Monday, November 28, 2011

BUT WHAT IF I AM NOT BLACK, WHITE OR MULATTO?

CHRISTIANS COME TO THE NEW WORLD BRINGING WITH THEM LOVE AND COMPASSION
In the Dominican Republic the government has apparently decided to go ahead and clean up any misconceptions about the genocide of the indigenous people of the island.  A new law simply makes clear no Taino Indians will exist from now on.  Having exterminated 98% of the Taino since the arrival of those glorious white Christians to the western hemisphere, I guess they figure why not just announce the job is finished.  You see the Dominican Republic is one of those countries that require you carry an identity card.  Under a newly proposed law you are allowed to be "mulatto", black, or white.  That's it.  Uh, there are still a few of those pesky folks   hanging out, who really don't fit into the government's color schema.  Why are they doing this?  Why would anyone have to carry an identity card describing their "race" anyway?  You tell me.


The following is from Intercontinental Cry.



Dominican Republic: Proposed Legislation Would Erase Indigenous Peoples


A new piece of legislation has been proposed in the Dominican Republic that would effectively erase the country's Indigenous population---the Taino.

According to a recent article on Dominican Today, the "Dominican Republic Electoral Law Reform" Bill identifies just three ethnicities for the country's new citizen ID cards. Those ethnicities are Mulatto, black and white.
While the country's Indigenous population has been reduced by roughly 98 per cent since 1492, according to some estimates, that population continues to exist.
An emergency petition has been set up to stop to the Bill from being ratified.

Dominican Legislation Eradicates 'Indians'

Mulatto, black and white will be the only colors among Dominicans and will be stated thus in the citizens ID cards (cedula), effectively eradicating the nation's "Indians."
The bill "Dominican Republic Electoral Law Reform" states that in the master file of cedulas the color of Dominicans will be established by their ethnic group, and as such only three colors.
The Spanish Royal Academy of Language defines ethnic group as "a human community defined by racial affinities."
Organization of American States (OAS) and Central Electoral Board (JCE)technicians drafted the legislation to reform Electoral Law 275-97, and will be debated by the JCE prior to being submitted to Congress in the next few days.
The bill also states that in addition to the person's ethnic group, in the cedulas master file information must figure the serial number for each municipality, the specific identity number, a citizen's blood type, their father's and mother's full names, their digital photo and fingerprints, among others.
The measure announced late Thursday drew quick rebuke Friday morning, with prominent media figure Teo Veras asking the JCE to "leave that as is," because in his view, it could only stoke "ill feelings."
Although nearly all Taino Indians perished early during Spanish colonization, the term "Indio" lingered from the many remaining descendants of mixed blood also called mestizos.
The term over time came to describe a person whose color is neither black, white nor mulatto, the latter often called "moreno."

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