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honey, you're white. you're not allowed to talk about race because you don't know what it is to be in the minority. you just sit there and listen, and if you have the audacity to open your mouth about it, I will tell you just what you can and cannot say. (That comment will probably get me in trouble, but that's how I feel sometimes). And why do people talk politics at all? It's always the ones who have strong views about it who bring it up in conversation. It's like they want to tell you how you should vote or what you should think about a certain issue. Someone at work asked me who I was going to vote for and I felt violated almost . Truthfully, I didn't feel like any of the candidates had anything to offer me personally. There's only one issue I'd get excited about it at this point, and it's never up for discussion so for me, voting is a meaningless ritual. I just went and voted for the same reason I still went to church a few years ago.

You got me. I have no major/minor information to share or viewpoint. I used to know some of your questions years ago back in the Air Force but have largely forgotten all that training we had on Race Relations that became Human Relations classes after about a year. Name changed due to perceived offensiveness. I miss Uncle Sam---appearance beats substance almost very time.

Your six year old sounds cute.
As for the Latino vs. Hispanic question, Latinos are from Latin America, while Hispanics are from Spain. The people in Latin America are racially different from the people in Spain, as many of them are descended from the Native American tribespeople who married/procreated with the conquistadores. The Spanish language as used in Latin America also differs from the Spanish used in Spain. While Dominicans speak Spanish, ethnically they are black. The language a person speaks does not necessarily indicate their racial composition. For instance, I speak Chinese, but I am not ethnically Chinese. And while there is some dissension between all races, I don't think there is, typically, an abnormal amount between Hispanics and African Americans.
I'm sort of disillusioned with the whole voting process as well. I don't see either of the candidates as really having anything of value to contribute. Maybe I'll toss a coin.
Well, that's my 2 cents. Hope it helped.

Hispanics are from Spain? I don't think there's all that much recent immigration from Spain into the US.
I think in the US Hispanic and Latino are used as synonyms with both referring to people from Central and Latin America. but Hispanic is becoming less acceptable because it sounds like "people from Spain"... or whatever (maybe it's the other way round.)
The US census gives these subcategories for "Hispanic or Latino", so I suppose Haitians count as "Black or African American"

HISPANIC OR LATINO AND RACE
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mexican. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Puerto Rican. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cuban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Other Hispanic or Latino . .

(does that mean the census treats "Mexican" and "Cuban" as different races? I'd have thought they are different nationalities.)

It's a really interesting question you've raised motherh. I think you're right to question - it's not racist in fact I'd say it's the exact opposite because you're questioning what race means, and further what has it got to do with anything? I loved this comment:

Originally Posted by motherhubbard

I giggle a little and said that skin color doesn't make someone a good president.

because it's so true. And all your questions highlight the fact that there is more to race than what you see on the surface, and that ethnicity is only a part of what a person is, not the whole and not the definer.

I am Other

In highschool I use to get in arguments with other kids becasue I am a quarter Itallian and when I was in highschool I was all about the my Italian bloodline, becasue I thought being tied to the Mafaia was totally awsome.

So I would tell people I wasn't white, I am Italian, and they would try and tell me that is not the same thing as being white, but I refused to just be grouped into some vague catagory of "white"

So now whenever I have to fill out a form that has the a thing to choose your ethnicity I always check the box that says other.

Even though I have sort of merged into emrbrasing my Celtic roots more, I still do not consider myself "White" or "Caucasion"

Italian's not white? I would have said that white there.

I do not identify with being "white" I don't know what it means to be white.

I know what it means to be Italain, and I know what it means to be Irish.

But I have no idea what it is to be white. I am not a coloring crayon.

There is really no question about it, it's easy to tell. Also, my husband is a stanch republican.

Are you saying that only white people are Republican? I know black people who are Republican. If our country is 13% black with a total population of 300 million, that's 39 million balck people. And if 10% of black people typically vote Republican (though i suspect it will be less this time for obvious reasons) that's 3.9 million black people who vote Republican. On a separate note, people of one race who consider themselves another (whichever way around) sound weird to me. But then again I'm not from the south.

There are a lot of race related questions I have. What's the difference between Latino and Hispanic? Are people from the Dominican Republic considered black or Hispanic? They speak Spanish. Are the majority of Hispanic people really prejudiced against black people? What about Dominicans? Why do I feel like if I ask the wrong question I'll sound racist?

You should come live in NYC where you can meet all these types of people (my mother's neighbors are Domincan and they are very white) and ask for yourself.

And if 10% of black people typically vote Republican (though i suspect it will be less this time for obvious reasons)

What reason? It's a little offensive to suggest that a repbulican would change their vote for color isn't it?

Virgil said " On a separate note, people of one race who consider themselves another (whichever way around) sound weird to me. But then again I'm not from the south."

Could you give an example of what you're talking about? you lost me here.

I have to agree with you Mother H. I'm fairly confused by the level of distinction with race. It smacks a little too much of trying to justify different levels of treatment for people to me. When reading about history, nothing good has ever come of making distinctions between people. We're all just human, and I figure that is a good enough description.

I'm in no way saying that white and republican are related. I added the republican bit because my husband says pro republican and anti democrat things in front of the children. I assumed that Mason was going to say that he preferred McCain based on my husband's politics. That's all.

Originally Posted by Papaya

What reason? It's a little offensive to suggest that a repbulican would change their vote for color isn't it?

I don't know if it's offensive but I know what you're suggesting. I don't know if this is a fact or not, but I think it is: Identity is the number one factor in a person's voting trend. What I meant by my statement is that the last few elections African Americans vote around 10% Republican. The last poll of the current election I saw that broke down demographics had African Americans voting for Obama at 95%.

Originally Posted by Shalot

Could you give an example of what you're talking about? you lost me here.

When I wrote that the thought of William Fauklner novels had crossed my mind, where several of his characters have a blurred racial identity. This is one of his central metaphors of southern identity. I have no way whether Faulkner is accurate or not as representing the South, but that's one of his central ideas.

I like your husband Mom-H.

I don't know if it's offensive but I know what you're suggesting. I don't know if this is a fact or not, but I think it is: Identity is the number one factor in a person's voting trend. What I meant by my statement is that the last few elections African Americans vote around 10% Republican. The last poll of the current election I saw that broke down demographics had African Americans voting for Obama at 95%.

Yeah, we had this topic on another board that is far more diverse. All found it ridculous to think anybody would change fundamental beliefs because of color. I'm thinking Identity has more to do with upbringing and world views rather then color. Would you ever consider voting outside your party because an italian was running?

Yeah, we had this topic on another board that is far more diverse. All found it ridculous to think anybody would change fundamental beliefs because of color. I'm thinking Identity has more to do with upbringing and world views rather then color.

In all fairness to African Americans because of their history, they're identity is linked to color. I understand that. What I don't understand is why they vote overwhelming for one party. It's not like it's helped them.

Would you ever consider voting outside your party because an italian was running?

No, and I haven't on local elections when I've had the opportunity, but I'm an ideologically driven voter. There are many reasons why people vote and they are all valid. Or let's say most.

This was an interesting read indeed, M-H (your Blog Entry and the Comments that follow). I have nothing really to say except that Dark Muse made a brilliant response, one that I will remember for a looooooooooooooooooong time!

I do not identify with being "white" I don't know what it means to be white.

I know what it means to be Italain, and I know what it means to be Irish.

But I have no idea what it is to be white. I am not a coloring crayon.

Bravo, I love these words.