Oreo Girl

     A problem with many minorities is what I would like to call 'racism within the own race.' Growing up I was constantly called an Oreo, this is someone who was Black on the outside but according to others acts white on the inside. Other names I was called was 'white washed' or just plain 'acting white.'

http://www.thewritecurldiary.com/2010/06/why-i-love-ravy-sparkles.html

     The saddening thing however is that the people I mainly heard it from were people within my own race. Don't get me wrong my friends of different ethnic backgrounds would also use these terms, however I laughed not realizing that both my friends and the people of my race were viewing me as the stereotypical African American.
     The view that Blacks are all ghetto, neck snapping, lip smackin', gang banging, single parent, under age Moms, high school drop out, unemployed beings. The problem with this is that Black people themselves are saying it when we should be offended.
     We have all gotten the look (being any race of color) when walking into an expensive designer store and the clerk doubts that you can even afford anything or may even follow you around the store suspect that you might try to steal something just because of the pigment of your skin. We have seen the woman clutch onto her purse a little tighter when realizing that there was a person of color crossing her path. The way this needs to stop is with ourselves. We can't be teasing our fellow youth when they choose to read books, study, speak articulate, or advance themselves in any way shape or form because that is not acting white that is acting like a determined well educated being!
     A great example of racism in America was demonstrated on ABC's television show 'What Would You Do' where they hire actors to be put in certain situations where civilians are expected to interfere. On the episode focused on racism they had an actual migrant worker go inside a coffee shop to order a drink using Spanish with an actor who acted as the annoyed cashier who tells him to go back home and when in America to use English. The scenario causes the Migrant worker to be very hurt by how rude and in agreement the civilians were to the fake cashiers views that it brings him to tears.
     Another example of racial profiling stereotypes is addressed in a film called Crash. This movie illustrates very well the stereotypical views that we as people both do bluntly and not so obvious. This film contains scenes of how African Americans are percieved as criminals just based on first glance or how the wealthy rich woman may assume that her Hispanic workers may be thieves just based on appearance.
     Unfortunately in real life we don't get that blunt realization where everyone has the epiphany that we should all just get along. However I do believe it starts with 'we the people' and stopping others when saying racial slurs, jokes, or anything to the nature of demeaning our diverse races. Whether Black, Hispanic, Mexican, Caucasian, Asian, Japanese, Indian, etc. We should not play into the stereotypes that everyone else believes or even our fellow races that have been misguided into believing it, take a stance and stand up against any form of racism.
     For the longest time I was convinced that there was something wrong with me. I thought I was a disgrace to the Black race and I just wanted to be like the other Black girls and boys at my school who 'acted Black.' I used to wish that I had different parents who were more 'Black,' when the truth is there's no specific way of acting Black or any race for that matter. Don't fall into the stereotypical views that America perceives us to be, beat the expected by doing the unexpected.
     If you have a story or example of not so blunt racism like mine or even blunt racism please do share and your reaction towards the situation and whether or not you did something about it and if you were happy with the way you went about the situation. I encourage any race to share their stories, this is how we get the word out.