Regarding mixed ancestry and/ or bi-racial people — I think society applies the labels strenuously, and mercilessly. And the pressure on a person with one parent who is black and another white to “be black” (as opposed to being able to choose to “be white”, or even multi-ethnic) comes hard from both sides of the color-chasm. Yes, there are bi- or multi-ethnic people who choose to identify themselves as black, but it’s very hard to choose another identity instead (see: Tiger Woods).

And I cannot possibly comment without responding to Dorothy, who made my whole day with “Perhaps you are just too pure of heart to see it.”

I’m pretty sure that’s not how I ended up the way I am, and I’m shocked that any number of people haven’t hastened to assure you of that. (smile…)

But it’s not just that “others” identify “others” as their non-”white” genetic background… but many “bi-racials” do it to themselves.

All I can say is that if I were “Junior’s” white mother, I’d be more than just a little bit offended.

(Oh, and it’s Katy… not Caty — but I don’t necessarily agree with your assessment of the town. There’s a big difference between “Katy” and “Katy-proper”…)

In response to The Umpire’s comments: Hopefully (and from what I can tell from Polimom’s writings), Caty, TX is a fairly colorblind city. If you’ve lived in the Southeast for any period of time, you know that those places are very few and very far between here. Yes, there are people who cry racism every time someone who isn’t white encounters difficulty. But we’re also talking about a state with a history of racism since its creation. Whether or not it was intentional, what a lot of middle-aged and older white men will see is a black man who goes after white women at playboy parties. I don’t know what else to say except that that’s the way that it is.

Quite simply, in our society, biracial people are identified (by others) as whatever part isn’t white. No, it’s not right, but it’s the way we think.

But just a few random thoughts about this topic:

1. Aren’t the overwhelming majority of most playmates “white”? So, wouldn’t the caricature in the video make sense?

2. Isn’t “Junior” half-white? I wonder how his “white” mother feels when he refers to himself (or is referred to by others) as being “black”. At least Tiger Woods refers to himself as “Cablinasian” to recognize all aspects of his racial heritage — it seems “Junior” just throws half of himself away…

3. Is it just me, or does this whole silly exercise remind anybody else of those Dr. Seuss characters with the stars on their bellies?

Good point, but the goal may well have been to drive anti-Ford votes up. “Be sure to get out there and vote for the other guy because this uppity Ford feller is going to grab all the pretty white women and turn them into his harem. Mark my words, boys.”

Nothing wrong with increasing voter turnout, but once again this kind of approach increases ‘against’ votes rather than ‘for’ votes.

Meanwhile, they are apparently pulling the ad (link) — so I gather this is indeed one of my blind spots.