Say it loud: I'm black and blue and I'm proud

How would you like to be one of those Melungeons today? For generations you did everything to claim you were not black (despite a skin tone that said otherwise) and now you find out that you actually came from those Negroes after all, due to a little "Jungle Fever" type freakiness that went on back in the day.

You even tried to say that you wee Portuguese for crying out loud! (BTW, the Portuguese can't escape their black roots, either) I suspect that there are clans all over America with similar stories, but they dare not tell it for fear of losing their white card. The poor Melungeons, unlike the rest of you, have been exposed. And, from the looks of things, they are not too pleased about it.

 “There were a whole lot of people upset by this study,” lead researcher Roberta Estes said. “They just knew they were Portuguese or Native American.”

Yes, this black thing is not a good look if after living a certain Deliverance type existence all of your life your whiteness is all you have to hold on to. I suspect that many Americans read this story and were digging up the old family albums. "Is this Grandpa Joe? Dad,why did you tell me that he got that tan from spending a lot of time at the beach when he never left Nashville?" America, it might be time to have that conversation, or at least Google Ancestory.com.

Anyway, as bad as these Melungeons are feeling today, they can't feel as bad as the blue people from Kentucky. (No Smurf jokes, please!) How do they explain their background? The Melungeons hid behind the Portuguese and Native American card. What can the blue people claim? I mean, they are blue.

Although it seems that there might be a legitimate explanation for the blue people: They were unfortunate victims of a medical disorder. (Not to mention a little inbreeding) A disorder which left their skins blue. The Melungeons cannot claim such a medical background. There are no genetic disorders to fall back on. Physically they are just fine. Now mentally, on the other hand.....