Passing as Black:How Biracial Americans Choose Identity

[Reggaedoc]

Deal with what?. Look, my argument is simply. When African Americans investigate their heritage, they do so to get closer to their African roots and are simply trying to get confirmatory evidence, no matter how white they look. When Jamaicans look into their roots, they are trying to get confirmatory evidence of how far they are from their African ancestry and how close they are to Eurpean, Chinese, Jewish, Lebanese etc. No matter how black they are. This is the difference.

[Rudi]

Errr doc some man can't or won't understand the truth in what you're saying. Is just so that TING set. Sometime I have to wonder wht century we in to R A S.

[Reggaedoc]

Well said Don1

[Assasin]

Are you sure that is actually the case that most who have a white granny or look up their European history, or tell you that they had a white granny, the sole purpose is to be more European? or try to be far away from Africa as possible?

Unnu just generalise all the time so much. Don't you think some of those same people are even trying to find out about their Jamaican roots and African roots? Brethren it is hard to deny the fact that most of us are black and have some african roots. Yes you have some who wish they didn't but not everybody who have a white Granny want to be European or escape Africa.

[Reggaedoc]

Deal with what?. Look, my argument is simply. When African Americans investigate their heritage, they do so to get closer to their African roots and are simply trying to get confirmatory evidence, no matter how white they look. When Jamaicans look into their roots, they are trying to get confirmatory evidence of how far they are from their African ancestry and how close they are to Eurpean, Chinese, Jewish, Lebanese etc. No matter how black they are. This is the difference.

[Reggaedoc]

Really?.

[Don1]

that is the nature of the thing. In most other island it is the same thing. Even in some European country people tend to put themselves in classes but when everybody a minority in America it is a different case.

A just so the ting set.

[Assasin]

A guess you have no white granny. There is a difference between accepting who you are and putting people all in one pan.


What if you had a white granny from Scotland? wouldn't you be proud of her and try to find out more? or you just want to know about your African heritiage?

[Reggaedoc]

I guess it beats being called a gollywog. Some consulation.

[Assasin]

Well at least you know what them call them in England.

[Reggaedoc]

No I don't have a white granny from Scotland, and for that i am just as proud as being able to admit that my granny was a maroon from Moore Town in Portland. My great grandfather came from India, as an Indian ****** during the days of indentured servitude. I had many grandaunts who lived in West Retreat in Portland, all of whom spoke no English, purely Hindi. My grandfather used to take us to the country for Hussey parades as a little boy. All these don't change the fact that I am a black man, who has to develop survival strategies as a black man living in a racist Jamaican society. And please don't give me the party line that Ja is not race it is class BS. That is what is important. Whether my great grandfather came from Bombay, or Delhi is not material. More important would be what part of Africa my grandmother came from, and that is neither here nor there. The obstacles against Jamaican black people are the same with or without that knowledge. The African American is much further along the path to freedom, and so they can engage in the heritage research. Our focus in Ja should be on fighting for the basic amenities for most of our people. Like adequate housing, not located on a gully bank, being able to get a job, able to go to bed at night without worrying that a gunman sent by the so called white man isn't going to slaughter me and my family because this would mean one less vote for his opponent etc.

[Muadib]

This is pretty much as unscientific as you can get...

Instructive none the less...

[Islandman]

Some of what you say is valid but it a gross oversimplification to conclude that "the African American is much further along the path to freedom" .

African Americans have thier own set of issues with mental slavery as a result of thier particular historical experiences with racism and prejudice.

[Reggaedoc]

Well maybe you can design a double blind, prospective, randomized study to get the facts. I would be interested to know how you would design such a study the answer this question.

[Muadib]

Curious that the greatest transfer of resources from the poor (black) to the rich occurred under 'Black Man Time'

The only hope for the Black man in Jamaica is 'Brown Man Time' policies....

"It takes cash to care"

Barbados is highly educated..

How do you propose to spend Chiney infrastructure money on education ??

Is nuh yuh a boast bout di PNP expensive infrastructure development ?!

Mek up yuh mind..

lol !

Mi will talk tuh di man dem and mek sure di heducation money roll in innah di first term.. wuss case second term cause it look like di 'free education' ting nevah impress yuh..