It sounds quite odd I admit but this is a real possibility that I am very intrigued by. I recently read a story of several layers about two teenage brothers, one is Black and one is White. Their parents are Black and White and apparently, the father’s European genes carried and mixed with the mother’s European genes to make a White child. In light of recent events it interested me to think about the role of race when you’re able to see someone who looks identically the same but in a different shade.
The brothers are not completely identical of course; one brother is gay while the other is straight, one is headed for college and the other an apprenticeship. Nonetheless, their connection has unsurprisingly led to some shared trauma. There have been many raised eyebrows and some severe instances of bullying requiring police intervention. Most notably, these incidents involve racial attacks on the brothers for just beingbrothers.
My biggest interest in this story, however, is not how the difference of race has cost them but what has it afforded them. I can only imagine the difficulty of growing up in such a circumstance but my hope is that it would shape a sharp sense of compassion and humanity. While peers are going through stages of judging others based on race and other ‘isms’ I wonder if I could knowing that my brother who looks just like me would be a potential target of said judgment.
In a sense I find the life of these two brothers to be a manifestation of the divine way that God challenges us to see ourselves and each other through his eyes: colorless.
For a moment, imagine yourself with a white brother or sister identical to you physically. How would you see that person? How would you see yourself?
quite interesting
Tuesday, March 12th 2013 at 3:15AM
Margie Garris
Wow. Which one is gay? I bet it's the Darker skinned brother. If so, I believe that would be a bigger cause for discrimination and that's what I call double jeopardy!
uuummm... two of me... one light and one white... I don't feel that I would see my sibling any differently ... just unique. YET, society will not hold either one of us on a higher plateau than the other...
Reading this article, the first thing came to mind waas an episode of the Jefferson's when Alan and Jenny had a discussion regarding their physical identity. She was jealous of her brother's white skin and felt that he had it easier. Wherein, he felt he had it much harder.. because he was trying to fit in.
[Eminem] Yo I got an idea Let me go grab Sticky right quick
**sounds of steps**
Hey yo Stick, Stick
[Sticky] Yo Slim Shady Yo I just had like a nightmah.. Wait it wasn't like a nightmare It was like a good dreah.. Well it wasn't a good.. (What was it?) Hey yo I just had a crazy dream man (What?) Yo, yo I dreamed I was white! (Ohhh)
Chorus: Eminem
If he was white What if he was white? What if he was white? What - If - He - Was - White? What if he was white? What if he was white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white?
Verse One: Sticky Fingaz
Yo, yo What if I was white skin the same color as cocaine? Blond hair, blue eyes The whole shibang I know one thing Police wouldn't always be watching me Pull me over for nothing, constantly jockin me (Can I get your autograph?) Yellow cabs in the cities would stop for me I wouldn't need collateral to buy property If I was white Wouldn't matter if I was rich or poor SECURITY wouldn't follow me around the store Like I'd steal something (Maybe he might of stole something) Because I'm black I rob And automatically assume I ain't got no job On my own land I feel like an immigrant If I was white I wouldn't thought O.J. was innocent (He did it)
Chorus: Eminem
If I was white What if he was white? What if he was white? (Yo think about that) What if he was white, white, white, white, he was white (for a minute) What if he was white? What if he was (What if he was white?) white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white? (What if he was white?)
What if he was white? What if he was white? What - If - He - Was - White? What if you were white? (what if he was white?) What if he was white, white, white, white, white,(STICKyyyy what if you were white?) white, white, white, white, white?
Verse Two: Sticky Fingaz
If I was white It would be a different world for me If I was white (ummmmmmmm?) What shade would I be? Would I be Redneck or Skinhead, preppy or high class? YOUd PROBABLY LIVE IN A TRAILERPARK AND BE WHITE TRASH! In any case that be the ill **** right? (Yep) But there's a good and a bad side to being white You can't say the N word without starting a fight (What's UP MY *****?) couldnt dance on beat, Id had two left feet Even if I was white id probably still have a ghetto chick(How you doing?) Is it a myth Or would I really have a little **** (Nah, it's true!) If I was white I would probably listen to hard rock and cover my ears when ever I heard Hip Hop (Ahhhhhhhhhhhh)
Chorus: Eminem
If he was white What if he was white? What if he was white? (What if he was white?) What if he was white, white, white, white, he was white What if he was white? What if he was white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white? (What if he was white?)
What if he was white? What if he was white? What if he was white, white, white, white, he was white(ummmmmmmm?) What if he was white? (What if you were white?) What if he was white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white? (What if he was white?)
Verse Three: Sticky Fingaz
Yo,yo,yo, if I was white I probably wouldn't even think the same Id watch Tennis and golf and bet on Hockey games (Red Wings Man) Wear suit and ties and go to work everyday If I was white I couldn't live around my way if i was white it probably wouldn't never even been an Onyx **** I be steady sippin vadka and tonixs Smokin on a marlboro instead of a newport Id live in Long Island Instead of New York If I was white I probably couldn't dunk Cuz everybody knows white man can't jump (Nope!) i probably wouldn't be able to go to the weed spots Cuz all the dreads would think Im a cop
Chorus: Eminem
If he was white What if he was white? What if he was white? What - If - He - Was - White?(Yo you can't say that) What if he was white What if he was white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white?
What if you were white? What if he was white? What - If - He - Was - White? What if he was white? What if he was white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white? If he was white? What if he was white? What if he was white (What would you do if you were white?) What - If - He - Was - White? (What if you were white?) white, white, white, white, white, white, (What if you were white!!!!) white, white, white, white? What if he was white? What if he was white? white, white, white, white, white? What if he was white white, white, white, white, white, white, white, white?
[Eminem] Yo, what if I was White? uhh..
Tuesday, March 12th 2013 at 4:00PM
DAVID JOHNSON
this was a hot song in the days ,,,,,something to add
Tuesday, March 12th 2013 at 4:01PM
DAVID JOHNSON
You are a rare gem (smile). However, for the other 99% of Black women they would be green with envy. Its sad that I think back and laugh now at how I was upset when Brenda (rest in peace) brought her light skinned self from New Jersey back in the day and all the fellas was clocking her slew footed self. I didn't like that at all! Now, I realize I was caught up and too, young to understand that whether light skinned or white skinned, we are got the same daddy's (but different mothers), the Creator of the Universe so we should love one another. We are truly interconnected.
DARK SKINNED, LIGHT SKINNED (BLOOD)>> BLACK,,,,''''''WOMAN'''''' You are a rare gem (smile).
Thursday, March 14th 2013 at 8:21PM
DAVID JOHNSON
IGHT SKIN AND LONG HAIR...in Cali ,UP NORTH KINDA Lady ..mom;s got good looking kids ,,,, look at me ,,,!
Thursday, March 14th 2013 at 9:55PM
DAVID JOHNSON
when I was young I was pale light skinned, and my cousins would tease me sayn' that I was so pale I wasn't black.. or asking me if I was sure that I was their cousin ... My mom is beautiful mocha brown and my dad has prominent native red skinned features... So, I wanted brown skin.. I used to sit in the sun until my skin would darken.. I felt that darker skin was absolutely beautiful...
IT IS KIND OF FUNNY THAT I AM NOT JEALOUS OF ANY OF MY LIGHT SKINED (BLOOD) SISTERS, FRIENDS/STRANGERS AND I DON'T CAME LESS FO RMY DARKSKINED DAGHERER THAN MY LIGHT SKINED DAUGHTER ...BUT, IT MAYBE BE JUST BECAUSE I SEE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AS JUST FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS...(OR IT MAYBE BECUSE MY FED HAIRED, GRAY EYED SISTERS CAN PASS IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO)...
WHAT IS WORNGWITH YOU IRMA?!? (OTFL) (SMILE)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
ANYONE EVER HEARD OF SOMEONE LOVING THEIR OWN SELF?!? HAVING NO FEAR OF HELL FOR SAYING THEY ARE IMPORTANT UNTIL THEY HAVE UNLIMITED POWERS TO DO TINGS LIKE THIS ON THEIR OWN??????????????????...!!!!!!!!...
.BUT SOME DO NOT ALLOW THEMSELVES TO HAVE SELF LOVE AS IT IS TAUGHT THA TONLY S-I-N-N-E-R-S PUT THEMSELVES ABOVE OUT SIDE DEFINING THEIR SELF WORTH OR THEY WILL GO STRAIGHT TO ...
BUT, ON A SERIOUS ANDD VERY, VER PERSOANL NOTE, I AM SO PROUD AND HAPPY AND CONTENT TO BE THE SKIN COLOR I AM AND WITH TEH MIND SET I HAVE, IF I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND FOUND ME NONBLACK, I WOULD PROMPTLY KILLMYSELF BECAUSE LIFE WOULD NOT BE WORTH LIVING. (SMILE)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
@JEN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAY...I JUST TEND TO GET A LITTLE TIRED OF PEOPLE REFUSING TO SPEAK IN THE FIRST PERSON AS IF HEY ARE SO SUCH NO BODIES THEY CAN'T DO SO...
I WILL NEVER FOR GET PROFESSOR PAT TURNER THE FIRST WORDS SHE SPOKE AS SH E BEGA HER FIRST LECTURE...SHE SAID SHE IS AN AWARD WINNING PRODUCER ON PBS (CAN'T THINK OF THE PROGRAM SERIES RIGH TNOW) A PUBLISHED SUCCESS FUL BOOK AUTHOR AND COLLEGE PROFESSSOR AN D YET I KNOW I HAVE THIS JOB BECAUSE I AM A VERY LIGHT SKINED BLACK WOMAN!!... AND, I HAVE SPENT MANY , MANY HOURS TRAISING MY TWO GIRLS, TELLING MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER THAT I DID NOT LOVER HER OLDER SISTER MORE BECAUSE S HER SISTER AHD TEH EXTRA LONG HAIR AND LIGHT SKIN...YOU SEE I WANT TO ATTENDED PUBLIC SCHOOL ALSO AND I KNOW THE ONES WITH THE LONGET HAIR GOT TH EBEST SCHOOL PLAY PARTS! (SMILE)...
ANY THING WE DID NOT AS A RACE ALLHAVE...LIGHT SKIN AND LONG HAIR...BEEN THER DONE THAT...LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL...
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
@DAVID,LOL!!!...
BUT, AS ALWAYS THE GIRLS ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL...
@JEN, THA TPROGRAM ON PBS IS "POV"...sHE DID ONE OF HER SPECIAL ON PBS WITH DIANNE CARROL AND SHE SAID WE WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW MUCH IT COST TO GET HER MAKE UP JUST RIGHT.LOOOOOOOOOOOL...
THIS IS HOW SHE GOT TO MEET ALEX HALEY AND INVITED HIM TO OUR CLASS...ONE DAY I WILL SEND SOME OF MY PICTURRES WITH STEVE SO HE CA N POST THEM ON TH E PHOTO PAGE FOR US ALL TO SEE...
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
