# 4 HOW'S YOUR REDBONE COMPLEXION?

Are you who you are, or are you trying to hide who you really are? Some of our "Renegade Redbone Elders" or "Manifest Destiny East Texas Cowboys (Butane Truck Driver)," seem focused on raising the race issue with every post they make. No original thoughts in their posts, at least none you would want to take the time to decipher, just out of context, selected, excerpted and modified quotes from every loose screw out there.

Not all Jackasses have four legs, know what I mean?

Most all of our Redbone history is simple and straight forward, we ourselves only make it complicated by searching for convoluted answers to a mystery that never existed in the first place.

People have coined words and placed labels on other people down through the ages. When I was growing up, the labels went from White boy to that Indian kid, but it was more of a joke to me than anything else, and I did not take much of it seriously.

I lived in a Hispanic Community, San Antonio, and at the time I was growing up, it was all on the Mexicans. There was even a semi-segregated area of town known as "Mexican Town." Mexicans were not allowed in what was considered to be "White Only" swimming pools.

When I lived in Florida, Negro's were not allowed to use "White" Beach's. In Augusta Georgia, Negro's were not allowed to use the drinking fountain at the airport or the "White" restrooms, but thoughtfully, someone had provided a water hose outside. I wonder where a Redbone would've obtained a drink?

You see, it was all a matter of complexion and the part of the country one grew up in, and how you were exposed to the pecking order or the complexion scale. White -- White was good -- Tan was suspect and Black -- Black was bad. So what does it come down to? I'm more White than you are! That simple.

Now if you worry about being adopted, comparing your complexion to say your sister or other relatives, you might have an identity crisis brewing. You see, you can't change who you are no matter how hard you scrub your face. Not all Jackasses have four legs you know!

Recently, Alvie Walts, over at the RanD's site, sent the following post:

"Complexion Issue or Questions. This is a term that is in use by some people in other groups.This term has always bothered me. It is used by the administrator of another Group Mr. Larry Keels.

First off. There is no "issue" or "complexion questions" in regards to my ancestors. None, at all.The only "issues" I see are in regards to color and ancestry by some of the lighter complexion descendants. Some of which are of the Gibson family which makes me sick and very sad because that is also part of my heritage.

There seems to be a "White" vs "Black" and/or "Red" vs "Black" in our groups but I am not going to get into that. I will only state that Native American is in this culture folks. If those others can't see that then they did not grow up with it and are probably not from that ancestry. If there is some Black African in my ancestry (and I suspect there is either direct or indirect from Middle Eastern ancestry), then it does not bother me, so why does it bother some of these other Redbone group people?

We may all be mixed and of the same surnames, but it does not mean we all have the same ancestry and that is a very important point.Even if I do have some African it does not make me "Black" nor does having some Native American make me "Indian". Everyone has to find their own personal identity, and some of these folks need to stop trying to force it on others because they themselves are having their own "identity" crisis in regards to there ancestry."

Alvie

Alvie is pretty much right on about Larry Keel's denial of his race. Larry's commentary often tells the tale. But does anyone out there besides Larry really care about Larry's likely African connection -- not many. Just my opinion.

Larry appears fearful of DNA testing and rails about it from time to time, but what about his claim to a Melungeon heritage -- as far as I know, from knowledgeable others, he has no Melungeon connection -- not all Smith and Jone's are related, know what I mean?

Lately, his combined Melungeon/ Renegade Redbone site is loaded with Larry Keels excerpted commentary from all kinds of fellows -- many of them "on the ceiling." Obviously Larry Keels cannot form an original thought, at least not an original thought that is not convoluted or that can be deciphered easily. Remember, not all Jackasses have four legs. Just my opinion though.

If you want a fair and balanced take on our families, check out the RanD's site. They will likely give you an invite -- without a DNA test.

How is your complexion now?

Gary J. Gabehart (Mishiho, Mish-eh-ho)
Mishiho@aol.com