Is it that only those with "pure" Filipino ancestry are considered Filipino? If it is not those who are "pure," then is someone 1/2 Filipino considered Filipino? How about 1/4? A fellow soldier in my Army Basic Training platoon years ago identified himself to our sergeant as "Filipino," although he was about of 1/4 to 3/8 Filipino ancestry. The rest was European. I am positive that others with his amount of Filipino ancestry may regularly self-identify as "white," Filipino, or some other group.
My point is that the line is blurred, with respect to being in or out of the Filipino group. For that matter, the line is blurred, with respect to being in or out of just about any "racial" or ethnic group.
It is also becoming blurred, with respect to being in or out of the "black" American group: a sizable percentage of mixed children with "black" parents opt to not call themselves "black," some even going so far to calling themselves "white."
This phenomenon, which occurs in the real world, is apparently lost when it comes to the perceptions of a number of public figures and popular culture critics and writers, many of whom self-identify as "black." To them, the One Drop Rule is in full operation, making any blurring of the line difficult at best. To them, one is either in or out, as far as being "black" is concerned -- and once "black" ancestry has been identified, then one is automatically placed into the "black" group, whether that ancestry is 1/2, 1/4, 3/8 or any other percentage. To be sure, One Droppers cannot control everything, thus these persons may run into a number of cases in which exceptions to the rule are made -- like Latinos (and others). Yet, anyone looking at their writings about "blacks" in the U.S. cannot help but be struck by the absolute, non-ambiguous and stark line separating "black" from "everything-else." Moreover, one's personal choice seems to take a back seat to "what society thinks."
Why is this important? In society, rigidity between groups usually translates to intolerance, prejudice and "race"-based behavior. Frequently, when groups feel comfortable with each other, the boundaries between them become less problematic. A recent description of the Cayman Islands exemplifies this. The population was described as some "black," some "white" and some "don't-know-or-care." Where, in years past, Americans were keen to note the difference between, say, an Irish-American and an Italian-American, now, people habitually say that they are "mutts," or "Heinz-57." Latinos have been making incursions into this cross identification and ambiguity for some time now -- a friend in the airline business regularly slips in and out of his Mexican identity (he has a Mexican mother).
Notwithstanding the One-Drop nay-sayers, the line between "black" and everything-else is going to continue to blur, in spite of the legions of writers who want Tiger Woods to declare that he is "black" and in spite of those who would like to lay guilt trips on those to whom "black" identity is more of an option than an obligation.
One of the reasons for this will be the increasingly sophisticated behavior of "white" parents of mixed-"black" kids: they will more and more elect to avoid lock-step encouragements of "black" identity -- because, as overt racism wanes, some of the advantages of "black" identity will wane. In fact, one of the chief motivating forces for the establishment of a good deal of "black" identity has been perceived opposition from everyone else. News flash to the 21st Century: American "blacks" are not only experiencing less overt racism, but there are also other groups besides them who have been and are experiencing disparaging treatment. Do I have any justification for saying that overt racism is lessening? Not personally, but legions of other sociologists do.
To view what will happen with respect to the line separating "blacks" from everyone-else, picture the former line as similar to the Berlin Wall: huge, solid, stark, unbending and little room to stand between what it separated. Now picture the new line as more like a corridor, then more like a buiding wing, then more like a long football field, then more like a ...........well, now you get my drift.
William Javier Nelson, Ph.D.
What is it that separates a Filipino American from a "white" American? Let me rephrase the question: how rigid is the line?
Also of interest by William Javier Nelson:
The Distortion of being a Minority in the U.S.A.
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