In the past two weeks, I have been surrounded with the stupidest people I have ever come in contact with. And they're all obsessed with people who they THINK have Indian ancestry.

Example 1-Some lady recently gets the results of her genealogy research and a guy asks her "Are you part Indian?" (even though he CLEARLY overheard her results, as we were assisting the researchers). She chews him out and says "I have fair skin and fluffy hair. I am sorry I do not fit your stereotype of an African American woman. Furthermore, just because I have a dash of Indian blood does not mean that I am going to run off and claim to be "part-Indian," because I am BLACK. I know who my true ancestors are, and no percentage of Native American or European blood is going to change who I call MY people."

Example 2-While watching footage of the Jackson family's variety show, two fools (my neighbors, who I thankfully, do not attend college with) say "Michael and Jermaine's afros was so pretty and curly" AND "Rebbie was hot, man! Look at those cheekbones! She looks just like her mother, you know they've got Indian in their family!"

They obviously knew that I was upset, because they were quick to say "Not trying to insinuate anything negative! I researched it online, and there ancestors were held by Indians, so they really ARE black and Indian."

Now, as a mixed-race person (black dad/native indian mother), I realize that it's hypocritical that my first reaction was "Who cares?!" I am sick and tired of fools like this home and abroad acting as if black guys can't have pretty hair unless their "part Indian." That black women can't be attractive unless their "part Indian." That I am so pretty because I'm "half Indian." So I basically retorted with "If you think it is uncommon to find people whose slave ancestors were held by Indians, you need to learn history. And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but until Native Voices magazine and indiancountrytoday0o0com start reporting on Michael Jackson's passing as have Jet/Ebony magazine and blackamericaweb0o0com, I think the Jackson's identify as African American."

Because honestly, people can't just LOOK at a person and say "No, they don't have any Indian ancestry!"..because looks can be deceiving and people don't know others' ethnic background unless they ask. And even if the Jackson family and other black families do have Native ancestry, they're just descendants, because they're not "enrolled." (but I really don't wanna get into all the political stuff)… In other words, the ancestry is THERE, it may be present in facial features, but it really doesn't define how you identify.

**I merely used the Jackson's as an example to further magnify this, so in responses, you don't have to necessarily address them when responding.

What are your opinions on the incorporation of Native ancestry when used to "clarify" beauty and other aspects?