Well that's what my man asked me in his last letter. If I was ashamed of what I am. I could ask him the same question. Now my mother is Costa Rican. My father is Creole. I came out brown skin with light brown eyes. Can I speak spanish? Yes. But not fluently. I see a black woman every morning I wake up. I was always told if you have one ounce of ****** in you than that's what you are. (I'm from the south.) How many of you agree with the one ounce theory?

I never heard of the one ounce theory?

It's a belief that if you have a drop of black in you than that's what you are. Black. That's putting it lightly. Where I'm from the story goes:



If you have an ounce of ***** in you than that's what you are. A ******! No matter what people see you are still a ******.





I will say that this theory is starting to die off because racism isn't as big as it use to be. I was raised by older people so I know alot of old sayings.

Well, I'll tell you what..you have a whole lot of sweetness in ya..so I'm going to call you SWEETIE!!! thanks for explaining, I learned something new today :)

I have never heard of this nor do I agree with it. I am scottish Irish and a 1/16 mexican. Just because I have a 1/16 of mexican in me I doesnt make me all mexican thats crazy. I come from many cultures and I am all of them.

I have heard about the "one ounce" rule; IMO it is ridiculous. I've heard of it because my mother is VERY afro-centric and quite frankly she's boderline racist. If a person is multiracial, it should be their decision which race they want to be affiliated with or rather they want to be classified as all the races that they are. Society shouldn't be able to tell people what race they are.

I am russian and my husband is black, so that makes my kids russian and black. I dont consider them one or the other. My husbandn on the other hand says that they are black, but I just say that they are mixed. They have the best of both worlds!

Now my mother is Costa Rican. My father is Creole.

Lousiana Creole? My mother is a Louisiana Creole. A lot of people think she is White, or maybe Spanish if she is lucky because she is so fairskinned. So some people think I am part White because of my skin complexion and "good hair". I aways hated that "good hair" statement because it seems like people of Color can not have a good grade of hair..they have to be
"nappy". But as far as my mom, she considers herself Black as well. :)

I think I may have rambled a bit and got off the topic a bit. Sorry. :eek:

BTW...I think all that you got going on is beautiful...u got a little spice to ya! LOL

But as far as my mom, she considers herself Black as well. :)


My dad is also fair skinned with gray eyes. You cannot tell him that he's anything other than a black man.

Me and my man had gotten on the subject of kids. How they'll be raised and what they'll know. So I'm like they'll be black. What's there to know? That's when the are you ashamed question came up. But he has his nerve to talk because his mother is black and his dad is mixed. My point is I won't be able to teach them anything but what I know and how I was raised. I don't walk around saying I'm half this. 1% that. I can only talk about what I know.

Vonne it's evident in your picture that you are pretty. You ought to thank your parents for doing a good job.:p (no lesbo)

:p (no lesbo)

Jazzy..you are so silly girl..

hey Everyone Just Had To Put My 2 Cents In Here Lol I Am White My 3 Beautiful Children Are Blk And Wht But Really Arent We All Mixed With Something????? I Raised My Children As Children Period If You Ask Anyone Of Them What Their Race Is They Will Tell You Excatly They Are Blk And Wht They Are So Blessed To Be Who They Are And I Am So Blessed To Have 3 Beautiful And Wonderful Children And By The Way A Very Handsome Grandson (just Had To Say That) Everyone Have A Great Christmas

Never be ashamed of what or who you are. When I started reading the thread I thought you were going to say he asked if you were ashamed because he is in prison! I get that all the time. And for the record, I am not ashamed of that either!!lol

My great grandfather was black. I usually dont talk about it because people can be ignorant. I have gotten "pick a race" enough to make me want to puke, so I pick the HUMAN RACE.

Most people will never understand that society does define us to some extent. I can call myself biracial or multicultural all I want, but when I walk out my door, I am a white woman. I function as a white woman because that is what people see.

i'm not ashamed...we were comparing hands, and it's funny but we're both the same complexion :D haha. i don't believe the one ounce rule (racial "mixing" is a little more complicated than that to me).

Vonne it's evident in your picture that you are pretty. You ought to thank your parents for doing a good job.:p (no lesbo)

;) :p Thank you sis!

That "once ounce" theory was a law meant to opress and dehuman people during slavery and segregation. I think we, as a culture, have moved way beyond that. I can't believe someone would actually ask that. What on God's earth is there to be ashamed of? I hope we all take pride in our ancestry. If not, you got some work to do.

To apply for land, on my husband's reservation, I had to go by the tribes enrollment office and pick up a Certified Degree of Indian blood. Yes, I now hold my husband's pedigree...

Eldon is 100% Native American, as far as I know, but listed, as 7/8. It makes no difference to either of us. I was ready to marry my husband, before I had saw more than one heck of a bad mug shot. He was ready to do the same, knowing he was marrying a crippled blonde broad.

What I see when I look at my husband is the most gentle, loving, compassionate spirit that has ever existed. I can gaurentee you, it would not matter were he purple. What Eldon sees, when he looks at me, is the first person in his life that truly believes in him and his innocence and a woman devoted enough to endure hell to see him free. We both have friends of every race and that has never, for a moment, been an issue, between a crazy Indian and a crazy blonde.

I was born, in Southeast Texas and raised to be racist. It was the way, when I was a child and so was the one drop rule. I actually grew up in an area so racist that the blacks sort of had a one drop rule, for blacks that carried any white blood. The "n" word was thrown around alot, when I was a kid, in the 60's and 70's there. It is still used far too much. There are those, who judged me, for marrying an Indian, in the same way, as if I had married a black man, even now. Once, to fit into the crowd that I ran with, I passed that judgement myself.

But, life has a funny way of waking us up, over the years. I began to see the whole picture, beginning from my school years, long ago. My favorite teachers, from grade school were both black, a married couple, as a matter of fact. That was the Knightons. Their son Beaver was the class clown and sent to the office more by his parents, than any other student, of both races, that they taught. I was one of Mrs. Knighton's pets. I will never forget, either of them and the memories I have are priceless.

In high school, our assistant principal was black, Miss Cato. She also taught freshman Algebra. I was one of many students, both black and white, that she took under her wing, because she saw promise in us, when others did not. In 6 weeks, Miss Cato took me from failing Algebra to passing her class, with almost perfect scores.

I walked into an office, 22 years later and she called me by name. She had taught me only 3 1/2 months. She laughed, when I reminded her of the day that the handful of whites, from the predominantly black school had all skipped out on her, to go, for a day at the lake. She signed every note, of excuse the next day and never questioned a one, knowing our parents would have beat us, had they known.

Over the years, I had friends "of color," as it was once politely put, who showed me the color of a man's skin has nothing to do, with the content of the heart. One of those is a girl named Bobby that I was in High School with, in another area. She is black, no mistaking the fact, but her heart shines golden!

Years after we were out of school, my husband at the time and me were left without transportation. My husband's family would leave our children to do without, unless I hitch-hiked to town. We had no other help. When Bobby found out that I was thumbing to get things we needed, she would make me take her car, while she was at work next door. She would see noone do without, nomatter what color they were. She has remained a treasured friend, over the years. I would literally give the shirt off my back to repay the kindness that she has always shown me.

A black boy, from her area used to give me rides, when we were in school, to keep me from hitch-hiking. He would go miles out of his way, on the back roads, to keep anyone from seeing us together. It was not so much because I was so concerned. I never did much care what anyone thought of me or what I did. But, he feared what some people might do to me, if it was said that I was seeing a black guy. He probably saved me from a fate that I did not consider, at the time.

There were many others, but the person, who God sent to fully open my eyes to the ignorance that I was taught came after I suffered a major stroke. Her name is Yvonne and she too is very obviously black, but her spirit could bring joy to Satan's realm. In my case, she literally accomplished just that. At a time, when I most wanted to feel sorry for myself and just quit, Yvonne was determined that I was going to be fine.

I never think of her without the words, of the "Yellow Rose of Texas" coming to me. She used to come waltzing, into my hospital room singing that or one of many other folk songs she knew and would have me laughing, within moments, nomatter how hard the day had been for me.

Alot of days, she alone kept me going, when my drug addicted husband let me down. When, I got the first hint of movement, in my left leg and noone else believed it had happened, she came all night to stand by my bed, when she was not busy and watched. When she saw it too, she went flying down the hall to make sure everyone knew that it was true. It rtook that movement, for my therapist to take seriously trying to teach me to walk again.

She was convinced that I would walk again and she kept me convinced. Today, I walk completely unassisted. Without her, I can not say that I would not have gave up, with noone else to encourage me. I believe in Angels on earth and have held her in that regard, for the 14 years, since my stroke.

By the time I met Eldon, race did not matter. My best friend has 2 hispanic sons and a daughter, from Kuwait, or some similiar place. She too was born blonde. I married an American Indian, whose mother and aunt came unglued, because a white girl became a part, of their family. When, another friend's daughter dated a black boy, I hid from a friend something thier child was doing, knowing he would not approve, for the first time ever. I would not see the girl punished, for not being as narrow minded, as her Dad.

Life has changed and so have I. Eldon is 1/8 something. If it is black, he won't care and neither will his blonde wife. You should not be ashamed, nor should any black, brown, red, or yellow person. Odds are that those who would judge you have a drop or more, in their past that they should carry shame for. It likely explains their being paranoid of sharing their world, with people who do not conform to their box.

White blood is certainly nothing I am so proud to carry, when I consider what the white race has done to African and Indian Americans. But, as my husband will tell you, just because my ancestors were idiots does not mean I have to carry on tradition.

Lakota tradition speaks to a time that color will nolonger be an issue. It is not to me and my Indian, already. Nor is it to many on his reservation, outside his immediate family. His cousin graced my home, with her presence yesterday. When anyone asks, she does not hesitate to let it be known that I am family. Her brother is waiting for me to move, so he(the full blooded Indian) can tell everyone that he is going to the rez, to visit a white gal.

The Lakota Medicine Wheel, is sacred in the beliefs of my husband. It represents the sacred hoop of life and the four directions. There are many lessons contained, within the wisdom, of the Medicine Wheel. This includes the four virtues attributed to it, including bravery, fortitude, wisdom and genorosity. As well, the races are all represented by its 4 colors, which are red, yellow, black and white. No color is placed predominantly, in the Wheel, all are equal and necessary, each connected to something of value and each connected to the others.

I have read of Lakota prophecy that speaks of a time, when all races will reside as brothers. The beliefs of the man that I married, as well as my own are that we should respect all races and all religions. Judge a man not by his color, but by his actions. Men of honor come in all colors. However, all it takes is one drop of hatred or envy to turn a man to a monster.

Are you ashamed? I certainly hope not. I am the white gal, in this discussion and I am married to a man, who does not discuss or use for an excuse the racism and hatred that I know he faced, here, in Arizona and his Grandmother's home state of South Dakota,as a child. I am proud of the man I married and I feel honored to have known all those who helped to open my eyes to the fact that color counts for little,to bring me to a place that I never considered the color of the man I adore's skin.

Skin color just means some of us have a little prettier complexion than others and I have saw great beauty, in every race, in that regard. But, the beauty we should look to is found within. My pet name for my husband is "Beautiful." He is beautiful to me physically, have no doubt. And I do love the complexion and know it will grow much darker, when he returns to a world of sunshine. I look forward to that day, as it will mean he is free, healthy and happy.

However, when I chose the term, it was because I had been ever amazed, by the beauty that existed within his spirit, despite having gave up 15 years to hell, for a crime that he did not commit. Eldon has helped me to become a better person, in many ways. I have learned many lessons, including having now faced racism directed at me.

I am now a white women who can laugh, with their husband, because his family is racist against her. My family is dead, or we would be dealing with my Dad's shame, of his daughter. I can say, without doubt just as there was no choice for Eldon, when his family said get rid of me, there would have never been a choice for me either.

This is our second Christmas as a couple, our first married. Yeaterday, Christmas Eve I walked into a Dollar Store, in Florence, Arizona. I let a little boy, with dark brown skin go ahead of me, in the checkout line. He was holding a single Christmas card. I had several items and saw no reason for him to have to wait. Two other ladies, also white were couteous enough to do the same, after my gesture got their attention. I was standing there thinking about my husband and wishing for our first Christmas, without the glass between us.

The little boy, who was maybe 10 or 11 years old pulled 60 cents from his pocket, not knowing that Christmas cards are not 2 for a dollar like other cards, but they are $1 each. When the girl told him he owed $1.09, he told her he did not want the card and started to walk away. I called the boy to me and pulled a wad of ones from my pocket, with my one working hand ad had him strip away the bill on top. He paid, for his card.

I can not tell you, for certain what race that child was. I truly never payed attention to that aspect of the situation. I just recalled how weonderful it felt, as a child to give even the smallest thing to someone you loved. Maybe he was Indian, maybe Hispanic, maybe half of one and half black, maybe a little of them all. Maybe half white and some other race. Whatever his race, to me he was just a child spending his change to give something pretty to another. I do not regret the choice to give up the dollar and refuse to accept the change that he already possessed for certain.

Eldon will smile, when he reads this, because he has watched as with him, the last of the ignorance that I was raised with has melted away. He will smile even more, as he reads that my one regret, from that moment is that I did not hand that child the entire wad of bills that I was holding.

Racism is not born, within us. We are taught. If one considers the place that Christ was born, it is obvious that the pictures of a lily white Saviour that I grew up with were not and still are not an accurate depiction. But, even if they were, I am certain I did not upset God tonight, when I sent two of the gifts that I had here to send to my grandchildren, next door to my black neighbor's home, because two children came unexpectdly and would have been disappointed come morning.

I ave recieved many blessings, with my husband. I am away from three of my children and my grandbabies, for the first time at Christmas. But, I am here, because God has a purpose for me, beyond the place that I always called home. And I have spent my first Christmas, in being able to give, just because it is the right thing to do, for no other reason and with no other consideration, in mind. I have recieved many gifts, from Eldon, but one of the greatest is in being alright, with who am, as I am.

I pray that all others can find the same, not only at Christmas but always...

People will never understand that society does define us to some extent. I can call myself biracial or multicultural all I want, but when I walk out my door, I am a white woman. I function as a white woman because that is what people see.

Real talkhttp://www.prisontalk.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif






That's the reality people are going to call you what they see. I also want to say that I'm not ashamed about anything. I love who I am and where I come from.

I have heard of the one ounce deal and dismiss it. We cannot define ourselves in others eyes it just doesn't make sense to do so.

I was born in San Francisco in 1962, the last of 8 children my mother had and the only one born in a hospital. It cost them $40 and they never let me forget it, LOL! On my birth certificate it says that my parents are white. I asked my mother about this and she says they just brought her a form to sign, nothing was filled out and she signed and this is what she got back. Now how they gonna say that "Elivira Molina Barba" and "Fernando Eduardo Maldonado" are white? LOL

We're just different shades of each other,
Patty

I have heard of the one ounce rule! I also think it is a terrible rule. My mom was white my father a black puerto rican. I adpoted by a bi-racial father and black mother. My mom believed the one ounce rule and my father the "Human Race Rule" I believe as my father.

Isn't it a shame that it's almost 2006 and people are still worried about what label to put on someone? Why can't people just be people and let it go at that? Judge someone by how they treat you and not what color their skin is. I hope within in my lifetime this happens. But I seriously doubt it.

I believe in the ounce theory my children are half white and half black but I always refer to them as black never bi-racial, or mixed or even white. They are carmel color and to save any confusion with anyone when they ask they are black. I have always been told that you are what your father is and I go by that so my children are black.

That "once ounce" theory was a law meant to opress and dehuman people during slavery and segregation. I think we, as a culture, have moved way beyond that. I can't believe someone would actually ask that. What on God's earth is there to be ashamed of? I hope we all take pride in our ancestry. If not, you got some work to do.

exactly. if it had any scientifical or even religious merit to it...i would really take it "seriously". but i dismiss it as a crock of BS for the exact reason you stated.

I believe in the ounce theory my children are half white and half black but I always refer to them as black never bi-racial, or mixed or even white. They are carmel color and to save any confusion with anyone when they ask they are black. I have always been told that you are what your father is and I go by that so my children are black.

i always consider my children to be black. their father is hispanic and black, but i call them black in general and for statistical purposes.

however when people ask, i let them know they are bi racial. it has not come up as a question among me and my children, the most we ever notice is that some people have different features and skin colors. i don't believe they are mature enough yet to even begin to comprehend the race/ethnic issues ALL of us have to face daily (regardless of your race/ethnicity). for now...all they understand is love and friendship and acceptance. they haven't even dealt with the possibility that your race can determine how you are treated in the world yet, and i'm not ready for them to. i myself didn't have my first "racial experience" so to speak until i was 10 years old. and then, i understood perfectly what was going on. i think had i been 6 or 7...i wouldn't have understood it nearly to the extent that i did, and i may have developed a problematic way of thinking at that age concerning other races due to my limited ability to understand certain concepts (there are MANY things that our babies just don't get at young ages...4,5,6,7 etc.), and it probably would have developed into a huge problem as i got older.

I believe we all have a little bit of something else in us so the person that's saying that probably has it too and just doesn't know it!

when i first started dating black guys i was not ashamed. however, with my family's hasty comments i started to feel ashamed. a short time after that though i realized that it was nothing to be ashamed of because i was with someone who supported me financially and emotionally. that is even while he is in prison because he still lets me get out money every month from his saving account and is always there for me the same way he was when he was out. and it is odd that my parents don't approve of someone who is black when they had no problem making three bi-racial kids themselves because i am bi-racial. this world is so odd.

Well that's what my man asked me in his last letter. If I was ashamed of what I am. I could ask him the same question. Now my mother is Costa Rican. My father is Creole. I came out brown skin with light brown eyes. Can I speak spanish? Yes. But not fluently. I see a black woman every morning I wake up. I was always told if you have one ounce of ****** in you than that's what you are. (I'm from the south.) How many of you agree with the one ounce theory?

I could care less about the one ounce theory, and I'm from the South too. I am what I am. The color of my skin is white. My children's father is black. My children are who they are...whether they are black or white. My children are 22 and 23 now. My daughter says, "I am who I am. If anybody has a problem with it, that's their problem, not mine." If anybody asks her if she is black, she tells them yes. If anybody asks her if she is white, she tells them she is mixed.

I don't know. People are people, and I've always felt that way. My best friend in the whole world is a black woman that I've known for over 30 years. She is my true sister. When I look at her, I don't see a black woman. I see my friend, my heart...the most open hearted and sweetest person that I've ever known.

I thank God every day that I am color blind. I would have missed out on knowing sooo many good people.

My thoeries, and this WILL cause some controverises (I know it will, so if i sound ignorant, help me out here) is that if someone has to re-tell stories of their friendships with another race, then thats why the world is racist today.... I mean does it really matter, that I had a "friend who was this or that" or "one of my best friends is" or "my sister is married to", my daughter thinks _ boys are cute"?. Why do some people who are not minorites always feel like they have to PUT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH MINORITIES OUT THERE??? I'm just asking the question to the people who do that? To me I'm not really understanding, can someone help me out???? Dont get me wrong though, its all good, I just wonder why people feel they have to share that, what's the purpose? Is it to justify to people that they are not racist???? I dont get it.

Please dont take this to heart but I really, really want to know why y'all do that?

I think that people share because history tends to repeat itself. If we weren't informed, then we could make the same mistake. We learn from each other. Some people like to share more details than other, but it does not necessarily make them racist.

As for my husband and I on this issue, we both embrace our childrens' multi-culturality. To strictly raise them one way or the other would just enable racism to be kept alive. The objective is to make sure they know where they came from, but to know that that is only a part of them, and not what defines them. They will define themselves one day, and it might not be the way you had visioned it, but if you were a good parent, it will be a good one.

I'm white and my man is black. He says that people call us Wiggers and I said I think that is the cutest name ever. It sounds like a cuddly little teddy bear. I love my mans skin and everything else about him. My family is ashamed of me though.

N;)o Iam not ashamed I would shout it from the mountain top how much I love him!!

I'm not at all. I'm proud of who I love and show him off since he is the best thing to walk the planet, in my opinion of course.

My family would be ashamed which is why I haven't told them the "real" me.

isnt that just mix?
I mean his kids are MIX, our kids will be MIX.... I am not ashamed of that. people around me are.

i dont agree with it i believe that no matter the color race or anything like that it does not matter.