Mixed Races and the One-drop Rule

I saw an interview once with Mariah Carey where she was asked if she considered herself black or white. She emphatically said that because of America's One Drop Rule she was NOT white. She was human.

The One Drop Rule was created by racist white legislators to discourage interracial marriages and keep the black man down. There was also concern that blacks might be made "better" by breeding with white people. Now racially mixed offspring are considered some of the most beautiful people around and are generally more accepted in society. And obviously can go on to accomplish anything they want.

I personally, now, consider myself racially mixed although my skin is pretty much white. I do have a bit of a tan though. :)

I was raised by my white grandparents. My dad was white and my mother was of Filipino decent. Before I could really even get to know my mother she abandoned our family and shortly afterward my parents were divorced. I have no memory of my mother. Growing up I was always proud of having slightly darker skin and blue eyes. My hair is dark brown. If I have to state my ethnic background for the record I would say Caucasian but I am not opposed to being called Filipino. Growing up I was less vocal about my Filipino heritage though. I was not ashamed of it but I did not want to give the other kids any more reason to pick on me than they already had. I was just a very shy kid and did not put up much of a fight. But there were always those times when because of my skin color and the lack of awareness about Filipinos that I was taunted as being a Mexican or even a NIGGER. No, Mexican should not even be a negative description but it is. Just like Jew can be used to degrade someone. In all honesty though, the Philippines were under Spanish rule for nearly 400 years. But was I about to explain this to someone who was already violent towards me for being a more common race? NO. Can you imagine being discriminated against and people don't even have a clue as to what race you are? Or even if you are of another race. I just don't get it.

Now that I am grown I am actually more comfortable with considering myself of mixed race. Especially now that I have 5 kids who all have very different traits of each heritage. Yes they are all my kids! :) But I do have a son with blond hair and deep blue eyes as well as a daughter who is very dark, has pitch black eyes and black hair. My 6 year old (5 at the time) daughter made a cute comment the other day. She was flexing her muscles in her arms and said, "see daddy, black people are strong!". Of course I did not want to discourage her. It was fine with me but I was curious as to where she got the notion. I had mentioned to her before on several occasions that she and I had more visible traits from my mother than some of her siblings but I had not said we were black. Even though I cautiously asked about her comment she immediately acted embarrassed. I felt bad and have never questioned any comments about race again.
This incident made me aware of a couple of realities. One, the concept of race has been discussed with my daughter by someone other than me or my wife. Two, the idea of being of another race or of mixed race was looked upon as a negative thing. This saddens me. Now when it comes to my children, I always try to talk about other races in a positive light. So I guess for me, the One Drop Rule is a welcomed badge of pride.