The Language of Ethnicity

Ethnicity – Now there’s something that can truly fuck with your identity.

Was that too harsh? Too bad cause it’s too true. Most of our identity is wrapped up in our ethnicity. Whatever your ethnic background, who would you be if it were changed or taken away? Really think about it for a while. Talk amongst your Selves. I can wait.

Deep shit, aint it? I am so loving this class! But we didn’t actually meet today. There is a performance scheduled for Friday that we are to attend as a class, “Keeping it Real: Hip-Hop has Gone Gay” with Tim’m T. West. Unfortunately, I will be living one of my other identities down on the coast and will be unable to attend.

But, we did have an assignment: a dialogue. Some of you might recognize a couple of phrases from your own lives. But let me remind you, everything I hear, see, etc. is up for grabs. And as always, names have been changed to protect me from possible suit. Let me know what you think of the dialogue.

Scene: Brothers Edom (moved to France as a child with their father) and Brock (stayed in the U.S. with their mother) after the funeral of their maternal grandmother.

Edom: Well, if it isn’t Nana’s Lil-jew-baby. (They hug)

Brock: She was the only one that got to call me that. How’s life treating you, Mr. French?

Edom: Hey, I’m still American.

Brock: Not when you chose to be one of them. You should’ve stayed here with me and Momma.

Edom: How many years are we gonna do this? I went because Dad needed me. Mom had you.

Brock: You sure it wasn’t so no one would know your momma’s Black? Bet that made life easy.

Edom: Christ, these people over here have really screwed up your head, Little Brother. I never forgot who my mother was. Or my brother, for that matter. And easy? Of course not. I was a fucking Américaine half the time, until I learned to speak French without an accent. Other times a half Jew.

Brock: So why the hell you still over there with those stuck-up, rude people?

Edom: (pause) It’s home. And not all of them are rude. Besides, now I’m just an expatriate. They accept that.

Brock: So Eddy, do French women accept that high-yella skin of yours? Or do they even realize.

Edom: Women like me just fine. But half Black and half Jew – not all of them can accept it. One or the other seems to be preferable. But what about you? You’re almost as light as me.

Brock: Folks see light-skinned Black Christian when looking at me, so I don’t have your particular cross to bear, so to speak. Plus, I have a personality women find irresistible. Used to have a problem with some of their daddies, though.

Edom: Oh, I see. Interracial dating, are we?

Brock: I’m interracial, right? And why not? As Nana would say, all God’s children need love. But from your look, I take it you’re dating just the white French women?

Edom: You say white like it’s a bad thing. That’s how most of them see me.

Brock: Oh, really? And how do you see yourself, Edom?

Edom: I’m just me, Brock. When I’m in France, I’m Efron’s son, successful accountant. When I’m here, I’m Maggie’s long lost yella-boy and your older and much handsomer brother.

Brock: You know if you’d let that hair of yours grow, you might start to look like a brother. Oh sorry, it doesn’t grow on your head anymore, does it?

Edom: Just because Nana’s gone doesn’t mean I wont vous botter le cul.

Brock: You’re home now, Eddy. Talk like one of us, not some snooty Frenchman.

Edom: Your ass, Brock. Kick your ass.

Brock: Uhm. Now, that’s my bro.

I know, not what you would expect from me. Well, not in this format anyway. Write what you know, right? (Those of you who know what the hell I’m talking about, give one of your Selves a hug from me.)

Okay, so I’m a little punchy. Give me a break. I’m a grad student with too much on her plate.

Oh, yeah, that be how I usually role, aint it?

Quote for the day: What we think of as our identity is dependent on what we think we are not. Barker and Galasinski