What has "race" become? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

suginami · #31 06-01-2010, 06:46 PM

My kids are half white and half Japanese. While they look predominantly Asian, it would never occur to them to describe themselves as either just "white" or just "Asian". I think they would feel foolish to say they are one to the exclusion of the other.

To make matters more difficult, they are actually technically 55% Asian and 45% white.

I took a dna test to prove Native American ancestry. I am 90% white and 10% Native American.

At what percentage, racially speaking, are they allowed to claim Native American ancestry? Should they (or I) be checking the Native American box as well when filling out forms?

Pooka · #32 06-01-2010, 07:13 PM

I live in Oklahoma, which is Choctaw for 'Red Man Land', and I have heard this 'What is an Indian?' discussion a few times. (Okla=people, humma=red; this first appeared on Spanish maps in 1541.)

Going by my memory, which I will be the first to claim as faulty, you are an NDN (this is how some Native Americans spell this) if you are 1/16 Native American.

But now you have to prove this and some tribes make this easy and some tribes make it very, very hard. The Cherokees will accept no one into their tribe unless they are on the tribal rolls (The 'Dawes') which were closed in something like 1907. The Delawares used to be more open about accepting members until a treaty from the 1700's turned up that gave their tribal leadership over to the Cherokees. After a lot of court battles the Delawares ceased to exist as a tribe, so you might not want to apply to them.

As a rule of thumb the wealthier a tribe the harder it is to get in. Around here the Choctaws own a number of Casinos and truck stops which provide a lot of income for their tribe. The Osage have been one of the richest tribes in the US since Frank Phillips, of Phillips Petroleum, hit oil on their land. I don't know if any of these tribes are recoginizing new members, but a Cherokee told me they were getting about 50 letters a day from people who claimed to be a member.

For more information on this contact the B. of Indian Affairs. A word of caution, though: If any of your ancestors fought at Little Big Horn it would be best not to mention this. I have heard more than one NDN claim this with cause you heaps of trouble with the Great White Father.

That last sentence may sound like I am trying to make a stupid joke, but according the the Indians I know this is supposed to be the truth.

kknudson · #33 06-01-2010, 07:25 PM

This is the problem with race, if we'd all forget about it and just be humans everything would work out.
But everybody plays the race card (Sharpton and Jackson in the pro league).

I am American, born and raised here. Not even sure of my decendency (?), Mom's grandparents came over from Germany, Dad's side is fuzzy supossedly grandpa from Russia, grandma unknown.
But I have a Swedish or Norwegian name ??

And I will repeat a rant of mine, and this refers to BO as well as anyone.

If he claims to be African-American he should get his **** back to Africa.
If he is American of African descent I am proud of him.

Symantics yes, but if you aren't an American FIRST LEAVE.

Note this applies to Mexican-American, Italian-American, German-American ....

cmbdiesel · #34 06-01-2010, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suginami

At what percentage, racially speaking, are they allowed to claim Native American ancestry? Should they (or I) be checking the Native American box as well when filling out forms?

You should be checking if your Native American brothers own a casino.

That is certainly one place where it is beneficial to be one race over another.

Pooka · #35 06-01-2010, 07:40 PM

I once was referred to as Irish-American. I had to point out that my faimly arrived here in 1697, fought in the Revolutionary War, and that I carried a Passport issued by the United States of America.

Apparently it was a research thing for satistical reasons, but it still seemed silly to me.

However, I was born a fifth-generation Texan. If you live in Texas you will understand the bragging rights that come with this, but you are also admitting that your ancestors must have been some of the world's biggest dead-beats since most people came to Texas when my people did to escape their debts.

"I am going to Texas; you can go to Hell!"... Davy Crockett (to a political opponent).

The Clk Man · #36 06-01-2010, 07:42 PM

I don:t have a racist bone in my body, we are ALL Gods creatures. I do have a funny story about stereotyped racism, do you guys and gals want to hear it?

chilcutt · #37 06-01-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

I don:t have a racist bone in my body, we are ALL Gods creatures. I do have a funny story about stereotyped racism, do you guys and gals want to hear it?

Run it....

The Clk Man · #38 06-01-2010, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilcutt

Run it....

Ok, I will do it, but I need to get me a beer first. Stay tuned.

suginami · #39 06-01-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmbdiesel

You should be checking if your Native American brothers own a casino.

That is certainly one place where it is beneficial to be one race over another.

My Native American ancestor was a member of a small band of the Souix Indians (Lakota Nation). It is a small band that I'm sure no one would recognize, or possibly confuse them with another tribe. They were living in the Great Lakes / upper Midwest in the 1800's, but were slowly driven west as Europeans slowly migrated west, they displaced the tribes as they lost their homeland.

The Clk Man · #40 06-01-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilcutt

Run it....

Here it goes my man. I live in a town where there is 90% Whiteys and 10% African Americans, and when I am around African Americans, the get nervous because I look like a Big Time Redneck, once they get over their initial shock, they Realize that I care about everybody no matter what Race they are. Just last week I met an African American at the store and saw that he was buying charcoal, being my usual self, I asked him what he was going to grill, he said pork ribs. In my excitement I asked him if I could come over to his house for the cook out, he said yes, I ate the best ribs I have ever eaten in my life.

t walgamuth · #41 06-01-2010, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

Here it goes my man. I live in a town where there is 90% Whiteys and 10% African Americans, and when I am around African Americans, the get nervous because I look like a Big Time Redneck, once they get over their initial shock, they Realize that I care about everybody no matter what Race they are. Just last week I met an African American at the store and saw that he was buying charcoal, being my usual self, I asked him what he was going to grill, he said pork ribs. In my excitement I asked him if I could come over to his house for the cook out, he said yes, I ate the best ribs I have ever eaten in my life.

Aren't there any adults around to look after you, CLK man?

t walgamuth · #42 06-01-2010, 09:39 PM

So does the census have a block to check for mixed race?

If he had checked white you all would be *****iing about that!

MTI · #43 06-01-2010, 09:53 PM

Cue Up "Racial Draft"

layback40 · #44 06-01-2010, 09:57 PM

There is nothing to stop you adding your own category & box. Watch the census people go into melt down. simply add a box for 'other'!! I remember years ago on a form like that when they asked about where you lived, you could have with parents - extended family, renting or purchasing (mortgage) , I added a box, 'own home' They got upset and asked me to tick one of their boxes, I said I couldnt as it would be providing false information & that was against the law. They left me alone after that.

MTUpower · #45 06-01-2010, 10:51 PM

Plenty of humor/off topic stuff here but no real answer to a serious question. Seems no one either wants to touch this, or there is not an answer.