Of Mixed Parentage...

[DecentMerson]

another 'controversial' thread... (i hope)...

nowadays, mixed parentage is kinda common... and i don't think this is a bad thing... however, the society is still kinda mean to them... and how do the media portray them?

for example, do u know that Tiger Woods has "one-eighth Caucasian, one-quarter black, one-eighth American Indian, and one-half East Asian (a quarter Thai and a quarter Chinese).".... pretty amazing???

but, when you see him... do you think he is black?(why... just because he is black physically? or the media leads you to think that way???)

another person...

Keanu Reeves... his dad was a Chinese-Hawaiian, his mom an English... but, he is so 'white'...?? why so?? because the media and the directors of movie portray him so...

and many more artists...

normally... children of mixed parentage are classified and perceived of the 'lesser' of the mixed...hypodescent is the word for it... like African American + White American => African American children...

that's the case in the States...

how about in Malaysia? i mean, how do u feel about this?? Like do you care, for example, if a Malay + Chinese -> ??? (i'm talking about race here, nothing religious)...

and Chinese + Indian... --> Chindian?? but do u really regard them as Chindian? or actually, u treat them based on whether his/hers skin color? if he/she has a darker skin, then, he/she is Indian... if not, a chinese...

[balderdash]

Haha about the artistes - all I have to say is that at the end of the day, what the media emphasises is that they are AMERICAN and all the different 'blood' they have within them just adds to the exoticism that is within their aura :)

In Malaysia - I've loads of friends who are of mixed parentage in various levels but come to think of it, I've never really thought of them as of any particular race. It's like, so I know my friend's a Chindian, and I know that he/she knows stuff from both the Indian and Chinese sides (if there is really such a thing hee) and we get along well so - I don't know - race doesn't really mean much to me when it comes to friends.

Sounds theoretically PC but I suppose I've been programmed to think this way since I was a kid.

[iQing]

that baba nyonya comedi is funny
so is Gurmit Singh.

(zen style posting, not random post)

[PiK]

mixed ppl get more attention since they're mixed no? no matter if they're a celebrity or not.

[Ic3b3rg]

I am taking a class on Race and Ethnicity in American Society, and I thought this might be interesting and related to this topic:

There are no "pure" races in the world. In tracing the heredity of any group we soon discover that a great diversity of physical, social, and cultural traits are represented within a people. Mexican Americans are no exception.

First among their ancestors, the Mexican Americans can count a great variety of native Americans - that is, the many Indian groups who once lived in Mexico and the American Southwest. Another major component is European, for Mexican Americans are also descended from the Spaniards who came to this hemisphere during the early periods of exploration, conquest, and settlement. But we must remember that the Indians themselves are a mixture of many groupings and the Spaniards are the product of the "melting pot" of Caucasian European peoples and Arabic and black admixtures from Africa. Some blacks were involved also in the early history of exploration and colonization of the Spanish territories in the New World. Finally, during the 1800s, another element was added to the ancestry and hence the physical makeup of Mexican Americans: namely, "Americans," who themselves are a mixture of all peoples of the world, even though they are predominantly of Caucasian, European background.

Who then are the Mexican Americans? They are a mixture of diverse peoples. In many, the Indian racial types predominate. Most are dark of complexion with black hair, traits inherited in large part from their Indian ancestors. But many are blond, blue-eyed, and "white," while others have red hair and hazel eyes. This population is so varied physically that the stereotype of the Mexican who is short and stout, with dark brown complexion and black hair, does not really hold true. Thus the Mexican Americans are obviously not a distinct race. This fact is reflected in the names they bear. Most have Spanish surnames. But many Mexican Americans have surnames which are obviously not Spanish, such as Weaver, Gold, Taylor, McCormick, Glass, Von Robineau, Baptiste, and Davis.http://www.jsri.msu.edu/museum/pubs/MexAmHist/chapter2.html#one

[vseehua]

well, in sarawak there are lots of mixed marriages happening and i don't see how problems can happen..they still can live in peace with each other....

the most important thing here is that we appreciate the peace that we have and love each other...not the ethnic or any other differences... :D