we allow in too many immigrants from one ethnic group. One just doesn't know the difference between race, ethnicity and culture. Very sad, indeed.
You obviously did not understand or comprehend what I wrote, so, here it is again for you:
"Is Barack Obama black or multi-racial?" I would think he would answer that he is Black, since that is what he identifies himself as and from what he has said about his mothers family. What about what Michelle Obama has said about Barack being a Black Man? What about the Black Americans, 95% + who have voted for him simply because he is "Black", when the question in the beginning of his campaign was "Is he Black enough?"
As you can now see, taken from what things have been said about him through other persons, I think he would answer that he is a "Black Man", even though he maybe multi-ethnical.
Liquid,
From a cultural perspective, he may believe he is Black, however, from a Census Bureau and Birth perspective, he is multi-ethnic.
(gosh, I love giving you this response)
Liquid,
BTW, since you said my picture didn´t match my title I decided to change the pictures to reflect multi racial births.
Although, from a family perspective, I believe adoption counts for multi racial-ethnic families. (therefore my Family Pitt photo) but these are excellent examples as well.
Pictures include:
I love the Woods family. So many ethnicities!!
The Seal-Klum family.
The Obama family.
Obama is bi-racial for sure but I think he identifies himself racially and ethnically with the Black side of himself.
Race is a seperate phenonum from ethnitity and culture. Race is totally about genetics. Ethnicity and culture can either be ingrained into a person from their parents or one can adopt a certain ethnic/cultural lifestyle by themselves.
I was just watching the U.S. Open and Tiger Woods won it. His daughter is bi-racial and she is adorable. She does look more white than black however. Which is unusual because usually dark hair, skin and eyes are usually the dominant genes.
Pat, I watched the US Open too. I posted Tiger´s family picture on this post and there is a pix of his daughter. She is truly multi-ethnic and yes, she is very beautiful, just like her family!!
BTW, my husband was rooting for the other guy because he says old guys are in a group by themselves and they should root for each other.
She may or may not be bi-ethnic (not multi) it depends on the culture that her parents are going to raise her in. I am willing to bet that she will be of the traditional American culture for the most part.
She is bi-racial, however ( Black and White, not multi) to my knowledge.
Come to think of it, I believe that Tiger's mother is Asian and his father was Black? That would make his daughter multi-racial then. Ethnicity and culture is another story as I said it depends on what culture she is raised in.
Wrong again Pat.
I am surprised Liquid is not getting on your case.
As he would say it, race and ethnicity are different than culture. We are a multi racial, multi ethnicity country which many ANTIs want to keep as one culture. Many ANTIs prefer the northern european culture to stay dominate in our USA.
Tiger Woods family is very multi ethnic.
Mother: 1/2 Thai, 1/4 Caucasian, 1/4 Chinese
Father: 1/2 Black, 1/4 American Indian, 1/4 Chinese
Add it all up and you will see that Woods is actually 1/2 Asian, 1/4 Black, and 1/4 other.
Tiger´s wife is Swedish.
So that would make his daughter very multi-ethnic:
1/2 white (swedish)
1/4 Asian
1/8 Black
1/8 Other
I think his beautiful daughter favors Tiger!
Again, ethnicity and culture are closely related and are ingrained by the parents, you aren't born with it. It has nothing to do with RACE! How many times do I have to repeat this? Race is genetics and that is what we are born with. White, Black and Asian are all RACES. We aren't born with culture and ethnicity. Get the termonology correct, will you?
Yes, and most Latinos in Mexico and other Latino countries want to retain the Hispanic culture as the dominant one in their countries also. Is there something wrong with that? I don't think so anymore than it is for Whites to want to retain the dominant culture in this country.
As I said, culture and ethnicity are closely related. Race is all about genetics, period. My statement is correct.
No, Tiger is multi-racial that isn't the same as being multi-ethnic. Chinese is a nationality and so is Thai. Caucasin, Asian, Black, Native Indian are all RACES not ethnicities. Look up the word ethnicity in the dictionary. It has nothing to do with race but is closely related to culture.
Pat,
I have the terminology correct. I am waiting (and waiting) for Liquid to come in here and chastise you!!
Pat,
Why are you making this about Latinos? You are the 1st to bring this up! Ahhh. Maybe we are getting to your TRUE agenda here.
patriot said...
Yes, and most Latinos in Mexico and other Latino countries want to retain the Hispanic culture as the dominant one in their countries
Obama is Multi Ethnic. As I said. Ethnicity includes latino, chinese, asian, native american.
Now lets be accurate. From an anthrological perspective, wiki says: Using a strictly skull based categorization method, these anthropologists organized three to four racial groups. Caucasoids were characterized by a doliocephalic shape, with receded zygomas, large browridge and a narrow nasal aperture (Whites, Latinos). Secondly, Negroids (African Americans) were characterized by a mesocephalic head shape, with receded zygomas and wide nasal aperture. Third, Mongoloids (Asians) were characterized as a brachycephalic head shape, absent browridges, small nasal aperture, and projecting zygomas. Additionally, Australoids (Australians) whose craniofacial type fell between Negroids and Caucasoids was added. With the addition of this category, Thomas Huxley considered India to fall in this group's craniofacial measurements.
patriot said...
No, Tiger is multi-racial that isn't the same as being multi-ethnic. Chinese is a nationality and so is Thai. Caucasin, Asian, Black, Native Indian are all RACES not ethnicities. Look up the word ethnicity in the dictionary. It has nothing to do with race but is closely related to culture.
When you say that White people want to retain their dominant culture in this country and act like there is something wrong with that, I have every right to point out to you, a Latino, that Latinos want the same thing in their countries. It is also true of any country that has a dominant culture such as the Chinese, the Italians, the French. There, feel better now? I mentioned other countries that want their dominant cultures retained also.
Where is this so-called agenda?
ethnicity includes:
northern european, southern european (italian, parisian), eastern european (russia), Asian, Middle Eastern, African, Latino, etc.
ethnicity
noun
an ethnic quality or affiliation "RESULTING" from racial or cultural ties; "ethnicity has a strong influence on community status relations"
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University
Note that ethnicity is the RESULT of racial or cultural ties and does not mean the same as RACE itself.
Pat,
This is where you totally lose the argument. The Latinos are coming here for a better life. They want to adapt to the American lifestyle. They want to achieve the American Dream. They want to make a Better Life for their children.
There is NOTHING about ethnicity in their goals. Nothing at all!!
They just want to work hard and get along.
It is your side that says you want a white, northern european domination in this country of ours.
patriot said...
When you say that White people want to retain their dominant culture in this country and act like there is something wrong with that, I have every right to point out to you, a Latino, that Latinos want the same thing in their countries.
Do you remember our friend Lupita? She told it like it was!
She said the Latino Citizens in America are Gringos! and we are NOTHING like the citizens of Mexico.
I agree with her.
The American Latinos are Gringos, according to Lupita! We love the USA and WE are Americans!!
Dee said...
Liquid,
From a cultural perspective, he may believe he is Black, however, from a Census Bureau and Birth perspective, he is multi-ethnic.
All of this after I had to correct your pictures? Surely you aren't thinking I am inept, are you?
I haven't a clue what you just said. For one thing this isn't about legal Hispanic immigrants, it is about uncontrolled illegal immigration. It is also about those Hispanics who want this invasion to continue so that they will have the numbers to gain political clout in this country. We aren't stupid. Once the numbers are in place, do you actually think that this country will remain dominantly of European culture? It doesn't matter what the "intent" is of people looking for work. It is about what will actually happen naturally if this is allowed to continue. If you don't believe so then I have a piece of desert land I would like to sell you in the Everglades.
No, Obama is of mixed RACE factually and according to the Census and his birth certificate. You keep confusing race with ethnicity. They are two different things. Let's see, I have said it five times already and even posted the definition of ethnicity in here. Anyone have a brick wall I can bang my head on?
Liquid,
You are so cute. This is why I like you! (As I said, I think multi ethnic families can be birthright or adopted. I just changed the pix to show birth too!)
BTW, when on earth are you going to chastise Pat??
Liquidmicro said...
All of this after I had to correct your pictures? Surely you aren't thinking I am inept, are you?
Pat,
FINALLY!!! You Admit the Truth!!
patriot said...
I haven't a clue
I don't think anyone has a clue when reading the same old twists and spins over and over.
Tonight, Al Gore is saying what ALL PROs are saying, "WE NEED CHANGE!!"
Si Se Puede!!
All Americans want a change from the Bush Administration no matter what side of the illegal immigration issue you are on. But I don't think that either Obama or McCain are the right change. It is like trading cancer for a heart problem.
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose parents are not the same race, or the descendants of such mixed people.
An ethnic group is a group of human beings whose members identify with each other, usually on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or ancestry. Ethnic identity is also marked by the recognition from others of a group's distinctiveness and by common cultural, linguistic, religious, behavioral or biological traits.
Why do I need to chastise Patriot? From what I reed above, he seems to be correct. Your pictures are now factually correct, when before they were blatantly incorrect.
"This is where you totally lose the argument. The Latinos are coming here for a better life. They want to adapt to the American lifestyle. They want to achieve the American Dream. They want to make a Better Life for their children.
There is NOTHING about ethnicity in their goals. Nothing at all!!"
Great statement
Liquid, You are slipping down your slippery slope again. As I said, a multi ethnic family can be birth or adopted. Also, you get so wrapped up in semantics. Several posts ago you chastise me for this very reason.
Definitions! READ the definitions from from wiki as follows:
Race: notion of racial classifications based on genetics.(anthropological = (Caucasoid, Mongoloid, Negroid)
Ethnicity: ethnicity and race are RELATED concepts, the concept of ethnicity is rooted in the idea of societal groups, marked especially by shared Nationality (Northern European, Latino, Asian, African American, etc), tribal afilliation, religious faith, shared language, or cultural and traditional origins and backgrounds, whereas race is rooted in the idea of biological classification of homo sapiens to subspecies according to morphological features such as skin color or facial characteristics.
Culture: all the WAYS OF LIFE including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called "the way of life for an entire society."
You often say we in the USA are multi racial and multi ethnic. However your belief is we have ONE US Culture (your preference, Northern European dominance) and I always say our US Culture is Ever Evolving and is an evolving hybrid of the past.
We are one culture in the US. Our own unique culture, NOT Northern European. NOT Latino. 100% American. This culture is ever evolving. This is due to, as the US Census Bureau states:
"the racial and ethnic makeup of our country has significantly changed since 1977"
As I said ethnicity is more related to culture than race. Race is strictly genetics. We are a melting pot but that still makes us a culture "based" on White European culture and the English langauge. We are not going to "evolve" away from that unless illegal immigration is allowed to continue from mostly one ethnic group.
Making statements about how much better our country would be as a multicultural paradise than when it was more homogeneous is showing blatant bias. That is the same thing as insinuating that a mostly white population is somehow "inferior" to a racially mixed one!
There is automatically more conflict with a multicultural one as it is human nature. Groups will start jockeying with each other over who has more political influence, whose needs are being addressed or ignored, etc. This is happening right now.
Japan is a homogeneous country and they have an excellent economy and very high standard of living and no bickering about racial issues or "my group is oppressed by your group" crap. Most of the countries which have the highest standard of living in the world are primarily homogeneous countries (although the European ones are starting to become inundated with immigration from poor Muslims).
Mexico and other Latin American countries are very homogeneous. Does one think their societies are racist and intolerant?? Seriously, why would one make the leap that "multicultural = thriving and prosperous?" Because there is really no connection. Homogenous societies can be just as thriving and prosperous without any of the conflict that comes with the grievance mentality which only presents itself in a "multicultural" society.
What I am an advocate of is not necessarily a totally "hemogenous" society but one that has a basic identifying culture and that is the way it has always been in this country and in most countries. If you have two or more cultures competing for dominance rather that the "melting pot" phenononum there is where the strife comes into play.
"This is where you totally lose the argument. The Latinos are coming here for a better life. They want to adapt to the American lifestyle. They want to achieve the American Dream. They want to make a Better Life for their children.
There is NOTHING about ethnicity in their goals. Nothing at all!!"
Great statement
Are you sure its not just perception? You think they come here to want to stay yet given the chance to go back and forth they would choose that almost each and every time. The PRO side confuses what they want with what they think the "Illegal Immigrants" want. While only a small percentage of other nationalities would prefer to stay here, the majority of Hispanics would prefer to be able to return home after working here for some time.
Dee said...
Liquid, You are slipping down your slippery slope again. As I said, a multi ethnic family can be birth or adopted. Also, you get so wrapped up in semantics. Several posts ago you chastise me for this very reason.
Yes, but your heading was for Multi-Racial, which is different than multi-ethnic. You failed to read and pretty much gave the same definitions I did of multi-racial and ethnicity.
You gave the definition of Race, when you should be using the definition of multi-racial, look to my post above from wiki.
"You often say we in the USA are multi racial and multi ethnic. However your belief is we have ONE US Culture (your preference, Northern European dominance) and I always say our US Culture is Ever Evolving and is an evolving hybrid of the past."
Actually you have always said we are a multi-cultural society, it took a long discussion for you to realize we are a multi-racial and multiple ethnic society. Don't try acting like you have been right all along. you finally are understanding what the ANTI's have been telling you about our culture and society.
Liquid,
Funny!
I havent changed my view. I am just clearing up my definition of it so you understand.
As I said:
"You often say we in the USA are multi racial and multi ethnic. However your belief is we have ONE US Culture (your preference, Northern European dominance) and I always say our US Culture is Ever Evolving and is an evolving hybrid of the past."
Preference is not of "Northern European dominance", dominance has nothing to do with it. We have an underlying base culture which is what grants us our freedoms and individualities. Theres nothing about dominance in there.
The only part you are correct in is the following: "I always say our US Culture is Ever Evolving and is an evolving hybrid of the past."
Liquid,
This has been my point all along. I modified my verbiage to help you understand.
I am glad you approve!!
Liquid said:
The only part you are correct in is the following: "I always say our US Culture is Ever Evolving and is an evolving hybrid of the past."
What you are hoping for by your "evolving" of this country's culture is that it will change to one of Hispanic basically. Or at least that most immigrants will stop assimilating to our traditional culture so that it becomes a multi-cultural mutt with no identity. You are just dying for that White European culture to stop being the basics of this country's culture, arent' you?
Melting pot = ok. But your particular "evolving" concept doesn't mean that and you don't want it to either. It is as plain as day that "your" idea of "evolving" is for us to no longer be identified as White European in culture. You know this could be accomplished thru uncontrolled illegal immigration by those to the south of us and you are licking your chops at the prospect. I think there is a word for that but I will leave it to your imagination.
Pat,
Understand Evolving Culture as follows
"the sum total of all human cultural activity on the planet is evolving"
"man as an animal species, and consequently culture as a whole, is dependent upon the material, mechanical means of adjustment to the natural environment"
"This technological component can be described as material, mechanical, physical and chemical instruments, as well as the way people use these techniques. the importance of technology goes as follows:
1. Technology is an attempt to solve the problems of survival.
2. This attempt ultimately means capturing enough energy and diverting it for human needs.
3. Societies (like ours) that capture more energy and use it more efficiently have an advantage over other societies.
4. Therefore, these different societies are more advanced in an evolutionary sense.
"the primary function of culture" and the one that determines its level of advancement is its ability to "harness and control energy"
Leslie White's law states that the measure by which to judge the relative degree of evolvedness of culture is the amount of energy it could capture (energy consumption).
White differentiates between five stages of human development. In first, people use energy of their own muscles. In second, they use energy of domesticated animals. In third, they use the energy of plants (so White refers to agricultural revolution here). In fourth, they learn to use the energy of natural resources: coal, oil, gas. In fifth, they harness the nuclear energy.
Barack Obama is obviously and genetically multi-racial and I think he honors his father's people as well as his mother's and especially his maternal grandparents who raised him with TLC, which helped made him the brillant man he is today.
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