I am Not Bi-Racial, I am a Human Being Essay -- Sociology Racism Preju

I am Not Bi-Racial, I am a Human Being At the end of my first semester at the University, I had the experience of filling out forms to rate the professor of each course that I was enrolled in at the time. Each standard evaluation given by the University was alike in almost all respects. I have been taking standardized tests as early as second grade, and it seemed quite familiar to fill in the informational circles with a number two pencil. The informational circles were nothing new to me: full name, sex, social security number, and race, yet each time I reach the section of race, I am unable to come up with a good solution to a problem that exists. Biologically, I am half African-American and half Caucasian. My appearance tells me that I should choose one answer and my life experience tells me that I should choose another answer to the race question. This usually puts me in the category of "other." I don’t want to be known as "other." I don’t want to be known as black or white or pink or blue or green, for t hat matter. I want to be known as Karin Brown, a human being without classification. In her essay, "Fifty Years in America: Through Back Doors," Elena Caceres uses the idea of "Americanness"(90) as a philosophical aspect of one’s life; one that will fulfill dreams and promises if perfected. It appears that the "Americanness" that each person experiences varies on many levels. In Caceres’ case, it began as something to be thought of in highest respects, but the feelings that people go through regarding acceptance can extend to extreme positions. How can a country founded on the ideas of freedom and individuality promote acceptance to all degrees and at the same time make classification a normal part of everyday life, as... ...She looked over the informational section and started laughing. I asked her what was funny, and she read me the options that were available to check for race. She was chuckling at the last option as she said enthusiastically, "Other. I wonder who would have to check that." That statement enlightened me to two very important aspects of my life. First, it allowed me to grasp the idea that standard classifications of "Americanness" aren’t always appropriate. Secondly, it pleased me to know and understand that the people in my everyday life look beyond the color of my skin and see Karin Brown, because in the midst of her chuckling, my classmate had forgotten that I was the "other."       Works Cited Caceres, Elena. "Fifty Years in America: Through Back Doors." MultiAmerica: Essays on    Cultural Wars and Cultural Peace. Ed. Ishmael Reed. Penguin Books(US), 1997.