Tripping on the Color Line Ch. 1

The color line is a set boundary that cannot be crossed. If people do cross it they are faced with discrimination and rejection from their own people; they have become traitors, just like the examples from Half and Half. The racial borders are set up by the races and the most prominent border is created by whites and blacks. When the borders are crossed, race becomes a main topic in the individuals and families conversations.

Society today wants to pretend that everybody is equal and that racism is a thing of the past. Having multiracial couples is "symbolic proof that race no longer matters in society"(Dalmage, pg. 33). However, this belief is completely wrong, because multiracial couples are still faced with discrimination today and will continue to be discriminated for a while unless drastic changes occur.

One question I asked myself while reading the chapter is why the borders are so engraved in U.S. society and how categorizing people is seen as a natural part of human interactions. Having racial borders "give each person a sense of ourselves in the world; they help us know where we fit, what our status is, and who our people are (Dalmage, pg. 35). I agree that borders tell people where they belong but it does not tell people who they are. I know that it is not possible right now, but people should not be limited and told where and with who they can be with. America is supposed to be about freedome, not restrictions.

The color line is institutionalized and internalized in every person and society. Black slaves and the white owners helped create the color line. It was not just whites who wanted to keep blacks away to preserve their white power, but it was also the blacks who wanted to keep the whites away to perserve their cultural identity (Delmage, pg. 37). Both races are vital parts in keeping the color line so intact.

It is true that whites have always put blacks down and made them feel like they were inferior, however I do agree that the oppression is not completely the whites fault, but also the blacks becuase they start believing the whites and internalize the borders that keep them down(Delmage, pg. 40). Multiracial couples have to deal with the consequences of crossing the borders and accept that they are being discriminated against because of the institutionalized and internalized racial borders.

Border patrolling occurs within their own race where they try to maintian people inside thier own race. Whites patrol other whites to try to maintian the white superiority, while blacks patrol other blacks and minorities to make sure they do not cross over. when people do get involved in a multiracial relationship they are looked down upon by thier families and communities. It is horrible that one's own family doesn't want you anymore and that they think you betrayed them and are making a huge mistake. And even when families later accept the minority partner, they are not really accepting the person, they are just making him/her an exception; an excuse.

When I think of oppressed women, I immediately picture women of color, but while reading I realized that white women are oppressed as well. Even though they are white and do have some privilege, they have great pressure becuase they are the ones that need to keep the white race pure. White women are seen as equipment,not as individuals and if they are with a black man- they are worthless. I thought it was so unreasonable and senseless when Julie went on a date with a white man and he told her he didnt understand why she slept with a black man if she was "such a pretty and intelligent woman" (Delmage, pg. 46) It is ridiculous to think that one needs to be stupid and ugly to be with a black man. I really couldnt believe he said it as if it was logical.

So I really liked the response June makes when asked if she adopted her children and she says, "No, I slept with a black man," (Delmage, pg. 48). This shows that people know the racial border is ridiculous and that it needs to be taken down.

One part that I just couldn't beleive was when the pastor was removed from a church because he interacted with blacks (Delmage, pg. 54). It is just outrageous how religion is being used to keep racism alive, shouldnt it be the other way in which God wants everyone to be equal with not hate or discrimination. This just goes to show tha , at least to me, some religious people are just ignorant.

With black border patrolling, blacks patrol thier own people. if a black person crosses the border, than they are dissapproved by their community, especially if they get involved with a white person. I do not agree with the fact that blacks discriminate their own people just becuase they cross the racial border. I would think that they have been oppressed enought that they would not want to place even more oppression on thier own people. Blacks do not like the whites because they have oppressed and discriminated them, yet they are doing the same to someone of their own race. In the book it says that many reject black men with white women or vice versa because it is seen as a rejection of black female beauty or black men seen as not good enough (education and job). I do not agree with this because the people who get involved with other races are not rejecting their race, becuase that would be rejecting themselves and thier family, but it all comes down to who they fall in love with.

I do not think that people would endure all the discrimination if the love was not there. Especially the white partner who had always been privileged and never faced with discrimination. However, rebound racism makes sure that the white partner recieves some of the racism the black partner experiences, even if it is not intended for the white partner. And blacks would not endure the intensified racism, especially black males, if they did not have a strong love to help them get through it.

Interacial couples have a hard time saving their relationships because of the prejudice and obstacles that they go through after they cross the racial boundaries. It is horrible that the color line is responsible for so many interracial couples to be broken apart becuase of the discrimination. Borderism has to stop because it is totally unfair for people to be told where they belong, and it is up to both races, not just one, to start blurring the color line.

Film Response: Mississippi Masala

"Mississippi Masala" is a very good movie that demonstrates the challenges two people faces when trying to be together just because of their racial identities. Both were told to stick to their own race and were seen as traitors for crossing the boundaries. Meena and Demetrius had to endure their families disapproval in order to be together.

Meena and her parents lived in Uganda but were forced to leave after a General took power. They lived in several places and ended up in Mississippi. Meena and her parents were Indian in their traditions and culture, yet born in Uganda, her parents--especially her father-- identified as African. I found it interesting that the family had such strong cultural ties to India, yet they had never lived there. I would think that since they lived in Uganda so long, that they would have incorporated some of the African culture into thier own.In Mississippi, Meena and her family associates with other Indians and they expect Meena to marry within her race. However, when her parents find out that Meena is involved with Demetrius, an African American, they are disappointed.

Meena has dishonored the family and her parents forbid her from being with Demetruis. Demitrius loses his clients after they find out he was involved with an Indian. I thought that it was unfair for the families to judge them and discriminate because they were living in Mississippi where all races, other than white, was inferior. The minority races should be supporting each other, instead they enforce the segregation.

What I found interesting was the fathers dissapproval of Demetrius becuase he was African American. The father identifed as African and insisted that Uganda was his home, yet he discriminated against African Americans. I liked when Demetrius gave him a rude awakening when he told him that he had beome Americanized and saw African Americans as inferior, when he had seen Africa as his home. This brought up how the view of Africans and African Americans is so different. African Americans are seen as infereior because of their social standing within America and how they have had to deal with the ongoing discrimination.

The film demonstrated the transnational relations within these families. The various connections Meena and her family had with different nations. One part that really stood out to me was how Meena's father realized that he was being racially prejudice against Demetrius, just as he had once been in Uganda and had fought and disapproved of.

Mixing It Up Ch. 8 & 10

Chapter 8: Toward a Multiethnic Cartography

Being authentic means to belong completely to one race. You cannot have mixed races because then you do not belong to just one. I disagree with this because you are also authentic if you belong to more than one race. If you belong to two races, you are authentic to both. Society has made monoraciality to be based on power. If you belong to one race, you are more powerful than if you belong to two. Being multiethnic disadvantages you becuase you do not belong with one or the other, both races see you as less becuase you are mixed. In order for our society to move towards a multiethnic cartography, it is vital that we get rid of our narrow conceptualization of identity (Mixing It Up, pg. 144).

Ethnicity is a group of people sharing history, culture, and symbolism, whereas race is a social construct based on physical characteristics. Race is based on a hierarchy of power, where certain races have more influence than others. Race does not provide understanding for identity, especially as conceived by the Census that leaves out Middle Easterners, Latinos, and other multiethnics.

Identifying as a multiethnic is difficult, especially when it leads to accusations of betrayal and weakness becuase they do not want to choose one. The two races can feel like the person does not want to identify completely with them. People just want to belong and trust that they are accepted in.

Racial cartographies change over time and are influenced greatly by popular culture. The media has a huge role in reinforcing the monoracial identity. Famous people, such as Mariah Carey, Halle Berry, Cameron Diaz, and Paula Abdul are all multiethnic, yet are revealed as being monoracial. I do not understand why the media does not represent the artists as they truely are. If they belong to more than one racial group, then they should be presented with everything they are. Since the media has such a big influence, it should be promoting diversity, not trying to hide it. Such as with Tiger Woods, he is Caucasion, Black, Indian, and Asian, yet he is presented mostly as Black. It was important that he announced his racial background and that he did not choose to belong to just one, but that he belongs to all of them (Mixing It Up, pg. 153-155).

Promoting multiraciality is very important in opening up the doors for people to truely express themselves. It is horrible to have to hide part of who you are and only having to choose one part of you. A multiracial cartography is possible if society stops focusing on having one identity and moves towards accepting all identities.

Chapter 10: Against Erasure

"What are you?" That is the main question that is asked. People need to know what other people are, its a necessity. I do not understand why knowing someone's race is so important. It should not affect how you view or treat that person, however it does. If you do not fit into a certain race that people want you to be in, then thier outlook on you changes. If you belong to two or more races then you are not "authentic." Who even decides what is "authentic." If you have two races, you are authentic to both, because you belong to both- you are part of both races.

It is easier for people to just be black or white, but real people do not just fit perfectly into these categories. Most people are not monoracial, but they are multiracial. The institutionalized monoraciality denies people the opportunity to describe themselves as they truely are. Monoraciality encourages la conciencia de la mestiza (new multiracial consciousness), where society requires people to choose a monoracial identity and hide who they truely are(Mixing It Up, pg.182-183).

Cherrie Moraga, daughter of a Chicana and an anglo, remembers hating being both and not completely feeling like she belonged to both. Racial hybridity needs to be understood by all so that their view of racial identity does not have to be solely monoracial, but can have multiple racial identities.

One group that has not been given a chance to show thier diversity are Mexicans. The Latinos are grouped together as if they were all the same. Also given the term Hispanics does not represent the different backgrounds of the Latinos, and only refers to those with Spanish descent (Mixing It Up, pg. 187).

Being forced to having only one racial identity, is like having no identity because you cannot express who you are. A child of two or more races cannot identify with both, the child has to chose one and society usually forces the child to chose the race that is inferior. The "hybrid degeneracy theory" is that the multiracial child is genetically inferior to both of his parent's races, and this was used to place fear in interracial couples and urge them to seperate. American society forces people to chose a race that they can pass for (Mixing It Up, pg. 188).

It is unfair to place limits on how a person can identify. People should be free to express themselves and not care of how society will treat them. However, the importance of pure-blood is still dominating and the polluted blood is seen down upon. Society is in charge and mestizos and "mixed blood" will continue to be seen as polluted (Mixing It Up, pg. 199-201). Multiracial people need to be proud of who they are and to not let anybody make them hide thier races. There is no need to only choose one race, when all races should be accepted.