Racial Identity, Which Box Do I Check?

[greenie63]

My SO and I are watching CNN's Who is Black in America. It brought up a discussion between us, and I told him when I was completing forms for our son, the ethnicity portion stated pick one box: African American, Caucasian, Asian, Native American. There was no "other" option, and you could not check more than one box. I checked African American. When I questioned the receptionist, she said we know, the forms need to be updated. 

Why do people need to be identified in today's world according to race? It bothers me that my son will encounter nonacceptance by some because of his skin color, hell he already has. 

Thoughts? Here's a link to the episode:

http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/07/soledad-obrien-who-is-black-in-america-i-am/

[Mommy_of_Riley]

I always check other. If there is no other box I write in other underneath. Ha!

[tooptimistic]

Where's the American box?

[AllofFive19]

They should have an "All the above" box. LOL.

[krysstizzle]

I always do "other"

[GotSomeKids]

I mark them all.  If the organization doesn't like it, then I tell them to provide better options.  You would think in todays day and age, at the very least there would be an "other" option.

[Mommy2BeAmy]

Lol I'm Greek Saudi dh is paki so that makes him Asian . Arab and Greeks are considered Caucasian so I check both Asia and Caucasian

[ReginaStar]

Being that I live in GA it's not an issue. The laws states you must be able to check multiple boxes so therefore I've never not been able to. But if I did ever come across that issue I have always said I will mark something my kids are not like Asian b/c I feel if getting it right is so meaningless to them then I'll show them just how meaningless it will be. Everyone should have the right to mark what they are period. It's very racist to refuse that right. 

[ballerossandra]

I had a huge argument with a dr receptionist as I didn't list race for my son and she looked at him and marked black.

i was furious.hes a dark italian, meaning Caucasian...still white...nothing against being back but darker skin does not mean a different race

[Tranla]

Unless it's an online form that won't physically allow me to check multiple, then I check all that apply. Otherwise I check what I am predominantly.

[ReginaStar]

I want to come back and add to this post since it's about this show. I have not been able to watch the whole show (I don't have CNN) but I have watched clips online and I have been disgusted by both Obrien and that 1drop freak. 

The one drop rule is very racist. It was created in the early 20th century to keep whites (being they were legally white up till this law) with black ancestry from intermarriage with whites. Black was seen as an inferior race to whites. When these fools continue to press that dissolved law they are persisting that white is superior. Disgusting. 

One of the clips I did see of this show was a young woman saying that she didn't feel black but rather felt part black. She IS part black. That IS how she should feel. Obrein spoke as if she had issues. Would she said the same if she said she didn't feel white but rather part white. Probably not. Obrien is the one who has issues. 

I read this statement on a mixed website and I agree with what this guy had to say. 

Any comments on Soledad O'Brien CNN 's nonsense CNN Black in America piece that aired last night? She set us (the pro-Multiracial and mixed-race identified contingent) back 100 years by presenting to the world brainwashed mixed-race individuals whom espoused a very one sided pro one-drop worldview and racial identity. Notice that she didn't include anyone from our contingent to offer the real, hon

est voice of the Multiracial/mixed-race experience, only those individuals whom would serve her own agenda and self-serving/self-hating views on racial identity. Seeing the young woman (Nayo Jones) whom at first refused to identify according to the parameters of the 'check one race box' system, but was then later psychologically 'broken' by then finally relenting to the overwhelming one-drop idiocy being spewed, along with the mental intimidation and psychological pressure being projected on her by the other African-American & black identified mixed-race people in the piece made me sick to my stomach. Soledad (along with Halle, and others) I would venture to say is the preeminent poster-child for the 'one-drop' myth. She even said to the effect, 'one-drop is a bad thing, but even I believe in it!'. What a moron, and shame on her for doing this! She doesn't realize the very damaging message she is sending to other young and impressionable mixed-race children and uninitiated Interracial families whom she may be encouraging to embrace a racist and defeated ideology that was designed to completely disrespect and dehumanize us and is NO LONGER applicable in contemporary society.