The focal point of the essay is to evaluate Reddy’s claim “racial identity is often simplified and distorted” because of the mismatch between “external and internal racial identifications.” (Reddy, 1997) In order to analyze this claim, the works of four authors would be taken into consideration.
These are Senna’s “The Mulatto Millennium,” Walker’s “Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self,” Alvarez’s “A White Woman of Color,” and Williams’ “Uncommon Ground.”
It should be mentioned that Reddy is extremely instrumental in defining the aspects of race and racial identity, and her observation is backed by a social and scientific approach. She definitely mentions that race is the byproduct of social norms and developments and is not constructed by scientific norms. She makes sure to place enough evidence to prove her thesis and indicates that there are no such elements in racial identity such as pure blood. She clearly mentions, “A person may look white but identify black, or look black but identify white. When such a mismatch occurs. However, the complex nature of racial identity tends to be simplified and distorted by others, even by thoughtful, sophisticated observers of race”. (Reddy, 1997)
In this process of evaluation, she clearly indicates the differences between internal and external aspects of racial identity. She indicates that the external aspect of racial identity is the one that makes a person look white or black, whereas, in the case of the internal aspect, the white or black gene lies as a dormant factor internally and is not visible. This approach of thought process makes her text a very important work with the principle that no race is completely pure makes it possible to diminish racial tensions among conflicting races.
The approach of Senna deals with different aspects of mixed blood races and identifies them through the parental line. The basic approach of the author predominantly supports the thesis of Reddy and indicates several instances where the basic features of racial identity are distorted through varied mixing of races and colors. Senna indicates that racial identity is often developed from the basic of local or regional attributes and is dependent on the local and regional population without an evaluation of the broader perspective, and this makes the whole process of identity more simplified. However, this simplification is the chief reason for the distortion of anthropological basics upon which the racial identity should have been erected. Instead, the aspects of racial identity rely on immediate parental identities and their skin tones. Thus, there remains every chance of gross distortion.
There are definitions of different races, including Standard Mulatto, Mestizo, Gelatto, Jewlatto, Blulatto, Negratto, Cablinasian, Tomato, Fauxlatto, and Ho-latte. There are even African American population which is described as “the most common form of mulatto in North America, this breed is not often described as mixed, but is nevertheless a combination of African, European, and Native American.” (Senna, 1998) Senna even indicates the existence of a Cultural Mulatto, who is defined as “Any American born post-1967”. (Senna, 1998) Thus, Senna indicates, it is obvious that the entire concept of racial identity is confusing and often hard to convey. This piece of text is highly thoughtful and indicates a fundamental problem of racial identity as stated by Reddy and thus demonstrates her thesis with further clarity.
On the other hand, Walker’s take on the subject based on racial identity and its problems stated by Reddy is not very thoughtful. It is more of a personal account with more emotional distinctions than anything else is. Walker’s account makes it clear that there are different races and there are distinct differences among them but fails to indicate the complications related to the fundamental thesis of simplification and distortion on the aspect of racial identity. Walker mentions the family life, the social atmosphere and the development of civil rights, and the belief they convey over Martin Luther King’s approach but the complications of racial identity are generally overlooked. It is mentions, “A mulatta baby swaddled and held in loving arms, two brown, two white, in the middle of the segregated South.” (Walker, 2001) However, the fact remains that the views presented by the author is more personal rather than sociological or anthropological background. However, the author does indicates that though there are differences between different racial identities, it is possible to make coordination among different races. This is a positive note and delivers the truth about the development of mixed race but does little to emphasize the thesis put forward by Reddy. In fact, this piece indicates doubts on the thesis put forward by Reddy.
Alvarez, similarly, has completely defied the thesis put forward by Reddy. This text believes in the existence of race and racial identity. It indicates that there is no complication in relation to racial identity. According to the author, racial identities are well defined. It is mentioned, “As we Latinos redefine ourselves in America, making ourselves up and making ourselves over, we have
to be careful, in taking up the promises of America, not to adopt its limiting racial paradigms”. (Alvarez, 1998) The author believes in the principle of a peaceful future. It can be stated that it is very peculiar to consider racism as an ideology, racist or cultural conflict views, where humans are separated into various groups in the belief that some people are superior because they belong to a particular ethnic or national group. It could be summarized that racism is the result of having negative judgments, beliefs, and feelings towards certain identifiable groups. Particularly in the field of education, this tendency has developed into both educational and financial discrimination at the same time. In a general sense, it can be stated that racism is fuelled by different aspects like low education, unfavorable economic condition, social structure that is inclined towards a specific religion or cult, and most important of all- ill-fated political motivation. The author opposes this but maintains the racial identity. Thus, it is clear that the author is quite sure about the clear demarcation on racial identity makes sure that the essence of America is maintained through proper coexistence of races. This clearly opposes the thesis of Reddy eve though it is a well thought piece of text.
However, Williams is completely in alliance with Reddy. It is stated, “biracial doesn’t really mean much in terms of biological heritage in a country where almost anyone who’s been here more than two or three generations is not just biracial but multiracial and multicultural—words, alas, that seem to have become nothing less than dirty in the recent culture wars.” (Williams, 2004) Racial differences are clearly taken as a menace, and thus, the existence of racial identity has been put to test through the basic approach is basically emotional with remorse about the ills of racism and cultural differences. This work is in support of Reddy, but it is less thought provoking considering the evaluation of the other works mentioned in the essay.
In conclusion, it should be stated that the presence of racism is well documented in many societal domains, including workplace, school, health care, and housing. It is very peculiar to consider racism as an ideology where humans are separated into various groups in the belief that some people are superior because they belong to a particular ethnic or national group. It could be summarized that racism is the result of having negative judgments, beliefs, and feelings towards certain identifiable groups. In a general sense, it can be stated that racism is fuelled by different aspects like low education, unfavorable economic condition, social structure that is inclined towards a specific religion or cult, and most important of all- ill-fated political motivation. The only aspect that can ease racial tensions without losing racial identity is better understanding and development of knowledge. However, that certainly requires time. In this context, the development of mixed racial identities would be a favorable option for the greater good of the community. Thus, the arguments presented by all the authors, particularly Reddy, would be helpful in reducing tensions among the races as identifying the present racial mix would make it possible to indicate that there are hardly anything that can be termed as pure and it is too complex in nature to indicate racial identity because it is already distorted and backed by immediate parental identity rather than anthropological basis. As a result, and thus there is no need to develop a conclusive racial identity, as it is often complex and hard to indicate.
References
Alvarez, Julia; 1998; “A White Woman of Color.” Half + Half: Writers on Growing Up Biracial +Bicultural. Claudine Chiawei O’Hearn. New York: Pantheon Books.
Reddy, Maureen T; 1997; “One Drop of Black Blood”; Crossing the Color Line: Race, Parenting, and Culture. New Brunswick: Rutgers U.P.
Senna, Danzy; 1998; “The Mulatto Millennium.” Half and Half: Writers on Growing up Biracial and Bicultural. Ed. Claudine Chiawei O’Hearn. New York: Pantheon Books.
Walker, Rebecca. 2001; Black, White and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self. New York: Riverhead Books.
Williams, Patricia J; 2004; “Uncommon Ground.” The Nation magazine.