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“What race is President Barack Obama?”
“What race is famous golfer Tiger Woods?”
“Are they both African-Americans?” “Are they biracial?” “Are they racially mixed?”
These are the taboo-filled questions now being whispered in the white-on-white halls of power throughout American society and around the world. Indeed, the somewhat racially ambiguous identities of a growing number of people is leading us into a new world order of race and racial classifications.
Ever since Eldrick “Tiger” Woods’ remarkable initial victory at the Masters, social media has been abuzz while desperately searching for a racial label to impose on him.
The fact that Tiger happens to be an incredible athlete is not enough.
Nor is the fact that he is a well-spoken, gifted person who has made some personal missteps. In American society, it seems necessary to place people into pre-determined racial categories. I call this the racial black box.
The very idea that someone can be a member of two or more racial groups is unacceptable to some.
“Are you black or white?” “Are you Latino or Asian?” “Are you this or that?” “You can’t be both!”
Too often in America, people of mixed ethnic parentage are often forced to make a permanent choice.
Thus, a person who is both black and white may be forced by social pressure to choose the black identity and neglect the white one or vice-versa.
