I feel that Fulbeck’s focus on mixed culture is a necessary one, which is often neglected in society. So aimlessly are we able to spit out the words, “What are you?” without considering that someone’s identity is not solely wrapped up in one word. I am a Caucasian women, and if someone was to come to me and ask me, “What are you?,” my first response, not even my second or third response would be “white.” I think we automatically assume that if someone looks different than us, they must constantly internalize this. However, though some may, why is it that some people (me being faulted for this too), expect someone to know, when I ask them, “what are you?”, I am referring to their ethnicity. The fact that this has been so ingrained in multiracial individuals show a type of perpetual, silent racism. It may not be blatant or harmful, but it does set out to find out persons “differences” oppose to accepting that all individuals are humans, regardless of slanted eyes, or dark skin.
Another interesting point that Fulbeck brings up is the idea that if you look a certain way you must identify with that culture or group, which most resembles your outward appearance. For Fulbeck, though he is part Chinese, he feels that he more closely identifies as Japanese. However, his family and other Chinese people, ridicule him for trying to be Chinese. This can also be seen in the one-drop hypodescene rule. If someone is half-white and half black, most assume that they should identify with their black side, because that is what they look more like. However, if someone does not feel black, but more white, why should such constraints be placed on them?
Another example, which is more closely seen with that of Fulbeck’s is in the case of what society deems as “oreo”, “banana”, “coconut”, or “uncle tom”. These words are use to connotate when someone is one race, but acting like another. For example, “oreo” usually refers to a black person, usually a black man, who is “acting” as if he were “white”. And even if this man is not full black, but black and white, and decides to identify with his white ethnicity and “act” white, he is referred to as an “oreo”. Same with other minorities and mixed-raced individuals.
The unfortunate fact that race is placed on people, or “done” to people; seem to only perpetuate racism, even if people are unaware of it. I think the fact Fulbeck has taken on the task of addressing these issues is important in dealing with this “invisible” phenomena.