What's your race?

I am now living in Toronto the most ethnically diverse city in the world and am often finding that a big question I am getting from new people I meet is "What race are you?" I usually respond by telling them I am part of the human race and then return to them with their own question.

I know that they are trying to figure out what my ethical background is but, not knowing my background it is more fun to play with people. I also hate it when I get that blank look as to 'how on earth I could not know what my background is'. If they thought about it for a minute they might come up with the idea that I was adopted. I am!! I don't have a clue what my background is, nor do I care to specify a background.

I believe in the beginning we were one, over time we have spread out across the land and developed religious beliefs, morals, values and rituals and such which are passed on down to their children. People also pass there genes down to their children, people adapt to their environments and this becomes incorperated into their geens being passed on. Something like people who live in the north don't get much sun and stay white in colour, and people in the south stay dark in colour, these people adapt to their environment and then pass it down on to their offspring.

As for my race, I'm human. As for my ethincal race, I don't have one.. it seems to intermingle with all beliefs.

We are all from the same race.. the human race.

RACE

1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as
a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical
characteristics.


2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common
history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.

3. A genealogical line; a lineage.

4. Humans considered as a group.

5. Biology

a. An interbreeding,
usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from
other populations of the same species in the frequency of
hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic
recognition is known as a subspecies.

b. A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

When I read the title of your thread on the directory page, my immediate mental response was 'human.'

Nice to meetcha.

There is a fascinating article on the Nova website regarding the ideas and such that we (erroneously) have regarding race and how they arose. Just do a google on Nova (which is PBS) if you've never been to the site, it should be listed and easy to find. If not, I'll find it and link to it. I have to go somewhere right now, or else I'd link you up post haste.

Nice to meet ya human.. hah

I've done a search in the places you've mentioned and have come across a bunch of info, not sure which one you were talking about, send the link when you find time.

[edit on 11/24/2005 by JeSuisAKittyCat]

Hehe, I don't even know the answer to this question myself, except to say, as others have already, 'human.' I have ancestors from lots of different countries. On my mom's side, my grandparents came from Norway and Austria. On my dad's side, my ancestors come from all over Europe. According to my grandma's genealogical research, our ancestors on that side of the family have been in North America longer than pretty much anybody who isn't Aboriginal. (some ancestors came over on the Mayflower; that was awhile ago, lol)

I just tell people I'm Canadian, and proud to be one.

We are all from the same race.. the human race.

If everyone accepted this, the world would be a much happier place.

Originally posted by JeSuisAKittyCat


We are all from the same race.. the human race.

i wish everyone saw things like you, when me an my mum walked down the road some people stare (my mum beiing half jamaican n bein 1/4 but pure white with red hair!!) and seriously i thought the world n people init had got better from like 40 years ago??!
im not bother about it but then again i can laugh it off n play along(like windin the elderly lady up on the bus, who jus happens to not like other races) but then i feel sorry for the people who cant do that n have to deal wit it all the time, and cant do anything!

some people jus cant accept were all equal...

xxkissess

Originally posted by JeSuisAKittyCat
Nice to meet ya human..

hah

I've done a search in the places you've mentioned and have come across a bunch of info, not sure which one you were talking about, send the link when you find time.

[edit on 11/24/2005 by JeSuisAKittyCat]

I have looked and looked all over Nova for that link...no luck!

I am sorry I 'teased' you But if I ever do find it again, I'll send you an U2U.

Originally posted by queenannie38

I am sorry I 'teased' you

But if I ever do find it again, I'll send you an U2U.

It's alright, I'm sure one of us will come accross it.

Originally posted by queenannie38
When I read the title of your thread on the directory page, my immediate mental response was 'human.'

Me too!

years ago i used to work in a restaurant and i always had someone ask me my race or would assume it for me and it would annoy me because i didn't know how to answer that because i am adopted and don't know what my "race" is until one day this truck driver came in and we got to talking and he said "next time someone asks you what race you are you tell them 'i'm the same race as you are--human'" and i've never forgotten that, and that was the first response in my head when i read you thread question. i'm human

We are all equal under the banner of unquestioning socialism.
*holds up red book*

No ones ever equal to another, we are all different. Plus you will always have some disagreements and people wanting power over others, look at other animal societies. Yes we are all human but we all have to fit in at some level of society, we cant all be at the top its not the way of things.
Things aren't the way way we believe or want them to be.



G

Texan

Kinky Friedman for governor of the Lone Star State!!

How hard can it be?

haha yeah toronto is very diverse aint it.Toronto>every other place lol

I am a caucasion technically, but I have a very diverse background.
As far as I know they include:

-German (like most dutch people)
-Italian
-Indonesian (Asian Pacific Islander)
-Possibly Jewish
-Possibly Black

the first 3 I know with som degree of certainty.

I am quite proud of my diverse herritage, I am proud of my skincolor (no i'm not a racist, that stereotype ends HERE) and i'm proud to be a human being. (although there are times).

Race to me is little more than appearance and in some extend personality but that's more due to different culture than anything else.

My policy is don't screw with me and I wont screw with you, I don't hate other races but I do discriminate against organised crime of any sort I.E. Gangs (and the rap culture that supports it), racist organizations such as the KKK, Neo Nazi's and the Black Panthers, but if they treat me with respect I might be less reserved, don't ever force me into one believe.

Originally posted by JeSuisAKittyCat
I am now living in Toronto the most ethnically diverse city in the world and am often finding that a big question I am getting from new people I meet is "What race are you?" I usually respond by telling them I am part of the human race and then return to them with their own question.

I know that they are trying to figure out what my ethical background is but, not knowing my background it is more fun to play with people. I also hate it when I get that blank look as to 'how on earth I could not know what my background is'. If they thought about it for a minute they might come up with the idea that I was adopted. I am!! I don't have a clue what my background is, nor do I care to specify a background.

I believe in the beginning we were one, over time we have spread out across the land and developed religious beliefs, morals, values and rituals and such which are passed on down to their children. People also pass there genes down to their children, people adapt to their environments and this becomes incorperated into their geens being passed on. Something like people who live in the north don't get much sun and stay white in colour, and people in the south stay dark in colour, these people adapt to their environment and then pass it down on to their offspring.

As for my race, I'm human. As for my ethincal race, I don't have one.. it seems to intermingle with all beliefs.

We are all from the same race.. the human race.

RACE

1. A local geographic or global human population distinguished as
a more or less distinct group by genetically transmitted physical
characteristics.


2. A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common
history, nationality, or geographic distribution: the German race.

3. A genealogical line; a lineage.

4. Humans considered as a group.

5. Biology

a. An interbreeding,
usually geographically isolated population of organisms differing from
other populations of the same species in the frequency of
hereditary traits. A race that has been given formal taxonomic
recognition is known as a subspecies.

b. A breed or strain, as of domestic animals.

That is a great post.I struggle with the same thing everyday too."What are you???" they ask me

This whole thing of "race" has been blown out tomuch,and Im sure many feel the same way here when I say its pure ignorance that causes the dilemma.

There should be more people like you on this post because lately im finding alot of ignorance in some posts and its getting to me.That post proved to me that i must not forget there are others who share the same belief.

[edit on 3-3-2006 by blackSt33L]

ha ha ha ha ha

Wonderful, and as clever as yo may think you are, you do have to look at the reality of things.


While we here at ATS (MAY) be able to joke about the notion/issue of race as a non-issue, most cannot. While we here can conceptualize (PERHAPS) race as a social construct, most cannot.

It's important to remember that while we (You & I) may consider race to be a social construct, that race doesn't exist (biologically).

Let me say this,

While I (may) believe your efforts here (on this post) are noble, I don't think they mean much. You say you don't think race means much. Wonderful. How about telling us why? How about actually addressing how race affects so many lives daily, insitutionally, sytemically, and individually? You can say whatever you want right now, but so much of this is invisible; it' shard to hide, save being outside of it.


[edit on 4-3-2006 by parrhesia]

[edit on 4-3-2006 by parrhesia]

Originally posted by parrhesia
Let me say this,

While I (may) believe your efforts here (on this post) are noble, I don't think they mean much. You say you don't think race means much. Wonderful. How about telling us why? How about actually addressing how race affects so many lives daily, insitutionally, sytemically, and individually? You can say whatever you want right now, but so much of this is invisible; it' shard to hide, save being outside of it.

Race does affect daily life and such but I was only pointing out that underneath it all we are the same.. Human.

Originally posted by vonwoolf appollonia
"next time someone asks you what race you are you tell them 'i'm the same race as you are--human'"

That's a good one

I class myself as Terran.