Bi-Racialism in AmericaBi-Racialism in AmericaWhile in the twenty-first century, biracialism and biculturalism are becoming increasingly common. Skin color and place of birth are no longer reliable signifiers of ones identity or origin. One of the most dominant is the struggle to figure out their identity. Henry Ford once stated,
“Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.”
Today, these some of the many experiences that youth face.In The Color of Water, by James McBride, he remarkably switches between his voice and his mothers then back again. By using this method, one is able to comprehend where Ruth McBride (his mother) comes from mentally, physically and emotionally. In this bittersweet memoir, McBride deals with the asperity of growing up in a bourgeois, biracial family in which his tone changes due to his conflicting circumstances. While James experiences many difficulties which helped him keep his overall well being, his imagery and diction creates an in depth picture of how his words and vision helps distinguish the attitude between McBride and his mothers voice. In order to correlate his mothers voice, McBride has to retrace his mother’s footsteps and memories While trying to understand what she (Ruth) goes through.
Although James will never fully comprehend the turmoil that his mother suffers, Ruth’s drive and discipline helps her children to excel, as portrayed in her words of wisdom, “You dont need money. Whats money if your mind is empty? Educate your mind!” (32-33). Ruth’s sole purpose in life is educating her children, not only about school, but about their religion and faith as well. Not having a sturdy education herself, Ruth forces her children to succeed. However Ruth’s unfortunate childhood experiences makes James unaware of his mother’s background. As a result, James makes an effort to understand his mother’s difficulties growing up a Jew. When writing his memoir
Since Ruth’s family sat “shiva” (2) for her, Ruth is forced to take up Christianity as her religion. Solemnly Ruth’s experiences as a Jew were dreadful, too. When Ruth teaches her children how to become independent and confident, her children learn to deal with racism and prejudice. Similarly a mother of biracial children who did an interview with Parenting Child Development states “I am well aware of racism in America and how subtle it’s become. Although we like to think of ourselves as evolved, there are still many among us whose actions reveal attitudes about those they consider different from themselves”(1). Clearly, Ruth may have liked to see a change in the way biracial children are treated, however, people have not yet progressed in seeing or making that change happen.
One may believe that James learns in school that the United States is the heart of multi-ethnicity or multi-culturalism. Yet, the fact that many races and cultures could live together in one country is supposed to be that source of integrity and proof of our advancement. However, we still do not all get along! In an article “Interracial America”, a young boy named Satra Wasserman experiences “more than the usual difficulties as a child growing up…” (1). While attending school Satra was labeled “Black Cupcake” and “Sir Oreo”. Unfortunately, Satra experiences racism. At that moment, the author makes the reader feel that Satra is different from his classmates and that they want to hurt him. Satra fells terrified, because he had been unprepared for this type of experience. From this, Satra now, knows what racism fells like.
The authors of the piece feel that they need to be more specific to this issue, but in the article, they show that blacks are not always seen as inherently different — in a white person’s case — but that being seen as different results in some cases. They also add that the issue of race has always had problems and issues with that kind of discrimination. As they state: “We cannot make room here for systemic racism, and we need to understand the issues that exist to allow for that. While many people, both whites and blacks for the most part, will continue to live their lives in a society characterized by a strong focus on race, and some will not be able to achieve that, this is a question that does and must be addressed on a larger scale as we progress.” (2). To their own shame, the authors try to show that race and racism do not become very important when it comes to understanding and addressing some areas. For example, the group’s article says: “I do hope that we can do better. If we are able to, we can move beyond the simplistic notions of race in popular culture. If we do take our current state of race and racism out of the media, it will not only reduce any of us to our worst selves, it will allow any race people to become friends and families that they may not otherwise have.” (3).
The authors of this post also share what is going on around the country where white folks may need to talk. According to the Pew research, 43% of African Americans do not want to deal with race issues or confront stereotypes that do not accurately reflect their own. Many black people believe that there is an easy way to come to terms with their own lack of understanding and privilege. One would hope that because of their social and political views, blacks are less likely to say things like, “I look like a white male by default” and, “black men cannot be straight and we will have to change that.” Instead, whites may be less likely to offer support. For example, the Pew survey found that 43% of black Americans believe that if black people could change their own opinions and behaviors, it would mean a better experience for black people.
I’m guessing that the above quote is a way to make whites feel better about themselves before they take on their frustrations for others. But in the end, white American people are not so convinced about anything and they think they can do without talking about it. It might look bad, but maybe they can put their head together knowing that if they talk about racism and what their experience is, they will get to work and find a solution.
The same thing could apply to African-Americans, as well. One must be more aware of these issues as African-Americans continue to make their voice heard. In the wake of a tragic tragedy for the young driver and the pregnant woman in the north Florida Walmart, I feel sad that not only am we not being heard from, but at one point we also were silenced by our own ignorance.
For example, I am seeing similar stories on social media in some way about how black men, by and
In 1991 The Gallop Poll found “the number of interracially married couples in the United States has gone from 150,000 couples in 1970 to 1.1 million in 1994 and the number of children born out of interracial marriages jumped from 460,300 in 1970 to 1.9 million in 1994.7”(2). The Gallop Poll also informs the public that “sixty-one percent of White Americans are more likely to approve of such marriages today, compared to 4% in 1958.8” (3).