How Black Are You?!

It has often been said that if you have the slightest bit of African ancestry, you are African. But the fact of the matter is no mater what you or your DNA says, how you see yourself and what people see. Given the fact that part of the black experience here in America has a lot to do with indoctrination, adaptation, and exploitation, many of us want to be anything and everything except black. I have personally never met an African with roots in America who is 100% black. But I have met many who are uncomfortable with what it means to be black or look black. I have seen way too many "good hair" obsessions, and heard far too many proclamations of ubiquitous Indians being a part on ones family tree. It is all foolishness and nonsense. 

We have been trained to be at odds with each other competing in a "best negro" competition, and best, in this instance, is automatically equated to being that which is close to white when it comes to issues of color. But in an interesting twist, now a days, light skinned African American’s or bi-racial people are being questioned about their ethnicity and how black they are. Recently it has become a popular trend to get genetic DNA testing to see exactly what percentage of black a person is. There are many DNA testing companies that are  are easily accessible and affordable all over the internet. Companies such as Anstesory.com  and 23andme heavily advertise their services online and on TV.  Many light skinned people have been criticized so much all their lives that they wanted to officially prove how much African they have in them.

The Hodge brothers are bi-racial twins that were ridiculed because they only identified as black. So they took a DNA test and it found that they were 58% African. In my opinion this was a ridiculous waste of time. If you look at the brothers in the picture above they look black. So would identifying themselves as white be a better idea? No, I don't think so. Society is not fit or equipped to decide how anybody should identify themselves. No matter how light your skin may be, if you look black that is how you'll be identified. Congratulations to Hodge brothers for embracing who they are. Some of us don't have the option of making a choice, and we still try to be something that we're not. Some dark skinned black people think that if they go to a certain school, live in a certain neighborhood, talk or act a certain way, achieve a certain level of notoriety or marry a different race, that people will overlook the fact that they are black  These people need a reality check. Last time I checked it is impossible to change what you are. So we can either choose to embrace it, or live our lives in turmoil fighting the enemy within.

PR