Sammy Sosa; Indio Claro! Race and the Dominican Republic

When most of us saw Sammy Sosa, we couldn't believe that a man of his age would go to such extemes to change his skin tone and colour.  But, most of us were looking at Mr. Sosa with perspectives shaped by our own environments and communities.  We in the "States" have a view point on race, much different than people from Dominican Republic and of course the world of the DR has shaped Sosa's view point and mentality.  While my own view is shaped by my environment, community and understanding as a Black person in the States, I don't condone his behaviour but, I do understand the conditions that may have shaped is mind.  However, Mr. Sosa has lived in the States far too long to have not been able to overcome the racial mental chains that were locked on while growing up in the Dominican Republic that have bound his thinking to continue to believe the Trujillo edict on being a darker skinned person.  Per these photos he has not.  In 2007 the Miami Herald ran an article that may help shape our understanding about why so our relatives in the Dominican Republic may feel the way they do about their darker skins. 

Comments

[Exquisitely Black]

I saw the Miami Herald article and was less than surprised. Here in the U.S., we - hundreds of years later, also still have not come to terms with our skin color, hair texture, facial features, etc. Unfortunately, I believe this is something far more prevalent in all communities of the African diaspora, than we would have hoped.

[[Victor Amenta]]

EB, I absolutley agree with you. I don't fully understand it, but i don't understand certain rappers making statements like light skinned women are prettier. In addition there are other forces that guide this thought process. Jamaican rapper Sean Paul was asked by a British television host why he thought he was so popular over many other Jamaican artists. He said I paraphrase here, I'm sad to say its how I look, my skin color.