how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Ok , probably going to get myself into a load of trouble with this one .......as regular users of the site know I live in the US and we have the an election coming up to replace the President , one of the guys running is called Barack Obama , he seems a decent enough sort , only problem I have the guy is 1/2 white (European descent Mother) 1/2 black (Kenyan Father) and the press media is portraying the guy as a Black candidate, my question is why? .........are black genes stronger than white ones ? same applies with golfer Tiger Woods , why wont the media refer to him as the Thai golfer .

My question is .....when a person has maybe 1/4 or 1/8 of african or asian descent can they or should they be allowed to claim minority status when filling in Govt. or 'minority preference' job ads.
We have reached the point here in the US where "native american" tribes are being allowed to open casinos on tribal lands (think its called First Nation status in Canada) in areas/States where gambling is illegal, most of these folks have more in common (thru bloodlines) with european immigrants than they have with Geronimo or Sitting Bull , so why should they be allowed to claim minority status ? a couple of years ago there was a popular singer (Shania Twain) who made a big deal about being part Native American, give me a break , maybe if your lucky she was 1/16 if that, so should she be able to claim ethnic minority status .
Absolutly nothing agianst Shirley Bassey but why the hell should she be classed as a " Black" artist instead of a Welsh artist...if truth be known she probably has more Welsh blood than Charlotte Church and Harry Secombe
ok ...rant over ....

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Yes, it is strange how people will choose their ancestry, when working in Canada my son and his friends met a Canadian that claimed to be Irish because his great, great, great, grandmother was from the Emerald Isle.

This person was drinking Irish Whiskey and stated that he drank Guinness whenever he could get it, because the group of them were obviously 'British', he was deriding the English and saying how they had mistreated the Irish.

Eventually my son told him, "you are not Irish, you are Canadian, I on the other hand am English because I was born in England to an English father and an Irish mother, I have more right to call myself Irish than you have, I could even have an Irish passport if I wanted, but I was brought up in England and therefore I choose to be British, Now, having educated you a little, it's your round I and my English friends will have a pint of lager each which comes from neither England or Ireland, we drink it because we like it".:)

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I think it must be different over here.

I've never seen Shirley Bassey refered to as 'black'.

Born in Tiger Bay, Welsh, a tax exile in Monacco, stroppy diva, yes, but never black.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

you missed out the words brilliant and fantastic.......:)

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

First nations in Canada are the people we stole the land from ... but there are treaties that gave aboriginal people certain rights in return for the land. This involves reserves which are not really part of Canada. First Nations do not pay provincial tax, they are subject to triabal law, and have numerous unsettled land claims. First Nations do run Casinos, there is a big one just down the road at Akwesasne, and the local Mohawk people on Tyendinaga sell cheap smokes ($15 for 200 for all you smokers out there) and cheap gas (oops petrol) at about 90 cents a litre. Apart from all that most First Nations people are doubly proud ... they are proud Mohawk, Cree, Ojibway etc., and proud Canadians. Hey, it works, and no one does the blood count.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Hmm, I'm here thinking Cindy's great great grandfather or something was a Mic Mack Indian in Canada. (I usually try to discount my kids Canuck heritage:rolleyes:), but this Indian thing may have some play in it.

I could either start a casino in the back yard or head up to Canada and get some of the land of my poor kids ancestors!

Brian

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

very interesting convo

good question too

i had a similar convo but mine was a lil different i was talkin about rappers and how ghetto you had to be to be ghetto? i mean does it mean you have to get shot 5 times and thats ghetto? (50 cent) get put into a coma from your gunshots (the game) or simply claim to be ghetto cause you visited compton once even though u had a upper/middle class upbringing ( dr dre)

i think america has this infatuation with itself. it wants to say black so that it can say look how far we've moved on from the civil liberties movement. look how a black man is now the best in a white mans game. look how a black man is running for president where previously black people were slaves etc.

everyone tries to play the ethnic card so that they can sorta get the support of that ethnic group. J-lo has always played on her hispanic roots and thus having a very strong fan base there. though there's been cases where the ethnic card wasnt played - nasser hussain never really went on about how he was half indian. one case of over emphasising his ethnic mix was prince nas the boxer and how he wud have the yemen flag aswell as the uk flag. in hte latter of his career he even went on with the islamic angle too.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

[quote=WillowTheWhisp;409123] I remember thinking the same about Halle Berry when there was all that fuss about her at the Oscars. She's not black. She's a sort of golden colour, quite pale really. Surely there's some kind of racist element to this claim to blackness as if the whiter element is something to be denied?

Lets test it shall we- walk down any main street with 'golden, really quite pale' skin and lets see how many racist ass wipes hurl abuse at you- then try telling me you are not a minority.

I think the race card issue being played in the US elections is actually a real problem as it is being used as a means of dscrediting Obama. If you actually listen to the guy he talks a tremendous amount of sense. As any politically ambitious individual however he would be a fool not to maximise the potential vote win his heritage could lead to. Lets face it- any candidiate who manages to mobilise the minority, youth and female vote in the good old U S of A is destined for the White House. As Michael Moore suggested the two sure things should they ever choose to run for office in the states are Oprah Winfrey and Tom Hanks.
You also know full well that if Arnold Shwarzenegger (spelling?) could run for the presidency then he would and again would probably walk it. Fascistic heritage I'm sure would not create the same response.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I'm one of a minority. I'm English as far back as the 16th century on both sides of my family, not a drop of Irish, Welsh, Scottish or anything else, and Lancashire English to boot. Do you realise how it feels to be me? No one speaks up for us pure-bred Lancashire English. No one celebrates our patron saint (St John-Willy of Ramsbottom), respects our Lancashire English traditions (whippet racing and chip-guzzling etc.) or even accepts our National Dress (clogs, a thick muffler and Thermogene sewn into the vest from October to April).

We had a representative in the House of Commons once upon a time, the revered and very large Cyril Smith, but as he was a Liberal nobody ever listened to a word he said and that London lot said they couldn't understand a word he said so it didn't do us much good.

There are many Lancashire English around today who are not pure-bred. Oh they'll tell you their dad was born in Ossy and their granddad hailed from Walton-le-Dale but they won't mention the granny who came from County Wicklow or the great grandfather who started life in Peebles.

It's not easy being a Minority and we are a dieing breed. I have to admit to being a traitor to my origins - I married a Yorkshireman whose ancestors came from Goole (definitely a touch of Viking blood there - I had the devil's own job trying to keep him from pillaging small settlements on the North Yorks moors) so my children are all half-breeds, and not one of them born in Lancs either.

You are what you are and what you're comfortable with. Right? :D

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

[quote=West Ender;409972]
You are what you are and what you're comfortable with. Right? :D

Right!

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Sorry Flash , but disagree with you on this , the only person discrediting Obama , by playing the race card is Obama , by describing himself as Black and pandering for the Black vote by saying 'look at me, I'm the same as you'. he turns others off because then he becomes just another Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton
If the guy wants to win the election he has got to start saying to America 'look at me, I'm an American same as you '

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

i'd be here forever if i tried to explain my family....my mums dad was a mclean so thats scottish, my grans mum was french..demain...my dads dad was welsh........go figure

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I certainly have a mix of ethnic blood, English, French, German with a bit of native American thrown in for good measure, and with the wives of both George Washington and Robert E Lee in my family tree. But as I was born in England I have never considered myself anything but English.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

i bet there isnt pure blood in any of us on here

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

[quote=Flash;409951]Well personally I am a pale pasty skinned person so I can't test it out myself but is it really like that where you live? I have friends whose skin colour ranges from deep dark mahogany brown to an amber golden glow and I'm not aware of any of them having racial abuse hurled at them as they walk down the street. I'm not denying that there are racists about but there are also racists who call out names like 'honky trash'.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

prime example....

i aint racist at all but last year me n my mate took the kids upto Queens park park and there where a lot of asian children playing there, a young asian lad aged about 9 came upto me and my friend and said 'get out of our park you white biatches' i walked away gobsmacked

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

[quote=steeljack;409980]Sorry Flash , but disagree with you on this , the only person discrediting Obama , by playing the race card is Obama , by describing himself as Black and pandering for the Black vote by saying 'look at me, I'm the same as you'. he turns others off because then he becomes just another Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton
If the guy wants to win the election he has got to start saying to America 'look at me, I'm an American same as you '

I appreciate what you are saying but is it reasonable to expect him to do this? Should he takle the moral high ground or try and concentrate on winning the race first- if that means playing the system is that morally questionable- Do the ends justify the means?- More questioons than answers in this I realise.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

[quote=WillowTheWhisp;409989]The fact that you cant test it out yourself is sort of the whole point.

Why is it that whenever issues relating to race are discussed someone (always white) sites an example of 'black people can be racist too'- yes, some black people can be racist, of course they can- I wonder why that might be?

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Ok here goes. I'm 1st generation English. My parents both came from Northern Ireland so they are Irish but British. So thats why i always say im English with irish blood in my veins.

Anyway to me wherever you are born is your nationality. Where your parents are born is nowt to do with you thats them not you. Colour of your skin, religon, gender has nowt to do with anything.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

In a thread I did, based on my night time musings I worked out that if you go back to 1000 AD, we must all be 'nearly' related through blood ties.

I'm not doubting your claim, but if you average four generations per century, if we only take it back to 1600, that means you have 65,536 direct descendants. As far as I can gather the population of the county, pre-industrial revolution, was under 60,000. Therefore your ancestors may have had to interbreed, to ensure pure Lancastrian stock.

It's a wonder you haven't got one big eye, and eleven fingers and toes...or have you?:D

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

At what point did I say that- racism in any form is abhorrant.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

No, what you said was:

Why is it that whenever issues relating to race are discussed someone (always white) sites an example of 'black people can be racist too'- yes, some black people can be racist, of course they can- I wonder why that might be?

and my response to that is that black people being racist against whites is as bad as whites against black, or brown or green or polka dot. Just because some 'black' people have been on the receiving end doesn't make it right that they or others should behave in like manner.

Anyway, my point was that my brown and golden shaded friends do not have racial abuse hurled at them when they walk down the street. I have only known one of them have a possibly racist experience when she was ignored in a shop and a white person served before her, but it could equally well have been a genuine mistake and the assistant could have thought she was already being served That sort of thing has happened to me.

There may be some racist idiots who shout things at people of a different colour when they are out shopping but it isn't normal experience every time every brown skinned person sets foot outside the door. It's the exception rather than the rule. Where I live I am a white person and an ethnic minority but I have never suffered any racial abuse from my neighbours.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Are you clairvoyant?

How do you know the colour of anyone on here?

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Not really. One has to accept that racism is logical. This is patently false. Racism is emotional and irrational.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I don't know what your'e all worried about. If you go back enough you will find that all britons are all mongrels anyway. Including yanks, kiwis, canadians, aussies, europeans etc. If you go back a lot further we are all descended from black people. So what's the beef? I get a bit annoyed with the dark Americans calling themselves African American. I suppose the white people are European American. Or some will be Spanish American and even more Asian American. The bottom line is that they are all supposed to be Americans. Regardless.:rolleyes:

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I agree ... Perhaps the American blacks are so intent on their black indentity because of the history of slavery in the States and their struggle for basic rights even after emancipation. In Canada immigrant minorites seem happy to call themselves Canadian. Our First Nations people are different. But after all, they were here first. Part of our National Anthem is "Our home and native land." Many First Nations people read that as "Our home on native land."

But things are changing for the blacks .... they are in positions of immense power in the US. Even 20 yrs ago, if someone had predicted a black American woman would be Secretary of State and that a black man would be running for President, that person's predictions would have been greeted with gales of laughter. I hope that before too long the illogic of racism will become so obvious that racism will go gently into that good night.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Australia is full of different races and cultures but we all sing a particular song.
We are one but we are many
and from all the lands we come
we share a dream
and sing with one voice
I am, you are, we are Australian.
When ever I hear that song, usually on telly,with many people from many countries, it brings tears to my eyes because it says so much. And I am not generally a mushy person
Just as an aside. When indians and pakistanis started to come into England in the late fifties and early sixties(west Indians and Africans as well) there was alot of disgruntled people. (jobs and stuff) but I had quite few friends who were Pakistani and Indian whom I invited to tea on several occasions. I even took one fishing on the Calder. I had caught about seven roach which I had in a keep net and was about to tip them back in the river. But my friend wanted to take them home for tea so I gave them to him. He probably found they were not good eating:D There was never any predudice in my house when I was a kid. The nearest thing to it was when my parents who were going out for the night and I used to complain that I wasn't going with them. My granny (who had to babysit)used to say to me." If you don't shut your gob your mum will run off with a blackman. That upset me. Not about the black man but the fact she would run off.
I can guarantee that you people of Accy don't even give the time of day to your ethnics. Not much good you saying There OK. Invite them into your homes for christ sakes. I might then start to believe you when you start spouting off about you non-predudiced assertions

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

You can guarantee nothing, you don't live here, you don't know who is invited where or when, in fact it's none of your business. The people you refer to are not 'our ethnics', they are fellow human beings with both a difference in race and culture. Just as there are some white 'indigenous' folk that like to keep themselves to themselves there are some immigrants and children of immigrants that want to keep themselves to themselves.

The rest of us get on reasonably well, but if ever I do invite someone to my home it is because they are a friend, regardless of the colour of their skin so please don't you tell me what to do. You are jumping to conclusions which just might be letting your own prejudices show.:golly:

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Ah yes you again Less. Your usual self. Mis-interpretation as is generally your wont. When it suits you of course. The only concession I would give you is that you are right when you say 'I can't guarantee' anything.' As for the rest of your comments, total rubbish. Don't forget Iv'e lived there amongst you and visited several times and hear the same bloody predudice every time I visited. Mind you I never met you so I can't speak for everybody. Only the people I came across. Quite frankly. I don't really give a damn for you or your opinion.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

That's being prejudiced isn't it? I might be a wondrous shade of green and just the sort of minority you would stick up for if you gave me a chance.

You lived here and left for a better life, (which I hope you have), tell me though where you live, are you totally integrated? or do you seem to be surrounded by a few extra ex-pats just so you can feel comfy? Well someone has moved in and taken your place they too moved for a better life in this country and they are slowly being welcomed, (prejudices are difficult for all of us to surmount), A few more generations down the line and we might just get integration. I just hope they don't get a bit lonely go on the internet and tell their folks back 'home' how to behave before they sort their own lives out.
;)

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I think you're quite an interesting fellow at times Less. The place I live is totally integrated thank you. Childers to be exact. I don't know any other poms here. From other towns maybe but not here. In fact we have a multi-cultural event every year to celebrate that wonderful concept of full integration. Do you?

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

There are multi cultural events in Accrington 300 days a year at least

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

touchÉ. What about the other 65?

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Probably Fridays, early closing around here on Fridays these days.:D

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Actually I should have said 196 days because I forgot schools aren't open at weekends and the 65 days are holidays :)

Must be great to live in a country without racialism like Australia;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/...927541,00.html

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Yes you are right . Reminded me of the brixton riots. Fortunately for me I don't live in any big city area. Just a nice peaceful small country town.:D The reason I live here is because I wanted to live elsewhere other than the rat race of a big city. After having spent my life as a cop, in a big city, I wanted to get right away from it when I retired and find some peace of mind. And here in Childers I have found it.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I would not consider commenting on the "ethnics" of Accy, and how Accringonians handle their presence. When I was growing up in Clayton the nearest thing we had to an ethnic minority was the French onion seller. Oh, and an Italian barber, I forget his name. But whenever I see the area on TV, and we had some footage of Muslims in Blackburn recently, I see that the presence has changed. I don't live in Clayton any more, even tho sometimes I am sorry that I left ... guess that's my roots tugging at me. All I feel able to add are a few comments from a foreign country. And even tho' Canada is a lot like England, a lot more than it is like America, it is still a foreign land, in all senses of the word. What I do see is that there is a lot less racism in Accrington than one would expect, given the size of the minority groups in the area.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Oh, you have met me then? :D

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Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Fifteen people killed in racist attack...in Childers, Queensland.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1831507.stm

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Terry, having made your statement from a country which is only now coming to terms with, and accepting, the atrocious way it treated its indigenous people and which operated a vicious colour-bar until relatively recently I think you should reconsider your words.

The Aborigines in your adopted homeland were relentlessly persecuted, to the point of extinction in Tasmania, for 3 centuries. It was not until the 1960s that they were recognised as "citizens". Aboriginal children were torn from their homes, before WW2, in an attempt to "civilise" them.

What about the "White Australia" policy? I had personal knowledge of a friend who was Eurasian, born in Singapore and married to an Englishman, who was unable to emigrate to Australia in the 60s because she was dark skinned. Her husband would have been welcomed - alone. She was not.

Now, of course I don't hold you in any way responsible for Australia's past. I'm also sure you are in no way racially prejudiced but it is rather crass to berate the people of Accrington in the way you did without considering the cultural history into which you have migrated.

As a matter of interest, may I ask how many of your neighbours are of Aboriginal ethnicity?

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Just read the link you posted- not quite sure it supports your argument though. The guy concerned had been racial abusive o someone else at the hostel but the piece does not suggest that the aim of his subsequent allegd arson attack was racially motivated.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Just pointing out hat there isn't a racist free Shangri la anywhere, even in a town of 2,500 in Queensland.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Accepted- its a tragedy but it is true.

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

Queensland isn't that the home of Pauline Hanson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauline_Hanson

Sorry Terry, but I found Australia to be a very racist country, admittedly a lot of it came from 'working class' white flight British migrants who had moved there in the last 30 yrs or so. But I would like to ask you one question .......
Do you think Australia and New Zealand would have changed their 'whites' only immigration policies without the pressure applied by the UN /America/UK due to their (in my opinion) misguided efforts to bring majority rule to Rhodesia and South Africa ?
:confused: :confused:

Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

The Italian barber was called Bacigalupa (I know the spellings not right ), he had a shop at the corner of Whalley Road and Canal Street (If my memory seves me right). I remember my dad saying he was also a bookie's runner in the days when there weren't any betting shops and off course betting was illegal.

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Re: how much ethnic blood do you need to be a minority
 

I think it did as well, but it was late when I posted the message.