July 3, 2007
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Hypodescent
Someone mentioned the word “Hypodescent” in a comment on my last post. I had never heard of it, so I looked it up:
Hypodescent is the practice of determining the lineage of a child of mixed race ancestry by assigning the child the race of his or her more socially subordinate parent. … In its most extreme form in the United States, hypodescent came to be a “one drop rule,” meaning that if a person had one drop of black blood, he was considered to be black.Yes this is what I mean! I think most Americans do think in terms of the “one drop rule”. Although apparently in Latin America, it works the other way: “if you are not quite black, then you are white”. Wow, that’s fascinating to me.
Anyway what I wanted to post about was the comments on my last post. I was amazed by the number of people who said they were colorblind. I think this is a phenomenon of middle class white culture. I honestly think that middle class white culture is incredibly open minded about race (although perhaps a bit naive on the subject). It is always heartwarming for me to be reminded of this.
I am always amazed to hear people talk about being colorblind! This is totally out of my experience. I am always aware of someone’s race and class. Cultural issues are such a huge part of human interaction, I always try to take that into account. I can’t imagine being truly colorblind… I hadn’t really thought of it as an option.
I have so much I want to say about race, but I feel like I’m playing with fire. Why is it so damn hard to talk about race?
Comments (68)
You know that I think it is how your early childhood was. I had two foster brothers who were hispanic. I think if you were raised in diversity it is hard to understand what the race issue is all about. It just seems like a created issue. But I also realize that there were some people that were not raised around diversity in their own home and they tend to approach the issue differently. I don’t know about color blind. But I don’t think race is much of an issue for me personally.
I agree completely.
It is hard to talk about race because there are opposing forces in arguements for unity. By mentioning race, we draw difference. This bucks against the arguement that we are the same.
Unfortunately we like to see differences, even if they are false.
It’s hard because people want to be colorblind because they think that as long as they don’t see race consciously, they can’t discriminate. They’re wrong.
I think everyone is afraid that there will be a negative spin put on any discussion about race.
Re the earlier entry, I never thought of anyone as any one race or another, just that they were a person with that particular colour of skin, some lighter some darker.
It’s a hard thing to talk about because no matter how cautious a person is, there will ALWAYS be someone who is offended by what is said.
Have you ever watched Avenue Q? There’s a song they sing called “Everyone’s a little bit racist”.. Really cute, but also true and sends an important message. Listen here
It’s also very difficult to talk about class. They’re both such taboo subjects.
Gee, ordinarily I’d say “hey, it’s your blog . . . do, say, blog as you please”. However, you’re also a Xangod . . . so yeah, you might be treading on professional thin ice there.
Wow, you even said damn this must be really buggin’ ya.
Still, go for it, express yourself, get it off of your chest, and choose your wording carefully.
It is a hard thing to talk about. I am from a small town that doesn’t have a lot of cultural diversity but because of that I had no racial judgements foisted on me… yes it is naive but in a very pleasant way. When I meet a person they are a person. Unfortunatly that isn’t always the case when they meet me. lol
Thanks for the thought provoking topic…
I agree; I think that a lot of well intentioned people think of themselves as being “color blind”. Social propaganda aside though, I think that we all judge on the basis of race to some degree, like it or not.
I love AcidSam!! good advise AND she is dressed for the 4th !
I have lots of mixed nieces ans nephews and I see “KIDS” not race. But I did get all sorts racially diverse dolls so that they had other dolls besides white babies to play with.
I never understood people who said they were colourblind when it came to race. It always seemed somewhat of an overly PC thing to say. Unless you are blind, of course you notice what someone looks like. With race comes a generalized culture–Asian-Americans have a culture, Latin-Americans have a culture, etc.
I think for people to say they are colourblind is to deny the fact that diversity can be beautiful.
I think it is a touchy subject, and I’m not sure there is a “right” way to talk about it. Somebody is bound to find offense in it if they choose to, no matter how careful one is not to offend. My kids are racially diverse, and if others didn’t make it an issue they wouldn’t know anything much about prejudice, at least not from me.
you don’t want to be called a racist?
People these days are so easily offended…..I think more than ever before….
A television show like “All In The Family” could not be made these days.
i think people are afraid to talk about race because so many things can be so easily misconstrued. While one can be “color blind” it does not mean that one ignores the culture of the other person.
When my friends and I talk about this…we have come to an agreement. We are not racist; we are, however, prejudiced. We will prejudge people by the words coming out of their mouths within the first few minutes of conversation with them. The slang, the accent, the statement itself…so prejudiced? Yup, we are. Racist, hell no.
I AM A RACIST!
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a human racist
I think that thetheologian makes a good point. If you are raised among minorities then you are likely to be more accepting of them.
I usually notice a person’s skin color but it doesn’t really affect how I view the person. I was raised in a very white neighborhood, the high school that I went to had 2200 students and about five of them in any year were african american with less than 20 others belonging to any other minority group, the majority of whom were asian. It always irritated me when people tried to force me to treat them differently. I always thought that if they are supposed to be equal then I will treat them the same way I treat a white guy.
A Girl Like Me
being colour-blind is (generally) a white, middle-class privilege. it’s easy to not see skin colour when your own skin colour is “normal” and therefore invisible. i’ve also seen people treat “minorities” differently, just because they’re trying so hard to treat them the same.
in a sense, insisting someone isn’t black (or korean, or indian, or whatever) because they aren’t “all black” is a kind of reverse racism. they aren’t “authentic” somehow, they’re a “half-breed.” it’s another way of trying to draw lines between us and them, who gets to be “in the cool crowd” and who gets to be discriminated against. there are similar debates in canada over First Nations identities. and after centuries of slavery and assimilation (for many different kinds of minorities) how is it possible to say what their “authentic” cultre is? as if culture (or race, if you like) is some static, unchanging thing, instead of a lived, dynamic process constantly changing to accomodate people’s needs?
(whoops. my html has teh fail, but the link still works. just formatting issues.
)
My children are of mixed race and frankly, I consider them hispanic simply because it will open them to more scholarships as they get older if they are considered minorities.
I just learned something new today. Thanks.
It is hard to talk about race because of the prominent place racism has in American history. I’m not colour blind, per se. I notice when people are black, brown, white, yellow. But having grown up in today’s society, colour does not matter to me. I am aware of race, but it’s of little consequence.
It also helps that I grew up in Canada – one of the most multicultural places you’ll find. America is a melting pot - they assimilate. Canada doesn’t do that; we’re very culturally diverse.
I dunno, I just don’t think much about it cuz I was raised in a very diverse environment. But everyone’s different… I guess that’s the beauty (or ugliness, if you want to think of it that way) of mankind.
It’s hard because it’s complicated and people’s motives are not always pure. On every side of the race issue someone is using it somewhere to do something ucky. No race is excluded from that. No social issue is excluded from that. If you feel comfy discussing other social issues more then asking why that is will reveal one portion of why it is difficult.
I think it is a misnomer to say that race is the difficult issue though as it is not across the board a difficult issue. There is a section that is difficult and even applying African American to it is too general. Far too general.
There is a cultural gap on standardized tests. There are many gaps. Females to males in math and science. Hispanics to whites. ESL to native speakers. Almost all gaps are closing except one and it almost hasn’t moved in the ten years I have been watching. Low income African American males have made little or no progress academically statistically regardless of the measures taken to remedy that and regardless of how many times it has been studied or excused or explained. (The females of the same identifiers have done a bit better, but there is a cultural explanation for that as well and some argue it goes back to slavery and breeding females being more of a commodity.)
It’s going to be a difficult thing to name that’s for sure, but it’s coming. The recent supreme court ruling was just the beginning. Expectations, regardless of race and income, are going to take a bite.
You know another funny phenomenon? People in a particular race discriminating against those in their own race.
This probably happens because they are quite aware of the potential weaknesses and bad habits of their own culture. Of course, everyone is different and responsible for their own acts as an individual, but we cannot deny that our cultural backgrounds play a big part in the way we act, think, etc.
I heard one psychologist say that it’s childish how easily offended people have become about race. She proposed that those who are easily offended are weak and show that they cannot handle conflict very well, pulling the “you’re such a racist!” card at any remark they feel is racist. Discrimination happens everywhere – you’re too young, you’re not the right gender, you look weird, you’re too short, et. al – that’s just part of life, and I think we have the choice to allow those experiences to make us grow or break us. I prefer to grow.
On a personal note, I’m half Filipino and half German/American who grew up in Eastern Europe. Talk about diverse.
I live in a multi-cultural city and talk about race openly on pretty much a daily basis. Some people are shocked but generally respond with equivalent candor. After all we all know there are people of all colors here. I like it this way so point it out to everyone every chance I get. How lucky we all are to live it that is…
Class is another issue btw. What most consider “class” I frequently consider “trash”… and they consider me the same so that’s pretty funny.
Class has nothing to do with money, I mean. Integrity = class… PERIOD.
they’ve been brainwashed to believe that everyone is equal =P
I think people claim to be colorblind b/c it’s socially acceptable that way. I’m pretty sure middle class white people exist in Texas too, but I don’t know how many will claim to be colorblind, and actually be one in one of those states.
People tend to become defensive when it comes to their race. Anything slightly out of line might be taken as offense. I think people are just insecure pussies. Say what you gotta say, listen to what others have to say, and correct them if it’s wrong.
By the way, according to a statistic I saw somewhere sometime ago, over 70% of “white” people in the U.S. have a black ancestor somewhere along the lineage.
YAY BLACK NATION, BITCHES~~~ (btw, I’m an Asian)
http://www.racialicious.com
some more:
“they’ve been brainwashed to believe that everyone is equal =P” two comments above my last one.
That’s so true. We’ve been brainwashed to think we’re all equal. The truth is (I know it’s hard), we’re not. We SHOULD enjoy the equal rights, but we’re far from same. I’m going to work in front of Korean store this weekend promoting new line of Hyundai cars to potential customers. Now, in the process of hiring, if someone who grew up the same way, think the same way, talk/dress/eat/think/etc. the same as me, but is white didn’t get hired, and I did, would that be considered discrimination?
I don’t think so.
I don’t think it is possible to live in the U.S. and not be race conscious. People who claim to be “colorblind,” well, wishful thinking, maybe.
I haven’t read your original post yet, but I wanted to chime in on being “colorblind.”
I don’t really think that is a good thing.
A person’s race has so much to do with who they are as a person. If you are “blind” to that, and don’t take that into account when you get to know a person or when you interact with that person I think you lose something.
There is a difference between being aware of it and taking it into account when dealing w/ people and treating people differently because of it.
I mean, my husband is Korean and I am white. I am in an interracial marraige. I don’t want to be discriminated against because of this, but people need to keep in mind that we have different issues than my friends who are white and married to white people (cultural issues, language barrier with ILs, etc) and people do need to be mindful of that, not colorblind.
Don’t know if that makes sense or not. It’s late and I just got back from Vegas. Haha.
I don’t think you can be truly “colorblind.” I mean, it might not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you first meet a person. But along the road, if you get to know that person better, culture and ethnicity should play a role in how the person’s life is shaped.
Race is one of those topics where there is no safe position, so lots of people will be offended by pretty much anything you say. Basically, everyone is convinced that racism is bad. That culture war was won a long time ago. Unfortunately, lotts of people, probably most are equally convinced that ideas about race different than theirs=racism. Godwin always gets inovked quite quickly.
To answer the question at the end of your post: Or society has been taught that even mentioning race makes you a racist. Such bullshit. I mean, it’s really a non-issue, but still.
Also, I don’t consider myself truly “colorblind”. I mean, I’m aware of racial differences, and I’m guilty of immediately thinking of those shitty stereotypes that associated with color, but I don’t really believe them. I just think, “Hmm, someone of another race. Cup of tea, ol’ chap?”
Funny to think that I can be that friendly one moment, and then I’m threatening to stab people in the throat the next. (just one more reason my friends don’t allow me in Aeropostale anymore.)
race IS hard to talk about, and it seems like nobody can quite agree even on the right way to approach the subject. while you say you are encouraged by the middle class and their “colorblindness”, i have also heard people upset about those who say they are colorblind, since they take it to mean that they see everyone else as “just like me”, ignoring cultural differences that need to be addressed.
as for my own experience, even though I’m white i’ve been pretty active in the diversity-type clubs and groups on my college campus, which some people don’t expect. sometimes i feel like people assume i don’t care about race or know nothing of other cultures because i’m white–sort of an odd position to be in sometimes. by now for me diversity feels normal, and i’m always noticing race even if it’s in a group of all white people (i.e. homogeneous). i do try not to use people’s race to make assumptions about them, however, since everyone responds to their own race identity differently.
I don’t think one can be completely colourblind.
Anyway, thanks for sharing the info on the term ‘hypodescent’.
I think it’s hard to talk about race because some people who claim to want equality continue to make it hard. I believe I was raised “colorblind” and didn’t feel any prejudice nor pay attention to any real color difference in people until I was the object of reverse prejudice in the 4th grade. The black kids kept picking on me in school because I was white, and beat me up because of it. Growing up in the military, I was introduced early to multi-cultural differences and I enjoy sharing in them. In the past few years, I have decided that I do not like having my cultural background ripped from me because I appear white, and now I write “European American” in the “Other” spot on the questionaires that ask about race. I am no longer accepting Caucasion. I have a rich German-English heritage in my background and believe I should be able to hold to the traditions of my ancestors just as an Asian-American or an African-American holds to theres.
John – the difficulty in talking about race is based in what race you are. If one is, as you bring up, “one drop” then you have more freedom to say what you please. If you do not have that, then you must, by common assumption, not have the necessary platform to speak your mind. If you say something sensible or ask honest provoking questions as you have, but are all white, then you have an agenda hidden somewhere and you are first assumed to be guilty of racism until you can prove that you are not.
Now, how about this. I am an African American of 100% Swedish decent. No, I have never lived in or traveled to South Africa or any other “white African” region. I think more like a citizen of the world than I do a North American. I too have a lot more to say.
most people are lying when they say they are color blind. it’s impossible not to be concious of a person’s race. it’s how you deal with that concious thought that makes the difference.
it’s hard to talk about race because you’re talking about the very fiber of a persons being. race is a gigantic part of who we are, and talking about that is extremely personal and easily misunderstood.
but i can talk to you about my race(s).
i was born here in america to a second generation italian father and a second generation irish/english mother. my parent’s families hated one another because they were from different countries. it was a weird situation growing up, but it made me realize how ridiculous it is to hate someone just because they come from somewhere else.
It’s hard to talk about it because you will always have a group of folks that misinterpret what you say and get offended. In which case always ends up in drama.
I think you’re right about middle class. It seems as though upper class folks tend to be more racist than middle class, I guess because they can afford to be…meaning they only allow certain people in their group. Lower class poverty levels are the worst for race relations IMO. I can say this because I lived in a very poverty stricken area most of my life. It boils down to the stresses you feel on a daily basis. In poverty stricken areas if you have a job, the pay is crappy so you’re stressed out trying to figure out which bills have to get paid (because you can’t pay them all on a small income)plus feed your family, not to mention people are packed in the areas (inner city) like a bunch of sardines…which also raises the stress levels. Too many people, too little space, little to no money=major stress and higher racial tensions.
because in this stupid society, everyone is trying to get offended about something. Hence why it’s difficult to talk about ANYTHING.
are the colorblind truly colorblind or is that one perception of white privilege?
because people are too dang sensitive … and most are hypocrites
it’s hard to talk about because it is one of the most personal things that we have absolutely no control over and no way to hide it. it is also because it has historically been one of the greatest causes of oppression.
There’s a line from Avenue Q that goes:
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
And everyone stopped being so PC
Maybe we could live in harmony!
It’s the last two lines I live by. Seriously, practically everything today is about being politically correct and it just pisses me off. When did being PC become such a big deal? I feel like by making such a big deal out of being careful not to say certain things, we’re only making differences more obvious. For example: if I were pointing out, to my friend, a girl I don’t know across a crowded room at a party, and she was.. let’s say black, why shouldn’t I be able to say that she’s black and thus make it easier for my friend to know who I’m talking about? I feel like if I danced around talking about the color of her skin it would only make it awkward and a bigger deal that I was avoiding bringing that up. When in fact, it’s a fact; it’s who she is. No one should take offense when someone just says that a person is black or white or rainbow with sparkles, when they aren’t saying that they’re ugly or stupid or judging them in any way. It’s just who they are.
Race, Religion and Politics…. bring it up and no matter there will always be someone out there to put a bad spin to the conversation…. touchy subjects are always hard in a crowd.
I think that “playing with fire” feeling is one of the big problems that keeps racism alive. If people could freely discuss race issues without the fear of offending someone or being labeled a racist, maybe the world could finally work it all out.
1. I’m glad you looked up “hypodescent”. I meant to link the word to an article to explain it further – but you see how that concept still very much pervades in our society?
2. It seems to me that people who call themselves “colorblind” do so to try to deflect any chance that they could be perceived as prejudiced against a particular race. What “colorblind” people fail to realize is that being “colorblind” doesn’t detract from that – it’s just a denial of what’s in front of their faces. There is a reason why we have race as a social construct – it’s not a bad thing to acknowledge and appreciate the differences amongst people. And there is nothing wrong with categorization because really, it’s just a part of what humans naturally do to assist in our understanding the world. We group things if they appear to be similar, we give them labels, etc. Doing so doesn’t automatically mean that one will necessarily treat one group differently than the other especially when the differences are as arbitrary as what we use to categorize people by race.
I’m often offended by those who say they are blind to my race – why would I feel better because someone says they can’t see the fact that I’m black? It’s who I am! The difficulty in discussing race, at least in this country, seems to result from our history of discrimination and devaluation based on race – I think of it as the modern “white man’s burden” (and if you don’t know why I put that in quotes, read here)- because historically (and in many places, currently) white people were/are the ones in control, doing all the discriminating and devaluing of others who at least didn’t appear to be white or who didn’t fit into their particular ethnic group – and now it seems that many of the descendants of these people who see just why their ancestors were so wrong feel so bad that they’ll do whatever they can do to avoid the appearance of being anything like their racist forefathers. I’m not saying every white person who thinks what happened in the past was wrong now carries the modern white man’s burden as I term it – but I have met PLENTY who do and will do whatever they can to avoid discussing race, including saying they are blind to one’s race. Also, as someone or a few people have said before me, one’s upbringing also has a lot to do with it – if one is brought up or at least has the chance to experience diversity of races/ethnicities at a young age, it’s easier for him or her to acknowledge something like race without feeling any pressure.
I don’t think people are really colourblind. I think we just say we are to avoid attack from those who are PC.
I’m not saying I judge people by race. I don’t. But I can’t imagine that anyone really doesn’t notice it. I’ve always noticed it
here’s something you might wanna blog about — it’s something that i’ve been kicking around recently too, but haven’t had the time to actually put into words: for the past week, i’ve read at least 3 news articles that included surveys and studies done on culture and way of life in the U.S., and the break-down is usually this: whites, blacks and hispanics. seeing this left me wondering: in this country where Asians built the frickin railroad, where the hell do we fit in on these stupid studies?? how come there isnt a category for Asians — anywhere??? it’s rare for me to see a study or survey that actually had an Asian category, and being an American born Chinese person, it pisses me off.
on another note, all those people who say they are “colorblind,” they’re either incredibly good liars, or they’re so deluded that they dont know what the truth is. everything in this country is based on race, class and religion.
John said, “I have so much I want to say about race, but I feel like I’m playing with fire. Why is it so damn hard to talk about race?”
It’s not. You’ve brought up the issue twice in two days. If you have something you need to say, do so. What’s the point of having your weblog if you’re not going to use it to its fullness? By starting this dialogue, perhaps you and many others will learn something which will help us all grow.
So, please, for all of our sakes, don’t hold back anymore, John. Let it all out!
I considered myself color blind until I had an awakening experience a couple of years ago. I’m ashamed to admit that one of the things that woke me up was an Oprah show (I don’t tell people I watch Oprah since SNL started making fun of the over-hype that accompanies her show… and isn’t it so cliche to say I learned something from Oprah?) on race. I was astonished to find that the color blind mentality was a white culture thing. I was shocked at so much that was said on that show. I found myself angry and frustrated and having all sorts of racially biast thoughts I’d never found myself having before.
Then later that week, Maya Angelou came to town. My husband and I went to hear her speak at a local university, and my uneasiness increased tenfold. I was suddenly aware that the world was not what I thought it was, that I’d been looking at other people through rose-colored glasses, and that I needed this moment to change who I was.
Now I consider myself a sort of recovering racist. I think I unknowingly contributed to injustices throughout my lifetime just because I was so unaware of so many things.
I have always thought that it is wrong to be uneducated about injustices, and even worse to know and do nothing about it. You don’t have to participate to carry the guilt.
I just didn’t realize until that point that I was doing the same thing.
I think we need to talk about this kind of stuff, even though it opens a can of worms. I have no idea how to contribute to a healing process, or even if I can, but at least I can try to be aware of what’s going on instead of sticking my head in the sand. At least I can be open to change. I just hope that the anger and hurt hasn’t simmered so long that people start to think that the only way to let it out is to hurt others.
I think people who claim to be colorblind need to check themselves. It always makes me chuckle when someone claims or makes a statement along the lines of, “I didn’t even notice you were black.” talk about built in irony.
some of us need a lesson from Dr. Erylene Piper-Mandy
re:
“I have so much I want to say about race, but I feel like I’m playing with fire. Why is it so damn hard to talk about race?”
it’s because people have different feelings and philosophies when it comes to race.
I, for one, espouse to this particular belief system and let it govern me when it comes to race relations:
1. People are different.
2. It’s okay.
It’s this culture of entitlement and political correctness. Even a simple statement can earn cries of racism if it points out some fact about a certain minority.
Silverfoot’s comment was right on target. Middle class, white Americans do not see race because we do not HAVE to. It doesn’t stare us in the face every time we look in the mirror. Being white is accepted as normal. These people are colorblind because they really do not see the effects race has, not because it does not affect them.
just don’t talk trash about asians – that’s half your xanga population.
Hey John… is there a reason that I’m not allowed to delete a subscription? I click on the link to delete it and it’ll say it was deleted, but it’s still there.
is the one drop rule anything like the 5 second rule?
It’s a flammable subject, one I almost never touch, along with religion and politics. lol I tend to find that no matter what I say when it comes to race, even if it’s the obvious truth, I’m still labeled a racist because I’m white and I’m bringing it up. Therefore I never bring it up.
I grew up in one of those predominantly-white suburban communities where we had about a handful of black families in our small town, only one Hispanic family that I really remember…and I don’t believe we had any Asian families. Still, we were raised by parents that were racist who didn’t quite realize that it was an abhorrence to be racist because it was all they ever really knew. Being raised by parents who were still slightly racist, we were appalled by the things they said later in life. We were exposed to more media. The Political Correctness movement took over.
Remember movies like ‘Blazing Saddles’? Can you imagine how those sorts of movies would go over today? I have to wonder if people were just more crass, back then…or if the issue lies in that people were better able to take a joke? I watch those movies today and don’t know whether to laugh or whether I am supposed to be disgusted? Then again, I remember watching a movie called ‘Barbershop’ not all that long ago where white people were bashed as being not cool and having no rhythm and unable to style the hair of black people. I wanted to laugh at the jokes about my own race…but at the same time, it’s frustrating to me that jokes about other races cannot be tolerated with similar amusement. I make fun of myself all the time for being a white girl for humor’s sake. I think it’s interesting the way races perceive each other.
Maybe I am racist. Like you said, I am aware of a difference between someone’s race and my own sometimes. I am NOT racist in the sense that I will treat them any differently…in most circumstances. However, if it happens to be late and I am driving in a part of town where I know those of my race are not welcome, I am “cautiously racist”. I really wish I didn’t have to be. Racism is a double-edged sword. I hate the word “racist”…and the word “colorblind” is overused by a lot of people who don’t really mean it. I think the days of old-school racists is fading. These days, it seems many believe in equal opportunity between the races…but the fact that we are all different will always be there and you just can’t help but be aware of the fact. If that makes me racist…I guess it makes me racist. I live on a very diverse street now. My best friend is Asian…my neighbors are black…and we all get along great. Both sides have to be able to look beyond color to see the person within.
Say what you want, John. This is such an interesting subject.
My favorite DC Talk song addresses this issue with my sentiments exactly! I love the phrase “skin kaleidoscope”!
COLORED PEOPLE – DC Talk
Pardon me, your epidermis is showing, mister
I couldn’t help but note your shade of melanin
I tip my hat to the colorful arrangement
Cause I see the beauty in the tones of our skin
We’ve gotta come together
And thank the Maker of us all
(chorus)
We’re colored people, and we live in a tainted place
We’re colored people, and they call us the human race
We’ve got a history so full of mistakes
And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace
A piece of canvas is only the beginning for
It takes on character with every loving stroke
This thing of beauty is the passion of an Artist’s heart
By God’s design, we are a skin kaleidoscope
We’ve gotta come together,
Aren’t we all human after all?
(repeat chorus)
Ignorance has wronged some races
And vengeance is the Lord’s
If we aspire to share this space
Repentance is the cure
Well, just a day in the shoes of a color blind man
Should make it easy for you to see
That these diverse tones do more than cover our bones
As a part of our anatomy
(repeat chorus)
We’re colored people, and they call us the human race
[Oh, colored people]
We’re colored people, and we all gotta share this space
[Yeah we've got to come together somehow]
We’re colored people, and we live in a tainted world
[Red and yellow, black and white]
We’re colored people, every man, woman, boy, and girl
[Colored people, colored people, colored people, colored people, yeah]
Oops, I also meant to say… I wonder who was the very first person to be offended by someone else’s skin color? And why did they pick skin? What if all the people with blue eyes were demeaned? Or all the redheads? It’s just so darn silly.
Being colour blind is for some very natural, for others it just takes a little effort.
There is no difference… seeing social class is something you learned rather than it being something truly important. I would like to think that I was taught everyone is equal by my parents. That no matter what social level, any one of us can be great. Therefore to look and to pre judge is wrong, in my opinion.
The only intollerance I see, is caused by a lack of understanding… cultural unnawareness..
In america, people are only 40 years past racial inequality… its hard to adjust, but I reckon in time people will get accustomed to a multicultured environment.
I reckon how many people feel is only natural.. instinctive almost.. it will take years to wash the dirt away.