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August 29, 2003Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, A Single Guy In The South, and the BET Message BoardHere’s an interesting one for you— Cruising over my referral log today and what to wondering eyes should appear? A Single Guy In The South has made it to the BET message boards via a discussion of the heritage of Nicole Richie. Unfortunately, the original poster was a wee bit confused and thought that Nicole Richie was Paris Hilton and Paris Hilton was Nicole Richie. Having pics and or pictures of Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton certainly brings interesting readers to the site. In fact the Nicole Richie pics and the Paris Hilton pics are my top search referrals. Did I just google-bait? Oops, I did it again. Wizbang linked with Bonfire of the Vanities - Week 9 Comments
Recently I became friends and friendsters with this guy named Jason.... I met him at a great show here in LA and he is a really nice guy. He made me laugh do hard I almost.... well you know. So then I learned he was a musician... NOT A DRUMMER!!!!! and he just put out an Awesome CD! called Portrait. www.jasonnesmith.com check him out, it is worth it and he will NOT disapoint you:) ADAM BELLS N WHISTLES PWEEEEEEEEEEEZE?!?!?!?!?!?! Ok so wait (confused), Lionel Richie is this Nicole girl's father? People are not considering her Black because she "looks" white? You have to be kidding me. This is so NOT anything new. Attention all, there are several African American people walking around who, to white people, LOOK white. It happens all the time. I have a good friend who has the blondest hair and the bluest eyes. Guess what! She's BLACK, not adopted and not even mixed. Even better, she lives in the deep south, went to a historically Black college, joined a Black sorority, and is hardly ever mistaken by a Black person as being anything other than BLACK! Genetics are a tricky thing. Posted by: Queen Goddess at September 2, 2003 03:15 PMLook I don't know if the girl was adopted or actually Richie's biological child, but who cares? I see mixed people everyday that are thought to white. Why do white people act so dumb founded with things that other people just see as the norm, like they've been blind for the last past 30 years. They're always like "Oh my GOD!" with mouths wide open. What black people can't have long blonde hair, fair skin, and money coming out the anus? WRONG!!! We are very complex people. And we are everywhere. Even belongside Paris Hilton.Mariah Carey she black 2! Posted by: Cachet at September 26, 2003 05:47 PMNicole Richie is mixed with white & black and yes she was adopted, I am a family friend of the Richie's and know nicole personally. Posted by: Vanessa at September 27, 2003 09:35 PMOh, give me a break with the "white people just don't understand" crap! Getting a little defensive aren'tcha? No one could tell Richie is necessarily mixed be that observer white, black, or whatever racial catagorization one find convenient to contrive. No person would know she was even slightly mixed by looking at her or seeing her. This is not a crazy reaction to be a wee bemused, no matter how many blond-haired, blue-eyed, black devils one might have vomited on at a smokey, $100 a plate luncheon for the Senator. This is not to simplify the fat that many people are of mixed origin, culturally or ethnically, mind you. Its just that if I were Lionel, I'd be looking for a DNA test, I would. Posted by: Magpie at October 25, 2003 12:41 PMOh, give me a break with the "white people just don't understand" crap! Getting a little defensive aren'tcha? No one could tell Richie is necessarily mixed be that observer white, black, or whatever racial catagorization one find convenient to contrive. No person would know she was even slightly mixed by looking at her or seeing her. This is not a crazy reaction to be a wee bemused, no matter how many blond-haired, blue-eyed, black devils one might have vomited on at a smokey, $100 a plate luncheon for the Senator. This is not to simplify the fat that many people are of mixed origin, culturally or ethnically, mind you. Its just that if I were Lionel, I'd be looking for a DNA test, I would. Posted by: Magpie at October 25, 2003 12:41 PMWell, don't be so defensive. I love y'all, but white people don't get it. I have white friends, my mother in law is white, but white people just are in a lot of denial about genetics. Most black people are mixed. White men used to love them some (slang for effect) dark meat back in the days of slavery and there is a built in amount of mixed blood black folks have. Additionally, blacks and native americans got along very well and intermarried. To make matters worse, because white people DIDN'T and still don't get it, tons of black people "passed" and called themselves white when they weren't, so even the white people you know aren't necessarily all white. Black can be watered down and all those recessive genes make a lot of weird stuff happen, even between two black people. Race is such a made-up, meaningless concept anyhow. It doesn't automatically say anything about class, intelligence, upbringing, values, etc. No wonder everybody's confused. Nice site. Posted by: pattyj at October 27, 2003 07:34 PMWell, don't be so defensive. I love y'all, but white people don't get it. I have white friends, my mother in law is white, but white people just are in a lot of denial about genetics. Most black people are mixed. White men used to love them some (slang for effect) dark meat back in the days of slavery and there is a built in amount of mixed blood black folks have. Additionally, blacks and native americans got along very well and intermarried. To make matters worse, because white people DIDN'T and still don't get it, tons of black people "passed" and called themselves white when they weren't, so even the white people you know aren't necessarily all white. Black can be watered down and all those recessive genes make a lot of weird stuff happen, even between two black people. Race is such a made-up, meaningless concept anyhow. It doesn't automatically say anything about class, intelligence, upbringing, values, etc. No wonder everybody's confused. Nice site. Posted by: pattyj at October 27, 2003 07:34 PMI can not believe how absolutely IGNORANT and WRONG every single comment is on this board! Silly people!!!! She is half white and half black! If one of her parents is white THAT DOES NOT MAKE HER BLACK!!! Hello???? It's very simple! You all have fallen for that long ago lie and unfortunately LAW that was devised during slavery days the "one drop rule" that decided one's eligibility to benefit from our racial spoils system. A person was deemed black if he had one drop of black blood. Some states had the one-thirty-second rule, whereby if you had one black great-great-great-grandparent, you were black. This law was set in place so that the white slave owners who raped their slaves and had a baby by her, justified the animal in keeping his own flesh and blood in servitude!!! Chinadoll Posted by: Chinadoll at November 11, 2003 01:28 PMWow!! If we would devote as much time trying to figure out a solution to famine and disease as we do trying to decipher what color Nicole Richie is, this would may have a chance. Don't ponder to much on what Nicole's color is because it matters to know one, and probably not even her. Posted by: Marquita at November 12, 2003 08:12 PMNicole looks black to me. And YES i know she is half black and half white. Isnt her adopted mother black? Well anyway she looks more black than white. I've met her before and she is just light, but she really does look black. Posted by: Dema at November 13, 2003 05:34 PMBrenda Richie, Lionel Richie's first wife (on whom he cheated with his currently extranged wife Diane Alexander), is rumored to have been unable to have children. They adopted Nicole some years ago. Brenda and Lionel have no biological children together. He has 2 small children with Diane. Just my 2 cents... Posted by: Josie C at November 14, 2003 07:27 PMThe girl who wants to remove the "white" blood...that's so lame. I'm "black" , however I am a "Light skinned" black person. But so what. If you want to really ignorant, let's just call ourselves by our color...if that's the case I'd be red/yellow. I guess my point is, who cares about race? People are people. It's 2003....time to move on. aside from her race, how does hse have a life of privledge?? Posted by: Tiffaney Allen at November 24, 2003 10:05 AMNicole Richie is FINE!!!! Who cares what race she is. Errrr not me. Posted by: Reg at November 25, 2003 10:15 PMI am a African American women who is very light skinned, light eyed, and with long straight blond hair. Black people come in a range of colours from dark brown to virtually white. I feel that it is so ignorant for people to just think that Black people come in only one colour "brown". I met my Cuban husband while I was attending undergrad at Cornell University and we now have two beautiful children; a boy named Conner and a girl named Celeste. I have raised my children to be pround of their Black and Hispanic ancestry and to not focus on skin colour. Posted by: Priscilla Laroache-Castillas at November 28, 2003 10:48 AMI think this notion that white slave-owners raping their black slaves is over-blown. Sure there were lots of "Masta Mo" types but I have to believe many of these unions were consensual. I would think some of these relationships were as consensual as a woman having sex with a more powerful or richer man for personal priviledge and benefit is today. Another thing, I'm not so sure that these slave-owners had a secret penchant for the beauty of women of African as much as they had a penchant for having orgasms. This coupled with the moral taboos over manual masturbation and explains many of the couplings that took place. People in a certain society are whatever race they think they are (identify with) so long as they society affirms that contention. For example, Whoopi Goldberg might have white ancestors but if she asserts she's white, the rest of the world would consider her living in dreamland (much in the same way Michael Jackson lives in Never-never Land). Likewise, Paris Hilton might have black ancestors (especially if we accept current theories in anthopology that all humans descended from dark-skinned peoples in Africa) but if she asserts she's black or African-American, I doubt if Oprah Winfrey will feel a new-found bond with her. Posted by: Gitfereal Myhpeeps at December 1, 2003 11:25 AMwow, you guys are pretty strident about these goings on. but she does self identify as black.. so in my mind she is black. anyone that takes a good look at her realizes that there is something else going on there. and this is why this whole tiger woods, race identification crazyness is so divisive. as someone mentioned above, most US blacks have some white in them, and within a family can show all different flavors of blackness. Classification by "race" should be abolished and to the idiot who said that the sex during slavery was consentual.. give me a break!!! Posted by: just visiting at December 1, 2003 09:22 PMRace matters guys. The fact that this Nicole has black blood in her makes her black. It's that simple. (Probably many blacks would not accept her and many whites would not accept her). Mixing races is just a bad idea. I am pure white and very very proud of it. To the person who wants to drain the white blood out of them, I can understand where you're coming from. It only takes one idiot from either side to ruin an entire genetic line. Yes, I said ruin. If you don't think that there is such a thing as race, go ask a doctor. He'll let you in on a secret. Race is a key factor in prescribing medicine. My genetic line will never have single cell enemia. All races should be proud of who they are and not mix. Posted by: Knows what race means at December 1, 2003 09:35 PMI was wandering around to find out if Nicole was Lionel's biological daughter. NOT because of her skin color, but because of HIS facial structure. All this talk about skin color is sad. Particularly the "pure" white guy without "single" cel enemia genes--it's sicle cell anemia, because the blood cells are shaped like the tool that used to adorn the Soviet flag and anemia from the Greek word anaimia. And it is in a geographic, not racial, population. I am sorry to see so many people who obviously have been educated verbally, by television, the movies and public school. Our society could learn much from the example of the slaves who taught their children to read in secret. Posted by: just wondering at December 1, 2003 11:44 PMTo the person "just visiting" first the disease is not single cell but sickle cell anemia! So, get your facts straight. And, you're right, race does matter for certain disease such as cystic fibrosis is something that I will never suffer from because I am primarily African-American. But, for you to say "I am pure white.." is incorrect. White, Black, whatever are not races but color. No one is 100% pure anything because mixing races is something that has always been done....Irish and Dutch, English and French, German and Sweedish, African-American and Hispanic American, Native American and the list can and does go on. Your skin color does not define your race, your culture and heritage does. My skin is light, but I classify myself as African American not black, because black is just a color and my heritage ranges from African American, Italian, Cherokee and so forth...and FYI, mixing races is not a bad idea, it's people like you who have ignorant views that make people who are mixed feel inadequate. Posted by: LadyG at December 2, 2003 11:48 AMI am biracial (black and white) and Nicole looks white. Granted some biracial people look whiter than black, but in my experience biracial people look biracial, and Nicole Richie looks white. I am not saying she isn’t black, she just looks really white. That is all I have to say about that issue. As for the racist "single cell anemia guy," you are a moron. And you can ask any doctor (although probably not the ones you talk to, since they clearly are not giving you correct information) about why mixing races and heritages IS a good idea. Using your sickle cell anemia comment as a prime example: sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive disease that you can only get if two people carrying the disease (probably black) have children, and then there is a 25% chance that one of their children will get sickle cell anemia. The same is for cystic fibrosis for white people. However, if a white person carrying the cystic fibrosis recessive gene and a black person carrying the sickle cell anemia recessive gene have children, there is a 0% probability that any of their children will get either disease. Therefore, having multi-"racial" children typically results in healthier children. And if you at all aware of Darwin (which I doubt) then you would know that survival of the fittest would then go to the mixed-raced people, not the pure-diseased individuals like yourself. WHY TRY TO CLASSIFY PEOPLE?, WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO? WHAT DOES IT PROVE? OR WHAT DOES IT ACCOMPLISH?, WHAT DO WE GET FROM IT? NOTHING. Posted by: michelle1 at December 2, 2003 09:08 PMNicole Richie is adopted and 1/8 black I believe. Posted by: gdf at December 2, 2003 09:10 PMSpeaking of "passing", I just discovered a Yahoo group that hopes to discuss that very topic. If the subject interests you, or if you wish to help anyone who needs guidance, please join this new club: I've read through what everyone has to say and I think that on both sides of the fence there is a lot of racism going on. Why is this such a big deal anyway? And why are white and black people being segregated into two different categories? White people are all crazy and don't understand genetics? I know lots of people from all over who don't know much about genetics. Part of that particular argument however was that Nicole, like a lot of other black people, is mixed and is mistaken for white when she is black? What happened to the 50% white part? By your own argument, she could be considered white and is mistaken for being black. I agree with Chinadoll but I would like to point out that her desire to drain herself of any white blood is completely racist. Perhaps she is proud of this, but the rape wasn't due to the white blood, it was because of a corrupt value system and upbringing. Rape happens all over the world. In response to Pricilla, I also think you are absolutely right. However, I wonder if the lumping of the range of skin colors into one word - Black - is causing a lot of the confusion. People from the Middle East have a range of skin colors and instead are refered to by country. You yourself said that your children are very proud of their Black and Hispanic heritage. This is wonderful but while you are emphasizing their culture, you are referring again to skin color. On the flip side of this, the term white is just a skin color. Imagine the challenge of assigning a country behind every white face. Yet, white heritage comes from countries, not from being white. And yet, it can't be both ways. If skin color is going to be used loosely then everyone has to lighten up. The alternative is to be specific: Africans, Cubans, Ukranians, Italians, Japanese, etc. I also read over the sickle cell anemia comments. Mixing races is a beautiful thing and creates beautiful children. While this usually results in a watering down of any one cultural hertiage, it does create new genetic lines which are healthier. If a group of people only reproduce with eachother, a "deleterious" effect happens when disease and mutations start to show up more and more. These diseases only show up if they are found in both parents. Otherwise they are not expressed physically. This is why diseases are linked to specific races. It has little to do with the race itself. An extreme example of this is found in the American Amish community. They are a very small group of people who have children only with other members of their group. This has resulted in a common mutation where six digits are found on the hands and feet. It is always better to have variation. Just as a last comment, sickle cell anemia is very common because it has a benefit. Otherwise everyone would have died long ago from it. People who have only one copy of the gene (carriers)do not show the disease physically but do pass the gene onto their children. If both parents have the gene, the child gets two copies of the gene and the disease is expressed. The carriers are actually immune/resistant to malaria. A killer in those parts of the world. And so, carriers have a greater survival rate and therefore so does their copy of the gene for sickle cell anemia. Anyway, despite a lot of toes being stepped on during all this discussion, I think this kind of thing is great. Even if no one agrees with eachother, talking is always a good idea. It can open minds and spread information. Posted by: Zanahdu at December 2, 2003 10:22 PMI personally think it's great to see people like Nicole Richie, Mariah Carey, Vin Diesel and others. As far as the pure white dude -I'd love to kick your ass, which would be extremely easy due to your genetically inferior physical strength. I loved the statistics presented above by No-a-racist-moron!!! You see it's a well known fact that high bred human's, or mixed people, are genetically superior. This is in stark comparison to the results of in-breeding, which tends to cause retardation! hey if paris or nicole or any of your friends reads this message, holla back at me. i just wanted to know if you all had a man yet. if you dont email me if you want to be friends email me. i am an up and coming rapper and would like to stop dealing with these people in the ghetto, and start dealing with people who are respected for more than jus shooting people or selling drugs. well, this is the invitation to make a new friend so hit me up if you find the timr to. god bless you. Posted by: xezakia rouse at December 3, 2003 11:30 AMEVERYONE! This should settle the stakes, I got this from: www.eonline.com/Gossip/Kristin/Archive2003/030725.html Norm: "Isn't Lionel Richie a black guy?" Noticeably annoyed, the girls returned to the interview and Paris answered what she missed most during the show. "My cell phone," she sighed. "Other than that, we could bring whatever we wanted. All we wore was high heels and short skirts. We dressed like Barbies the whole time. It was hot. I'm a live Barbie with no boobs." Now, we're talking! But soon after, as Nicole went on and started lamenting the "dumb crappy bars" of Arkansas, Norm struck again. Norm: "Did you get in any trouble because you're black?" THIS PROVES THAT NICOLE AND PARIS CONSIDER NICOLE TO BE BLACK. Thanks Sara, for the info. It's interesting that Nicole is also quite wealthy (apparently). I wonder, though, if she were not as wealthy, would she then self-identify as 'black.' It's one thing to be wealthy and call yourself 'black,' but it's another thing to be poor and call yourself 'black.' Posted by: Jetavan at December 3, 2003 12:35 PMI am also not surprised by the fact that Paris Hilton considers Nicole black. From my experience, most "pure"-white people, like the racist moron above and old-money-Paris Hilton are quick to judge biracial or mixed race people as if they are fully black/asian or whatever. While it is generally the fully black/asian/etc people who make the classification an issue, because they want to define what is black/asian by their own skin color. The water is too muddy on this issue to make any real ground, but regardless, I am not at all surprise by Paris Hilton so quickly classifying Nicole Richie as "Black." Posted by: Not Surprised at December 3, 2003 02:34 PMAfter the premier of "Simple Life" I would say it's obvious Nicole Richie has black ancestry. Her hair was starting to curly back up. Call me crazy, but I don't think she's a natural blond. Hey here's another thought, if Nicole Kidman and Lenny Kravitz have children, could they pass? And another thing, whenever the subject of reparation comes up, it's always about money. What about each African-American (descended from slaves so that would leave out immigrants, Carribeans, etc) gets 10 years of free servitude from up to 10 white people (although the white people would have to be supported and cared for as valuable property but whippings are OK) and black men get 50 free passes to rape white women or should it be that black women would get 50 free passes to rape white men (this would include the use of strap-ons)? Naturally, these priviledges could be sold and any money derived from the trading of these rights would represent the financial part of the compensation. Now wouldn't that be justice? Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 3, 2003 04:45 PMIf you look at Nicole Richie closely, you can tell she is mixed race. And if you've seen pictures of her as a child, you wouldn't even question if she is bi racial. Posted by: Dirrty_Blonde at December 3, 2003 09:27 PMI am a British person living in the States for a year and one of my major observations is how obsessed about race many Americans are. Granted, we do have our share of racial problems/ tension at home, but here race always seems to be an issue. That is not the case at home, where it seems to get less attention because generally different races get along. I am black, but I have family members of many different races. I love people for who they are; not what they are. I was brought up in London, which is very multicultural. However, I have family from countries in Europe where the populace is mostly white; when I go to these places I am welcomed and treated as an equal. Race is not an issue. Likewise I was educated at Oxford University where once again I was in the minority, yet I was not singled out because of my skin colo(u)r. There's so much going on in this world such as that we should direct our attention to, instead of using labels to segment ourselves. I really do think that some people waste too much time lamenting on these issues. Does crime, disease, war, poverty etc. not need attention? Why are people so angry and pernickety? So what if some people call themselves black/ white if they are of mixed parentage? It's how they see themselves! Who are you to tell people what they are? In fact, it's these issues that are responsible for some of the major conflicts in this world- think World War 2, think Israel, think Northern Ireland, think Rwanda, think Bosnia... Such a waste of human life. Why do people always need a scapegoat? It's insane. Yes, we should acknowledge racial atrocities in the past, but surely we should learn from them. We should note the absurdity of these events as opposed resenting another race/tribe/religious/cultural group because of what happened years ago. We should focus on creating a legacy for our progeny to thrive in, regardless of their origins. We should focus on and embrace the beauty of all humans. It breaks my heart that people often erect barriers depriving themselves of potentially good opportunities because of small-mindedness. Posted by: Oh Dear at December 4, 2003 09:07 AMI believe that Nicole Richie is negroid. She just relaxed the kinky hair and prolly had a nose job. She still has the negroid look tho. Posted by: Tareq at December 4, 2003 09:44 AMThis was a very interesting read! I must say though that the only person with anything truly intelligent and unbiased to say was Zanahdu. The only person who got the hard cold facts is Sara Reid. Thanks Sara for clarifying the truth for us. I came on this site and at first was only getting a bunch of opinions- you did the research and I respect that- you go girl! The important thing is that now we know what Nicole considers herself- and that is Black. Posted by: Go Girl! at December 4, 2003 11:09 AMPeople are so fixated on race. Why? Slavery existed not for hundreds of years, but thousands! Slavery was not a rare phenomenom that only happened in the US. As time passes, people grow. We evolve. Hundreds of years ago, rape was common. A man had a RIGHT to take advantage of another woman, no matter WHAT RACE. As a victim of rape (by a black man by the way---and guess what? I DONT HATE an entire race for it!) I can say that there is now justice for the victim because we as woman can NOW be classified as victims.. Why don't we all move past how damn beautiful our skin complexions are (black/white), how well or better educated we are (black/white), or how clean our genetic line is (black/white)..Why not focus on why as a country we are all separated, and seem so IGNORANT towards each other. A child who is bi-racial can establish what race they are without someone INSISTING they are BLACK OR WHITE..We all have a right to be in this country. Unfortunately this country was formerly founded by people of European decent. It's not their fault it was founded during that era. If Africans founded the US, this country would be primarily black. Its a matter of fact. But it didn't happen that way. It was unfortunate slavery occurred, but again, during that period of time, slavery was still considered a business. The Israelites were slaves, the Egyptians were slaves, every country in the world implemented slavery in their lives because in life there is always a dominant force. Anyway, instead of bickering over black and white, concentrate on the Hispanics, who will one day be the majority race in this country anyway (oh but, as far as a demographics box they would have to tick black, white, or Other---I guess another dilemma).... Posted by: metoo at December 4, 2003 09:40 PMThis site really lets me know that we still have a long way to go when it comes to race relations. People, People!!! It's doesn't matter what color you are. What matters is the heart. It's just ONE race the "HUMAN RACE". Until, we as a country finally realize this, we'll always have problems! Posted by: Kat at December 5, 2003 09:19 AMTo Just So you Know--My suggestion was about what the U.S. can do about for those who suffered in the U.S. Carribean descendents of slaves (in the U.S.) can get their homelands to compensate them. No need to have them sponging off the U.S. or depriving opportunities for compensation to descendents of American slave. Besides most Carribean blacks think they're better than America blacks so no need to have them free ride on the suffering of the ancestors of those people they look down on. To Metoo: I don't think rape was common hundreds of years ago (maybe thousands of years ago). Perhaps keeping quiet about rape was common. You say you were raped, can you provide details? Are you black or white or better even, what would an average American classify you as (so if your biracial but look like a light-skinned black person, the average American would consider you black)? Do you want compensation and if so how would you want it? Sorry to pry but this is fascinating. Thanks. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 5, 2003 10:15 AMIt is so easy to play the race card than to understand people and "curiosity". I think our people enjoy being slaves. It's like a baby blanket we can't live without. If anyone thinks a LIGHT skin, BLONDE haired black person ain't a curiousity they don't think at all. I'd sure think a white person with all those black features was black! Posted by: gb at December 5, 2003 10:16 AMTo Kat--Unfortunately race relations is only at the point of tolerance, not yet acceptance and far from race being meaningless. Race or ethnicity still is bound with culture. So if you're of one race, you are assumed to have difference cultural standards and norms than someone of a difference race (even if you're from the same town). Seems in this website, race stemmed from the question of whether Nicole Richie is white or black. Well she looks white and that is further projected by her decision to straighten her hair and bleach it. Yeah, yeah, that's the style now but why is it the trend to color dark hair blonde or relax and straighten curly hair rather that coloring blond hair dark or kinking up straight hair? There should be forced race mixing (globally) so the world can become more homogenous. (But lets start by forcing white women to breed with non-white men). Then race wouldn't matter. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 5, 2003 10:30 AMTo reality@aqua.net - I think it's unfair for you to say the MOST Carribean blacks think they are better than American blacks. Come on, don't you think your generalizing just a little bit? I know that one can only speak from their own experience however ones experience does not allow for general labelling like that. Peace. Posted by: Just So You Know at December 5, 2003 12:32 PMI think the American Dream is something nice to aspire to but it's the white American Dream. Most black people in the U.S. don't live the American Dream. That's why I think Carribean people look down on American blacks. The view is generally: you've been emancipated for over 100 years and it's been decades since the Equal Rights Movement of the sixties--so why aren't you (Black Americans) living the American Dream. On another topic, you know what I think is a new trend. In the past if you're a successful Black man (basically meaning you accumulated some wealth that can be reported to the government), you take up with a white woman. That was seen as selling out or politically incorrect. Now the move is to take up with--now get this--an Asian woman. Look at Russell Simmons. It would be interesting to hear how the females of this website feel about that (please chime in). Anybody think Nicole Richie has gone out with an Asian guy before? Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 5, 2003 02:32 PMFor all the people who wrote that we should stop being so obsessed with race, and that the people who are obsessing about it are just being ignorant…you are the IGNORANT ones. I blame the European a little less than the others because she clearly hasn’t spent the bulk of her life learning that her nation's history has not only involved but has in fact thrived upon the horrible act of kidnapping her ancestors, stacking them (and I mean stacking them) into ships, barely feeding them and often killing them along the way to a land, which then proceeded to suck the life out of them until it was no longer possible to do legally, and see tactics used against your ancestors/parents such as murder and terrorism to keep them suppressed/oppressed. Since you have not spent your life being exposed to this, you are allowed to say fluffy things like, why can’t America be like Europe. All I have to say to that is…how about you spend some serious time in a small Midwestern or Southern town, then you will see what your Oxford degree actually means, which is nothing...because you are black. Oh, and trust me, I know...I go to Yale and am from a small Midwestern town, and there is a reason I do not spend any considerable amount of time there, this is because when it comes down to it, in certain parts of America, you are not a person…or an educated person…you are a black person. As for the other IGNORANT individuals…stop being so naive. Can't you see that race will be an issue in this nation for a VERY LONG time because of what was described above? One can forgive the white man for slavery, but trust me, it will never be forgotten, not by blacks, and not by whites either. The blacks may remember slavery to use it as their “blanket,” but the whites will always remember the time when blacks were defined as (and they often used the bible to support their argument) sub-human. Now, before everyone decides to attack me as the person who is incapable of moving on and people say cliché things like “if everyone thinks like you, we’ll never make any progress.” I want to express that I am not a separatist or anything ridiculous like that, there is nothing I want more than to have racism banished from the face of the earth within my lifetime. Nothing hurts me more than to see my life’s accomplishments degraded in a millisecond because of the color of my skin. However, people who are so naïve that they say things like we are one race, the HUMAN RACE, you should realize that you are achieving nothing by saying that. What America needs to make legitimate progress are more laws, more precedent, and we could also use the death of a generation or two of people. Until then, if we ignorantly forget what has happened, it will just take place again. Jesus, what is it with you Americans and your obsession with race? Stop bickering and squabbling about it, and just get on with your lives. Why does everything in your country have to be both complicated and simplified by this bizaare obsession of yours with skin colour. Who gives a shit whether some heirhead socialite - or anyone for that matter - is white or black? It's irrelevent. And while we're on the subject, just because someone is black it doesn't make them your "brother" or "sister". It doesn't make them anything. The skin is just another organ, so stop obsessing. Thank you .... Posted by: Henry O'Hara at December 7, 2003 10:57 AMRussell Simmons wife kimora is half Black and half Japanese she's still a black woman and not all rich black man take up with women of other races.That's a large generalization do you know every rich black man. Women cant stay home and be pissed that there's a lack of black men why cant you pursue a man of another race its your's and every one's right. Posted by: Gracie at December 7, 2003 02:04 PMTHANK GOD, NICOLE'S FAMOUS AND SHE IDENTIFIES HERSELF AS BEING BLACK! Hi Henry O'Hara, Didn't you read a single thing I said...stop being SO IGNORANT. And, for an Irishman, I am really surprised of your issues with people talking about discrimination against race/religion). No matter what any of you say and you can debate this all you want. Nicole Richie herself has said that she is black and she is obvioulsly proud of her black heritage. Good for her!. I am sure that she is proud of her white heritage as well. Paris HIlton said that NIcole is black and she was just telling the truth. NO matter we are still all human beings, our blood underneath our different skin color is the same color. We all have red blood and the racist white supremist who is proud of his being white big deal I am equally proud to be black. I just bet if any of you ever needed a blood transfusion to keep you alive I bet you it would not matter what skin color you were then because you definitly might be getting the blood of some other person of another race. See Jehovah God made it no matter how superior we think our race we all our going to grow old and die and guess what when we get old we all finally end up with the same hair color of gray too! Posted by: Cynthia Thomas at December 8, 2003 06:10 PMDAMN, it took me forever to get to the bottom of this one. Just my peon opinion is why does everything have to be BLACK and WHITE? Why can't we just be HUMAN BEINGS and not worry about RACE! WHY DOES IT MATTER? I don't look at African Americans any different than Mexican Americans or anyone else. It doesn't matter to me... we are all people and all have the same color blood. We all have hearts, minds, and souls... so can't we just all get along? History is over with, we have learned and continue to learn from it... now it's time we stop putting a COLOR on everyone/thing and just be civil to each other instead of hostile. Posted by: h at December 9, 2003 11:32 AMYou know, if people invested as much time educating themselves about other racial, ethnic, and cultural groups as they spend speculating over the race of Nicole Richie, the world would be free of racism and bigotry much sooner. Posted by: kara at December 9, 2003 12:14 PMAdam--did you really mean for this to happen? Did you really mean to get this many passionate comments? Look at you! Getting people's panties all in a bunch! Just kidding! Anyhow, I looked at Nicole and without giving much thought, knew she was Black (and continued to watch the show). I think people (Americans) need to categorize. We have some odd need to put people and things into categories. Make quick assessments. For a lot of people, the issue with Nicole isn't so much which race she is, but their inability to look at her and without giving it a second thought, be able to put her into a race box. When it comes to the issue of slavery (how'd we get here?), it is one that I've never been settled on. I'm well aware that slavery did exist. According to last Thursday's Date/NightLine, it existed as recent as the 50's (with documents in the Library of Congress as proof). Further, I'm well aware that there are still benefiting parties. I was raised getting a healthy dose of history from school and home (the two differed tremendously). At home, my parents didn't put the emphasis on the evil white man as much as they put the emphasis on my maternal great-grandmother's family who owned a dairy farm in rural Alabama. These people were successful and self-sufficient. My parents acknowledged the white man raping the Black woman. But I was also taught about my paternal great-grandparents. A white man and Black woman who had a relationship with two kids (one my grandmother) coming from that relationship (not rape). I was taught about places like Freewoods, Mississippi (check it out) and other places where, even with slavery a half mile in the rear-view mirror, they managed to do damn well for themselves. This is no way means that I ignore racism or slavery. Racism touches me almost every single day. Overt or institutional. BUT, I haven't let racism (or sexism) stop me. I see it, might raise an eyebrow if I have time, and move on. Racism and slavery is nothing to get over. It's nothing to completely dwell on either. It's something to acknowledge and discuss and learn from. There's a lot more to slavery than Black/white. OK, just picture Nicole without the hair extensions. Better yet, picture her without the plastic surgery. Duh. Posted by: Rubashkie at December 9, 2003 06:49 PMSickle cell anemia is genetic in origin. There are two forms of the disease, one is sickle cell trait and the other is sickle cell disease. The former has inherited only one gene causing this illness and the latter is a result of inheriting two genes. Because it is genetic and race is also genetic, there is a connection.Therefore to say it is geographic is incorrect. Certain racial populations are identified as being more susceptible to this disease. However, it is a disease that can occur to anyone who inherits the gene. Posted by: message to "just wondering" at December 9, 2003 09:47 PMPerhaps you should fear American society's view of bi-racial kids rather than having them. Posted by: message to "Queen goddess" at December 9, 2003 09:57 PM"Perhaps you should fear American society's view of bi-racial kids rather than having them." Right! And I don't want them to have to deal with that ugliness. Growing up is hard enough and I'm not sure America is ready to treat my little darlings in an acceptable manner. I have bi-racial friends. I see how they are treated--like it's their fault their parents got together. I wouldn't want to end up in jail because I killed some idiots for being mean to my kids. Posted by: Queen Goddess at December 10, 2003 08:48 AMHey Gracie--Is there a lack of Black men? Speak on. Not so naive--Don't forget, the white man didn't create slavery in Africa, nor did he go kidnapping. It was Africans selling slaves to the white man. Maybe reparations should be demanded from the descendents of those Africans that did the kidnapping and selling. What European did do was turn slavery from a cottage industry (generally resulting from warfare) to big business where Africans weren't content to sell captives they had on hand after a conflict but would actually go looking for captives. Also, why harp on white slave owners raping slaves. If the situation was reverse or in ANY other situation in which a black man could rape with impunity or if black women could force white men to perform oral sex on them, with impunity, you better believe it would happen a lot. To Metoo--sorry but I'm still interested in your story. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 10, 2003 11:28 AMTo KAT: I'm mad that you don't know your black history, or else you would've known the monumental impact that black Caribbean slaves had on the United States. Without countries like Haiti helping the north to fight the south against slavery, do you think slaves in the United States would have been emancipated? How about their important role in helping the United States make the Louisina Purchase?......Go pick up a history book and learn about your heritage before you so ignorantly generalize your own race. Posted by: LISA at December 11, 2003 09:01 PMThis whole thing is so ridiculous. We pretty much concluded that Nicole Richie is mixed. Anyone with a working set of eyes can see that, but some people (u know exactly who you are) are so ignorant and that is why you refuse to see it. I don't understand why bi-racial people who have black blood in them automatically tell the world they are black! Um, hello, u are not all black! To believe that is insane. I have a black boyfriend and I am indian and if I were to marry him and have children, I would "HATE" for them to go around saying they are only "black" or only "indian". That would be sad because they would be denying part of what they are. Just because you look more "black" when u are in fact b--racial, doesn't mean you should say ur black because ur fooling yourself! You are what you are and as soon as you realize it, the better off you will be. To continue on with this discussion is so pointless because everyone has their point of view that will not change! Posted by: Anandi at December 12, 2003 11:06 AMFor the lying ignoramous who said they knew Nicole Richie was adopted, I hate to disappoint you she is not adopted. And her mother is Lionel Richies first BLACK wife, Brenda Richie. Who is a very beautiful light skinned African American. And are you stupid? Have you looked at Lionel Richie? He is so fair he is almost transparent! You are confused he isn't. This information is available free on the internet for anyone who wants to look it up, try eonline.com. I am sorry if you couldn't tell she was Black. I could. I am also very fair, green eyed with sandy non dyed hair and both my parents are BLACK. This is why it was so easy to pass when it was necessary! Because you are an ignorant bunch of people. Ignorant of yourself and others. To the other ignoramous who thinks that African American women would force White men to preform oral sex are you serious? Why would we want to do that. The majority of African American women really have NO desire to do anything sexually with naked chicken colored raw looking white men. NOTHING! Why would we? Black men do not have to rape white women. It is not like it is hard to screw you loose group of scanks! Who in the hell has to rape women who flash their tits to anyone and french kiss each other for an audience? Posted by: gkt at December 14, 2003 12:04 AMReality, Regardless of whether or not blacks did the kidnapping (which is an obvious fact that anyone who has watched "Roots" would know), it was the white man who decided to justify the act by stating that ALL blacks, not just the slaves, are inferior. It was under that innovative assumption (at least in the sense that I can't think of another time where race/religion was specifically used to justify slavery, except for maybe the Israelites in Egypt) that hundreds of years of mistreatment, rape and disenfranchisement has happened to the blacks in America. And I do, in fact, blame that on the white man. As for your statement about rape...I mean, I can't even respond, because someone who thinks like that doesn't even deserve a response: "Why harp on white slave owners raping slaves" Are you serious! GKT-Guess no has gone down on you. Also if you are so fair, you must have white blood in you. Don't hate your own heritage. Some chicken colored raw looking white man was probably an ancestor. But I stand by my claim, if one group could take sexual favors from another group, with impunity, damn sure it would be done--a lot. Not-so-naive-You came blame the white man but that doesn't prove him wrong. Achieving in spite of oppression--now that's something to harp abput. Look at Jewish people in America, I am willing to bet bigots hated Jews no less than they hated Black people. Now the you're more likely to see the children of bigots working for the children of Jewish immigrants than the other way around. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 15, 2003 11:15 AMGKT-What 100% african american person (and i mean 100%)has green eyes and light hair? Get a reality check, there must have been at least one person in your family history that was white! Please, if God wanted you to have blonde hair and light eyes he would have made you white and apparently, he did!!!! SO, stop denying the fact that you have white in you, because your the one who looks stupid and ignorant on this post board! Who knows, maybe you were adopted like nicole richie, every thought about that einstein?! Posted by: Jasmine at December 15, 2003 11:46 AMHow about that Strom Thurmond? Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 15, 2003 12:23 PMReality, Not sure what your point was with that, can you please explain further... Also, how is what I stated not proof...I am pretty sure if you look in any History book you will see all the proof (beyond all reasonable doubt) that the white man is to blame. What proof do YOU need? Do you need to witness a lynching in your backyard to have enough proof? I don't understand people who spit out thoughtless opinions just to play devil's advocate. Not-so-naive--One more thought. Race/religion was used to oppress many peoples, not necessarily into slavery, more like to extinction. The crusades, Hilter's Final Solution, Native Americans, to name a few. And yes, the oppressors all held the oppressed to be inferior. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 15, 2003 02:10 PMThis is true, there is one group of people on the planet that have it worse than African-Americans, and that is the Native Americans. And, well, I blame the white man for that also. Again, what is your point? Because Native Americans have it bad, then what happened to Blacks in America isn't important, or are you just playing devil's advocate again? Posted by: Not-so-Naive at December 15, 2003 02:18 PMActually, I take that back, because at least Native Americans can (in theory) make a financial killing by building casinos on their reservations, which is much more than African Americans were ever given. However, that has only proven lucrative in the Northeast, and northern-mid-west; not in the southwest where the bulk of the Native American holocaust occurred. Posted by: Not-so-Naive at December 15, 2003 03:32 PMNot-so-Naive: I was saying that you can blame the white man for all of the woes of black people (although I would think that it's going to get harder and harder for black people not to take some responsibility for their own condition as time goes on), but that does not prove the notion you mentioned (black people are inferior) invalid. Only achievement would disprove that assumption. Often Asians are held up as the model minority, maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but I think if you look at the per capita incomes of Asian Americans vs. African Americans, you'll find Asian Americans have a higher number. But I don't think they were "given" any more than African American's were given. In fact on top of white on asian prejudice, they had to deal with black on asian, latino on asian prejudice, etc. Maybe minorities have to work harder to get the same as white people (what else would you expect though). Yeah it's unfair, but get on with it. If you wait for white people to make up for past sins, you waste time (and energy) you could be using to pull yourself up. Stop blaming, start earning. By the way, some of these Native Americans making killings in casinoes are also have the blood of black slaves running through their veins. Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 15, 2003 04:16 PMReality - First of all, I, personally, will be earning since I will be attending medical school next year; however, as for the ridiculous example of Asians vs. African Americans. There is a little difference between all other races/ethnicities in this country and decedents of African American slaves, which is that EVERY OTHER ethnicity came to America because they WANTED TO! They did it to give a better life to their children, and were not ripped from their home land to suffer etc (refer to my previous post) like the slaves. This is actually a massive difference, and attending an Ivy League school, I see this every day. The majority of the black people at Ivy League schools are in fact children of Caribbean/African Immigrants that came to America because they WANTED TO, and worked their @sses off so that their children could have the right education etc. It is almost impossible to tell an African American whose family line in America is probably longer than most white people (unless they came on the Mayflower) that they should all of a sudden start thinking like an immigrant who is in search of the "American Dream." All they have experience for hundreds of years is the "American Nightmare," and you DARE call these people lazy. Ignorance like that, as well as social injustice, is what will forever keep African Americans down in America. After having read all of this, which took forever, I feel as though this web site has reached it expiration point. People are squabbling over technicalities and it is way far away from where it started, which was Nicole Richie. Time to shut this sucker down. That's all I have to say. Posted by: Jim at December 15, 2003 07:30 PMI feel you jim. Well said. Posted by: Not-so-Naive at December 15, 2003 07:37 PMHold up! People come in all different shapes, sizes and colors, it is nothing new. My father is black and my mother is white and everyone thinks im spanish or white. I have light brown hair, hazel eyes, and I have the same skin complexion as a white person. Just because everyone "THINKS" that doesnt mean I was adopted or that my father really isnt black or that my mother was a whore. People are just looking for reasons why she ISN'T BLACK rather than why she IS BLACK. She has the right to claim anything she wants and technically by law if you have a certain percentage of black in you then you are black. No if, ands or buts about it. Posted by: Kecia at December 17, 2003 12:46 AMNot-so-naive: Has blaming whites for the condition of American Americans help you get to medical school? Will it help you get through medical school? It's not necessary to tell African Americans to think like immigrants, better to work like immigrants (even white people from the Mayflower had to do that, now look at them). Surely if a people can work like slaves when coerced, they can work like immigrants when they get to reap ALL the benefits. Ignorance can keep African American down (no more so than their own ignorance), so can waiting for white people to "come to their senses." Posted by: reality@aqua.net at December 17, 2003 11:01 AMKecia - No one is refuting the fact that you are black, but you must remember that you are also white. SO, you need to retract your words because, the same way you said, "technically by law if you have a certain percentage of black in you then you are black. No if, ands or buts about it" then the same applies to being white... Wow, this is deep. And I was just looking for Jpeg's on the girl. I have read a lot of material on race and thte people in America. Have any of you read the book titled "The Bell Curve" writen by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murry or "The End of Racisiam" by Dinesh D'Souza? Very intresting reading. I bring this up because it seems to me that amoung the groups that call themselves think-tanks taken the concept of Race and mad a science of of it. There by illgitimizing the fact that the darker you skin is the less intelligent you are as a whole. Need I say who ranks #1 one the list and who is dead last. We need not look back at slavery in america because all we need to do is look at how the majority of White America treat the other races that and immigrated here over the years. So, Nicole is Bi-Racial. It is not like she will now join the civil rights movment now that she said so. Posted by: ZNOP at December 22, 2003 06:00 PMHi Everybody - Haters and Lovers alike! Know this, we are all a mirrored image of each other. When judgement comes how you treated God's gift to you, your very life, will be examined through how you treated your brother, your sister, your father and mother, your neighbor, your world. If you cannot show compassion to your neighbor you won't be compassionate of self, just enabling (drugs, anger, self-hatred/mutilation, etc). That's why people fear recognizing the validity of origins. It means one would have to accept their own pitiable weaknesses and voids. As for me, I agree with Sara. I believe I am everything that I am from the beginning of creation! I have a genetic code, but thank God, more than that I have the Spirit of Grace to carry me above my weaknesses and idiocyncracies. I believe in loving every part of me just as I loved my children when they were born down to their tiny fingernails! Every part makes up the whole and that's what makes us human! I encourage all of you, no matter your disposition, to grow in knowledge and faith that you are loved and needed on this earth no matter your genetic code let the Spirit rise and the flesh be just what it is: a pretty, sometimes ugly, sometimes not well, sometimes overtly narcisstic shell. The beauty achieved within is all that matters. Use the outside to magnify the inside and the beauty inside to direct the outside. Peace, Love and Joy Nicole Posted by: Nicole at December 31, 2003 07:17 PMI think ya'll are strait out tripp~n ! I am mixed w/ white and black , and i have white folks hair,and mariah carey's skin tone . What is the big deal? And people both white and black trip off me because i talk black ! Thats the only way you can tell and the fact that my dad is black . Leave the girl alone! Posted by: brianca at January 3, 2004 04:06 PMracism is stupid. just be proud of who/what u are. I cant believe i just spent 30 mins of my time reading this stuff. but it was addicting tho... Posted by: calico at January 4, 2004 12:55 AMi know this guy that looks like JC Chasez from NSYNC (basically, he looks like a whiteboy), but is actually Black and Hispanic. Looks are deceiving. dont let your eyes judge for you.. feel w/ your heart. Posted by: theprophetofdoom at January 4, 2004 12:58 AMwho cares what she is....the only thing i know is that she is pretending to be what she is not. by no means is she that rich that she doesnt know how to do anything. paris is in fact that rich, but how much is lionel richie worth...probably 1 million dollars...nicole is a fraud...and she is lionels love child.... Posted by: Brett at January 6, 2004 08:10 AMI can't believe I wasted precious moments of my time reading this crap. It sucked me in like a bad tabloid. I am black and I am proud. Hey, I am white and I'm proud. Hey, I'm Indian and I'm proud. I'm every woman... just about! Posted by: zappy at January 6, 2004 09:08 AMThere are some real ignorant comments on this site about inferior and superior races. I'm all for "free speech", but come on people! Nicole Richie is a very attractive girl who happens to be the child of people of different races. I am a 24-year old 1st grade teacher & I'm married to a black man. We have two daughters and people initally believe them to be white when they are with me. We live in Alabama, and interracial marriage was deemed illegal until 1999 here. You could get married, but the books needed to be revised, like 50 years ago. Anyway, still 42% of Alabama residents voted to keep the ban. People need to understand that the times have changed and there are hardly ANY people alive today who are not racially mixed somehow...regardless of your claims. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage, but get all the facts first because you could be celebrating the wrong heritage and not know it. Looks are just one part of racial make-up. We all know that , but ignorance still comes out loud & clear. If we all had blonde hair & blue eyes, some would be too fat or too skinny. If we were all the same size, then some would be too tan or too pale. People like Nicole Richie are just beautiful no matter whose blood runs through her veins.READ ME READ ME READ ME**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Posted by: TAMARA at January 6, 2004 11:59 PMOK... wow!! Not sure how I wound up here from looking for info about The Simple Life... Still even less sure about why I actually read all of this, but I did and I figured why not throw in my two-cents as well. First of all, for the record, I am of mixed race. My dad is 3/4 black and 1/4 Native American and my mom is white. I was raised by parents who felt I should be raised to appreciate EVERY drop of blood in my veins and not to deny part of it because someone else thought I should. I identify just as much with my Native American heritage or my Irish heritage as I do with my black heritage and why shouldn't I? Those cultures are just as much a part of who I am. I honestly don't understand this need of people's to contain someone (or themselves) in a racial box and I really think by doing so we are all missing out on so much. And sure... I had my hard times growing up because of my racial background, but it wasn't as bad as people seem to think it would have been and I'm quite sure that if I was "pure white" or "pure black" people would have found something else to give me a hard time about... my height, weight, job, favorite color... whatever. But who cares? If someone is so ignorant that they don't want to know me because I'm mixed than I really don't feel I missed out on much there. And it seems like we mixed people are damned if we do and damned if we don't so to speak. I hate how if I want to wear my hair straight or dye it a lighter color some people might think I'm "trying to be white". maybe I just want to wear my hair a different way. Maybe Nicole likes her hair straight and blonde. Geez people. I don't see why it should even matter. White people who go out and perm their hair don't get accused of trying to "look black". Anyway, I just want to say that I am proud of my MIXED heritage. I actually really like that people can't figure out what I am right away. I have been asked if I am everything from Mexican to Egyptian to Italian and I honestly feel like most people who ask about my background are doing it out of genuine interest, not some malicious attempt to trap me in a racial box. I really like feeling like the various cultures that have come together to make me have given me a very special heritage because even if someone gentically had the same mix as me, the races would not mix together quite the same way... they might look whiter or blacker or more Indian than I do. My mixed race has become a real source of pride for me and I have come to consider it a big part of who I am. I don't classify myself as black or white because I'm not either one... I'm both and I'm proud of it. Posted by: Shannon at January 8, 2004 01:46 AMmixed race/ white or black,, the richie's did a horrible job of raising that child.
....you people are the best... And another thing about the caribbean people thinking that they are better.....i have heard that in my country...but its coming from the fact that SOME (not all) black americans are still mentally slaves.....they still think that the white man owes them sumtin and they have not gone pass that....and we dont think like that here in the caribbean although our foreparents were mostly slaves....we got our emancipation and we had a country to build for our selves...even after salvery was abolished ...most of us then wanted to be independent so we were no longer dependent on the white men in britain...so i think it has generated some amount of pride in us.... God loves you all whether you are black and white. Get over it people - Forgets your past and embrace the future. Posted by: A Human Being at January 9, 2004 11:01 AMWOW!!! Like others here, I certainly didn't plan to read all this but I got pulled in. Nobody said race doesn't matter. Of course it matters... it's part of our identity. I just don't think it makes one person better than another. And as for your comment, Janita, about a mixed race woman being considered an undesirable date by men who are any color other than black, you are wrong. I am mixed black and white with a little Native American thrown in and I have never had a problem attracting men of all races. I may not exactly look full black but I am a lot blacker-looking than Nicole Richie. In other words, many people can tell I am of "African decent" as you put it. I have a medium skin tone, black, wavy, hair and a nice figure... not too fat not too skinny. I have always been considered very attractive by men of ALL colors... not just black men. In my lifetime, I have had plenty of dates with men of many different colors, many of them white. As a matter of fact, my husband happens to be white and I know he doesn't consider himself to have traded down because of my racial background. Actually, he tells me often that I am the most beautiful woman he's ever been with and I receive numerous compliments on my looks from guys and girls alike. (And before someone says "oh he must be one of those white guys who prefers dark women, his first wife was a typical blonde, California Barbie doll, OK?) I think my exotic looks have helped me rather than hurt me in this area if anything. Of course I also have a good sense of humor, intelligence, and generosity to back up my appearance so I'm sure this has been part of my dating success as well. Of course, no one is required to date or befriend people outside their race. Some people are more comfortable with others more like themselves and if that's their thing, that's fine. However, I have always been more interested in someone's mind and personality than their skin color and this is what I have always based my relationships/friendships on... not skin color. There are many people out there who feel the same. If you look at my line-up of friends, they are of all colors, ages, and sizes and I would have missed out on some very wonderful people if I had only befriended the ones who looked just like me, including my wonderful husband whom I love very much. I am not saying that everyone should follow my lead because that is the only way to go. I am just saying that if someone out there doesn't want to be with me or be my friend because of my skin color, then it is their loss, not mine. They would be missing out on knowing a wonderful person who has a lot to offer. It just seems really silly to limit your horizons in this way. Anyway... I just wanted you guys to know that not every mixed woman out there has trouble getting a date with white men (or black men for that matter). I think that a mixed background can actually be an asset if you decide to treat it as something that makes you unique and something to be proud of instead of as a source of shame. Posted by: Shannon at January 10, 2004 07:42 AMI agree with Shannon that women of color are beautiful and I'm not trying to suggest that they cannot get ANY dates. But I do think there is a stigma still attached to being black or, yes, being of African descent (having black blood). I'm sorry, but I don't think you can ignore the clear patterns in the "the dating hierachy" and the value too many people place on the white standard, specifically the blonde/blue-eyed white standard. Also, FYI - Nicole Richie is the adopted child of Lionel and Brenda Richie. Her biological father is the brother of Sheila Escovedo - otherwise known as Sheila E. I'm not sure if she's Peter Michael's daughter, or the other Escovedo brother. But her father was in Lionel's band...her biological mother may have been in the band too. Anyway, her parents had serious problems (read: drugs), and they asked Lionel to adopt Nicole. So half of Nicole's ethnicity is Cuban...I don't know the other half. Ebony Posted by: Ebony at January 11, 2004 02:49 PMThis site is really interesting....all these people, of different ethnicities, exercising their right as AMERICANS to express their views on such a controversial issue. Isn't AMERICA wonderful? Tamara-Mobile, Alabama Posted by: TAMARA at January 11, 2004 07:40 PMOh YEA.....Go SACRAMENTO KINGS ****** Posted by: TAMARA at January 11, 2004 07:43 PMHELLO U AZZHOLEZ!!!! NICOLE IS FUKKING MIXXED!!! WHO REALLY CAREZ WHAT U ALL THINK SINCE U ALL R AZZHOLEZ!!!! Posted by: NICOLE at January 12, 2004 12:12 AMI never said that I didn't think people are still race-conscious. I mean, many people obviously are, but like I said before, if someone is "afraid" to date me because I have black blood in me then that is their loss. I'm past that and if they're not, then probably we wouldn't have gotten along very well anyway. Some people are NEVER going to get past race, but why let that bother you? There are plenty of people out there who see someone's skin color for what it is... just another interesting characteristic that makes them who they are. Posted by: Shannon at January 12, 2004 11:18 AMnicole richie i wanna fuck you until you cum. iwanna fucking cum on your face and suck my dick afterwords. Posted by: steven at January 13, 2004 07:56 PMIs it true black men, raised in the places dominated by white culture or once controlled by whites, secret crave white women? Aren't white women really the ideal of beauty? Posted by: Curious at January 14, 2004 01:33 PMCurious----You are really retarded. Do you crave ignorance? Never mind, you answered that already. Posted by: TAMARA at January 14, 2004 09:51 PMAlthough all of this is interesting stuff, I just thought I would comment on the fact that there are so many wonderfully opinionated and intelligent mixed people in America (using this website as just a small example). That is a beautiful thing to see being an opinionated, and intelligent biracial person myself. If only Nicole Richie (and steven up there), would conduct themselves in the same manner. Posted by: Biracial at January 16, 2004 09:24 AMWhoa, this has been very interesting reading. I agree with the former poster who said if we want to described race, we should be saying Irish, French, Mexican, Ethiopian instead of black, white, hispanic. I am proud of my 'white' ancestor's whom I have not found having anything yet to do with slavery or anything terrible, and my Native American ancestors. I have biracial children, 5 in all, their father is Filipino. If you ask me, my children are the most beautiful in the entire world and I taught them to be proud. I never answer the race classification, human or American was what I check...I was disowned by my paternal grandmother for dating outside my race....WHO CARES???? We all need to work together, forget the color lines and still address the social issues that make this impossible for some people...I have taught my children to respect others HERITIGE and no focus on people's skin color because has mentioned here, LOOKS CAN BE DECEVING....time to look to the heart and get on with what God wants from all of us....love each other as human beings living peacefully.... Posted by: Jan at January 16, 2004 04:23 PMJan... I am really glad to hear that someone out there is raising their kids to be proud of their heritage instead of implying that being mixed is something to be ashamed of by saying "pick one". This is also the way my parents raised me and I am teh better for it. Hats off to you!! Posted by: Shannon at January 20, 2004 12:44 AMI dont understand how some of you can get so defensive because this female wants to claim her heritage. Just because she has light skin and straight hair doesnt mean that shes white. Hell I'm white but i have very dry kinky hair, does that mean that i'm black? no, it just means that i dont fit in the white sterotype. You guys really need to read what you write and maybe you'll see how ignorant you sound. If she was a little darker but then claimed she was white everyone would be upset that she wasnt claiming her black heritage, saying that shes embarrased to say she's black. People have been fighting for years to stop racism, and now you are just being as ignorant as the slave owners were back in the day. If your black then be proud... but you should also be able to over look your own ignorance and stop discriminating other races. Yeah african americans have had it hard over the years, but i didnt do it, and i shouldnt have to get blaimed for things that my ancestors might have done. Oh and by the way, you know there were white slaves too!!! Posted by: anne at January 23, 2004 01:05 PMLANAH!!! You are kidding when you say that color does not matter in the caribbean aren't you? Well I certainly hope that you are because carribean people are more hung up on color than any other group of black people!!! Carribean people are the most insecure when it comes to dark skin and kinky hair! I have lived in the Carribean and I now live in Brooklyn (no I am not Carribean), so I know what I am talking about! The poor carribean woman in Brooklyn need to take stock out in hair extensions. When I am on the train in the morning, I can count on less then three fingers the number of carribean woman wearing their own nautural hair! And to talk to most of them is a crying shame! They are ALWAYS telling me that they wish that they had my hair or that they wish they were lighter... so please don't try to pass the bull that you carribeans are more enlightened when it comes to color!!! Champell Posted by: Champell at January 23, 2004 02:27 PMNicole's biological father is spanish. He's Sheila E's brother. I feel sorry for all of those misinformed people. Posted by: Gi at January 24, 2004 11:04 PMI wonder why it is that if a black woman wants to look a certain way (for example, have straight hair) it means she is denying her heritage. I am mixed black and white and I wear my hair straight, but I am certainly very proud of my heritage as you can see from my above posts. I straighten my hair because I personally really hate the way I look with curly, frizzy hair. If I leave my hair natural, I am basically stuck choosing between being limited to a ponytail or a bun every day or walking around with something on my head that looks like something you'd wear as a fright wig for Halloween. Straightening my hair just gives me styling ease and flexibility for my hair. That's why I straighten it. I am not doing it so I will look whiter. If a white person with curly hair wanted to straighten their hair, no one would pull some ridiculous reason like that out of their ass and pin it to the person! I am rambling, but my original point is it is ridiculous to say Carribean women are ashamed of their race or something because they want straight, manageable hair like every-freakin'-body else on the planet! Geez... Posted by: Shannon at January 26, 2004 01:19 AMAmen! I don't have any problem saying that I am influenced by European standards when I wear straight hairstyles (I wear curly/natural styles, too); just as I don't have a problem saying a Caucasian woman is influenced by African standards when she wears cornrows or a perm. Why do black people think you hate yourself or your black background when you straighten your hair? Nobody says a white woman hates herself when she gets a tan or perm or collagen implants in her lips! Posted by: Janita at January 26, 2004 02:16 PMEXACTLY!!! Glad somebody else out there gets it, too. When I straighen my hair or decide to get blonde streaks or something like that I am just thinking it will look cool. I am not thinking "Hmmmm.... what hairstyle/color can I choose that would help me hide the fact that I'm half black". I think black women who straighten their hair are beautiful. I think black women who decide to wear their hair curly or in short-cropped afros are beautiful too. I personally am getting really tired of black people looking at my long, straight hair with disgust and going "oh... she must have a weave". I don't have a weave. My hair grows long because I am half white. I will admit to straightening because it just makes it easier to blow out my hair but that is really all I do. I must wonder why on Earth it even matters to these people anyway. Who really cares if I straighten my hair or not or if I have a weave or not? No one thinks white women have some kind of ethnic identity problem if they decide to dye their hair dark or perm it or whatever. In this day and age I barely know women of ANY color anymore that don't do something to change their hair from it's natural state whether it's perming, relaxing, dying, or blow-drying. I don't think it's beacuse we are all suddenly ashamed of our race. Us gals just always want what we don't have. Girls with straight hair always want curly and vice versa. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar! Posted by: Shannon at January 26, 2004 07:07 PMJust another fact: Nicole Richie's biological dad is actually Mexican, not Cuban and Lionel and Brenda adopted her under extenuating circumstances... but, don't mind me, carry on. I can't believe the issues it's brought up... very interesting reading. Posted by: elverdad at January 29, 2004 12:11 AMI love fat balding jewish men that have a passion for kosher cookies. Thats all folks!!! Posted by: Daniel Ezekiah Scottstein at January 30, 2004 10:07 AMI love fat balding jewish men that have a passion for kosher cookies. Thats all folks!!! Posted by: Daniel Ezekiah Scottstein at January 30, 2004 10:08 AMFuck this man all u mother fukers that r talking bout this must be rich. o well yer still pimp Tell me this what kind of guy does paris like? how old is paris hilton? how old is Nicole? Why do some people have to live in the Ghetto of Wisconsin? And I just want Paris,Nicole, And Nickey to answer these questions. Posted by: Kodiak Cleveland at February 1, 2004 01:24 AMJust to let you ignorant people in on a little History, The Bible tells us that everything started out in Egypt,("AFRICA" )so in reality all MEN and Women were basically from there. Now lets just quash all of the negative stereotyping, We are all Gods children and we should learn to love each other no matter what race we think we are!!! I have three children ( what the government says are bi-racial)They will grow up to decide what and who they are, not by societies or by others who just don't seem to understand Life. My Father is high yellow and my Mom looks like an Indian, but I look like I came straight from Africa. My great-Grandmother used to tell me like this "A little bit of indian ,a little bit of dutch, a little bit of negro, but not very much", what I took from this was we all have so many different cultures running thru us who is to say what we really are.In the end of LIFE WE ALL GO TO THE SAME HEAVEN!!!!!!!! May God bless all of us, Amen Posted by: One of God's children at February 10, 2004 08:51 PMHer Mother must have been beautiful too. Why the huge debate over her race? Who cares anyways. You never know how someone will look, its just random. Why are people flaming over this trivial topic? What struck me as a cool thing was the fact that her father decided to adopt a child. Why arent people talking about none trivial stuff like that? Not that I should really talk but...get a life people! Posted by: Katie at February 17, 2004 09:40 PMP.S. Some of the comments and slurs on here are just disgustiing. Maybe you work on your OWN issues before you take on the oh so important issue of one womens race. And maybe some of you could show some respect while posting your opinions. Its like when you want someone to hear you, but all you can do is yell at them....they dont here a single word you say. Its more effective to be civilized and present your argument in a way that is clear and free from disgusting langauge. Maybe then someone will listen. Posted by: Katie at February 17, 2004 09:46 PMum...nicole richie is spanish her real dad and mom are spanish like mexico, she was adopted by a black family New Zealand seems to be the only place that doesn't care if you are black, blue, or green just as long as 'you' are human! NZ has not seen the programme yet but I'm lookinh forward to seeing Paris...Paris...! Posted by: Jaason aka CATCHY at February 29, 2004 03:30 PMNew Zealand seems to be the only place that doesn't care if you are black, blue, or green just as long as 'you' are human! NZ has not seen the programme yet but I'm looking forward to seeing Paris...Paris...! Posted by: Jaason aka CATCHY at February 29, 2004 03:30 PMTo all the misinformed people, Nicole Richie's biologcial father is Peter Escovedo (a HISPANIC MAN) who you used to play percussion for Lionel Richie. He is also the brother of Shelia E. (Prince's protege). Nicole Richie therefore may be half white or half black but she is also half LATINO. no one really knows the ethnicity of her birth mother (who is rumored to be a white woman)but no one should really care either. She's beautiful and she's famous. Leave it at that Posted by: danielle at March 3, 2004 11:51 AMi thought i would comment on everyones lack of research ability but nicole richie is the biological daughter pete escovedo jr. (sheila e's brother) which makes her half cuban and black. lionel richie adopted her when he married brenda. you dumb asses need to read the facts. for the record my both of my children are bi-racial and on their birth certificates they are black, think about the bi-racial children that read crap like this they were not ask to be born of mixed races, this is offensive to hear ignorrant black hoes and white men talk about this subject, thats why black men date and marry white women. Posted by: brandi at March 10, 2004 08:57 AMSaige and I love black people. We are both white and would much prefer to be black. Black people are hunnies, and have a very distinctive culture which Saige and I love. I feel very strongly towards the issues that have been listed here. And I think Nicole Richie is extremely privlidged to have black blood in her. LUCKY BITCH I SAY!!! One day we will be black and very good looking. To all the African descendant people you are beautiful and we love you and will meet you some day soon in the ghetto. Peace Out Ya'll! MWA MWA Posted by: Paris and Saige at March 10, 2004 05:37 PMLionel and Brenda were together in college at Tuskegee way before they adopted nicole Posted by: skegee at March 12, 2004 08:41 PMFirst I would like to say that I respect everyone's opinion. Second I would like to say that I am a Caribbean person with black, white and indian heritage as well as my caribbean heritage. I like so many others am proud of all my heritages. They accumalted together has made me the person that I am today. Like so many other "American Blacks" I too straight my hair and that doesn't mean that I'm color conscience it just means that it is eaiser to manage than my natural hair which is very thick and curly. I also hate the fact that people believe that caribbean people think they are better than americans. That is not it at all. We have a different way of growing up and u can see it in us. We were taught things that are sufficiently lacking in SOME American homes whether black or white and we just feel relieved to have learned these things so we can teach them to our kids. As far as the race thing that the one young lady said about caribbeans feel it more than others i |