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Comment by phs318u | Hacker News Reader

Or, maybe because its been economically, socially and legally advantageous to be considered white for hundreds of years, so people who weren't white were saying they were (if they could get away with it). What we're seeing now may be a pendulum swing, and if so, good.

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It’s hardly good if multi-generational white-passing, possibly advantaged folks are reclassifying themselves as white. For example, Elizabeth Warren, who has infinitely more privilege than my brown ass.

Yup, they'll have both Native and White privilege with this.

Isn't Warren white and reclassified herself as American Indian though?

Can’t believe I got upvotes despite a typo that makes things confusing. I meant as American Indians.

>"What we're seeing now may be a pendulum swing, and if so, good."

I was raised to believe that 'the pendulum' coming to rest, so to speak, is the good thing.

Don't disagree with you. I'm happy it's swinging away from the extreme position its been held in for centuries. I never stated where I want it to come to rest. Maybe if we remove the structures that have kept it in place it will come to rest somewhere agreeable? (though for the majority of those who stand to lose power, it's unlikely to be agreeable).

> Or, maybe

What difference do you see between my comment and yours?

You said payment.

They described a lessening of discrimination.

Those are very different things.

As seen by Senator Elizabeth Warren, identifying as Native American can confer quite a few benefits, and that was back in the 80's. These days I can only assume the dividends are even greater.

With that in mind it is not a huge leap of the imagination that, if given the option to, many people will self-id as Native American to gain a perceive edge in a society were diversity is increasingly valuable.

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