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.
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Wendy, you summarized the chapter well with focus on the specifics of what border patrolling looks like on both sides. Try to connect this with the previous authors' take about monoracial logic and visual cartography.
ReplyDeleteWendy, I could not agree more with your question of why the United States sets such high borders to engrave the differences in each individual. You said, “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.” The book states that by having racial borders "is gives 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 set places for one to belong to, but why in the United States are they so high. Is it because the United States is such more diverse that the countries in other parts of the world? Could it be due to the historical facts that have faced or nation? Or is it simply because we cannot live in a world where people of different races can be friends with all?
ReplyDeleteAgain you said that it is not possible right now, but people should not be limited and told where and with whom they can be with, and me question to that is why not? What is it we live in a society where we cannot be friends with everyone? Why is it that people of different colors get looked at strangely if they are walking down the road together? And you said not right now, but when do you think that this border will be broken down, or honestly do you really think it ever could be torn down?
Another question I have for you Wendy is when you think about oppressed women, why do you always assume they are black women? Is that because the ways in which we have been taught throughout our schooling? Have we always been told or shown that the Black women are oppressed while the white are living the high life? How do you think your education could have been different in order to show that oppression can happen to anyone? Or do you think it has nothing to do with your education, but the way in which you were brought up in your home life?
I also enjoyed the comment of response June makes when asked if she adopted her children and she says, "No, I slept with a black man," (Delmage, pg. 48). I am glad that she felt the strength to stand up for herself and show that Blacks and whites can coexist and be hapy with one another. It is ridiculous that in this day in age people still feel that there has to be to borders to divide when it comes to love, or anything else for that matter.
As we have all discussed in class and in blogs, the color line really does need to be diminished so that people can be who they want to be and live their lives the way they want to. No one should feel shame for wanting to be with who they love even if it is with someone of a different race or skin color.
Your blog was very good. I understand what the chapter was talking about since I was the facilitator last week, but you helped me see different sides to what Ryan and I talked about. You are very good about explaining the definitions of what each term is and the terms that are given but not exactly given a definition. The only thing that I would say is to watch for spelling errors. I know that sometimes we are in a hurry and even sometimes the computer doesn’t catch every one there is though, so no worries. I know I’m lazy when it comes to proofreading as well.
ReplyDeleteI liked the part when you talked about how there seem to be so many borders that exist here in the US but yet we are supposed to be a country of freedom and justice. I too think that the borders that exist shouldn’t, but honestly, how weird would it be if we lived in a world where race, age, and economic status didn’t matter. I can’t even imagine what that would be like. When I think of the perfect place I don’t see people all of the same color, but almost like being in our classroom, people of all races and yet are all intelligent in their own ways.
I know we‘ve talked about how SSU is a very “white” campus, but I feel as if we’re almost putting a border on ourselves by searching for the people of diversity that is noticeable. My roommate is half Mexican and half “white” but there is no way that you can tell she is Mexican at all and when we tell people that she is they still don’t believe us. In that way I understand how some people who are white feel like they don’t have any slack when some diverse people make them feel as if everything is there fault. By me walking around and saying that our school is not diverse enough, it actually makes me just as much of a hypocrite when I don’t know the race of every person here on campus. I know we can go to numbers and statistics that the school has, but there aren’t categories of race such as Italian, German, and Canadian that can fully describe people the way that they could be categorized.
There is like we’ve said from the beginning, so much more to a person than the color of their skin on the outside and it isn’t fair to treat those with non dominate features like others, without respect. It goes back to learning back when we were kids that you have to give respect in order to receive it.