"Real" Dominicans

[gv0928]

I can somewhat relate to the first post here, in regards to what it is like being a "white" Dominican (I really don't classify myself as "white" Dominican, just straight-up Dominican). There are no dark people in my Dominican family, and it is always insulting to hear someone insinuate that Dominicans are black or whatever ignorant comment they are dishing out.

Being half-Cuban, one of my favorites is that I am light-skinned only because I am Cuban. Or, my overall personal favorite, as I was told just a few weeks ago - "you were born in New York. That's why you're white. If you were born in DR, you would be black." And they were dead serious.

So I do know what it is like to experience the ignorance - but from outsiders. It has never been my experience to have a fellow Dominican tell me I was not Dominican because of my skin tone, because we all know what the truth is. Nor has it ever been an issue that I am half-Cuban, likely because I was raised with all Dominicans and thus have a much heavier Dominican influence.

[And, for clarification purposes, my Dominican family is lighter than my Cuban family. Both are light, but comparatively speaking, the Dominican side is lighter.]

 

[Chip00]

I can somewhat relate to the first post here, in regards to what it is like being a "white" Dominican (I really don't classify myself as "white" Dominican, just straight-up Dominican). There are no dark people in my Dominican family, and it is always insulting to hear someone insinuate that Dominicans are black or whatever ignorant comment they are dishing out.

Being half-Cuban, one of my favorites is that I am light-skinned only because I am Cuban. Or, my overall personal favorite, as I was told just a few weeks ago - "you were born in New York. That's why you're white. If you were born in DR, you would be black." And they were dead serious.

So I do know what it is like to experience the ignorance - but from outsiders. It has never been my experience to have a fellow Dominican tell me I was not Dominican because of my skin tone, because we all know what the truth is. Nor has it ever been an issue that I am half-Cuban, likely because I was raised with all Dominicans and thus have a much heavier Dominican influence.

[And, for clarification purposes, my Dominican family is lighter than my Cuban family. Both are light, but comparatively speaking, the Dominican side is lighter.]

Man - so you get the best of both worlds - homemade sancocho and cuban sandwhiches! Sounds like a winner to me! I'm hungry already !

 

[Ricardo900]

I can somewhat relate to the first post here, in regards to what it is like being a "white" Dominican (I really don't classify myself as "white" Dominican, just straight-up Dominican). There are no dark people in my Dominican family, and it is always insulting to hear someone insinuate that Dominicans are black or whatever ignorant comment they are dishing out.

Being half-Cuban, one of my favorites is that I am light-skinned only because I am Cuban. Or, my overall personal favorite, as I was told just a few weeks ago - "you were born in New York. That's why you're white. If you were born in DR, you would be black." And they were dead serious.

So I do know what it is like to experience the ignorance - but from outsiders. It has never been my experience to have a fellow Dominican tell me I was not Dominican because of my skin tone, because we all know what the truth is. Nor has it ever been an issue that I am half-Cuban, likely because I was raised with all Dominicans and thus have a much heavier Dominican influence.

[And, for clarification purposes, my Dominican family is lighter than my Cuban family. Both are light, but comparatively speaking, the Dominican side is lighter.]

People will always try and put a label on other people and you can't let that bother you. You should know exactly who you are without explanations from outsiders. The problem many Dominicans have in the US, is that even though they are white, in the US they will be considered at best a "Latino-White", or of Mixed-race. They are never accepted on the equal footing as an anglo-saxon or European with the assumption that possibly at one time or the other your grand or great-grand father was mixed, thereby concluding to the one-drop rule and that you could be an "Octoroon" or even a "Quintroon". So if you put on your job application as "White" you better not have a hispanic surname and if you do, your place of birth better be Argentina or Spain.

I believe in whatever you call yourself is what you are because people will always label you.

 

[NALs]

People will always try and put a label on other people and you can't let that bother you. You should know exactly who you are without explanations from outsiders. The problem many Dominicans have in the US, is that even though they are white, in the US they will be considered at best a "Latino-White", or of Mixed-race. They are never accepted on the equal footing as an anglo-saxon or European with the assumption that possibly at one time or the other your grand or great-grand father was mixed, thereby concluding to the one-drop rule and that you could be an "Octoroon" or even a "Quintroon". So if you put on your job application as "White" you better not have a hispanic surname and if you do, your place of birth better be Argentina or Spain.

I believe in whatever you call yourself is what you are because people will always label you.

That's the prevailing notion of why the US is so obsessed in putting people from Spanish or Portuguese speaking America into one giant category which really means nothing!

Many of the so called "Anglo-Americans" or "White Americans" have Native American and in many cases, even African mixtures. In fact, Whites with Native Mixtures will often tell you that they are X% Cherokee or Seminole or whatever and yet, Americans view such individuals as White with no problem.

Argentinian? Ha! You can be Uruguayan (which is the whitest of all Latin American countries - almost all descendant of Spaniards and Italians) and you will still need to identify as a Hispanic in the US.

Oh well, what can be expected of a country where mixed race marriages were illegal well into the 20th century. In fact, Alabama was the last state to remove its anti-mixed marriages laws in, get this, the YEAR 2000!!!

The US is a very advanced country in many spheres, when it comes to race relations... well in some ways its ahead and in others its way behind.

Ok, I'm done ranting. Back to topic.

-NALs

 

[Rick Snyder]

A word to the wise!

This is a thread that is two years old and everything that can be said on the subject has been said. It is because of its oldness and what has been said that there should be no more posting to it unless you have something to add that hasn't been said in the prior 11 pages and 104 posts.

I would suggest that anyone wishing to post to this thread do so after reading the 11 pages so that you will be informed as to what has already been said.

If you have something different to add then by all means do so. If your desire is to only 'stir the pot' then I would suggest that you not indulge. Regardless of what you wish to do just make certain that the rules of this board are followed. If not then we can just put a lock on this thread as it makes no difference to me.

The moderator

 

[engels64]

As many have said the key is education

I came to the US when I was 14 years old to start high school. In high school you meet many of the "obvious" Dominican people and if you're not strong enough you'll find yourself joining them. I was blessed to have a mother who really cared for the level of education that I received and really understand me.

I think the most important base is the parents. "The apple those not fall far from the tree", of course there are exceptions. If more parents would take the time to have conversations with their kids, there would be less "young thugs" out there. It is absolutely crucial for children to get the support from parents for everything that goes on in their lives. Those years of adolescence and childhood are of unprecedented importance to their upbringing.

Another problem is the language barrier and lack of education of the parents. Majority of recent immigrants who raise their kids in the ghettos fail to learn the language and DO NOT get involved in their kids education, they?re either not home or do not understand what is going on. There really no control over household issues!

It is imperative that you instill the hunger for education into kids, not pressuring them but understanding them and sympathizing with them, reading with them, informing them of the world that is out there. Make sure they understand that life is not just what they see as they walk through the neighborhood streets. There are other things, better things. Only this way, many of us will make a difference and repair the damaged image we have as Dominicans.