depending on who's asking and what I'm feeling I'll ask the question 
when asked what I am:

"Are you asking what my ethnicity is or what my nationality is?"

Most of the time I say I am Mexican born in San Jose, CA

I just move on and let them figure it out, but their next word better 
not be, "But. . ." because then I'll give them a lesson about who was 
here first and how Mexican people should not be considered "New" to the 
United States. And who would they consider the true owners to be and how 
would they feel about the ownership of property if someone stole it from 
them.

And yes my skin can become pretty light especially over the winter when 
I stay inside most of the time, but let me get out into my garden and I 
almond up pretty good. But don't let anyone call me "white". . .one day 
this black woman  saw me eating Churches Chicken and she said, "Come on 
Joe white people don't eat churches." Well they never called me white 
again and I even heard that woman (in my presence) telling another 
co-worker that I wasn't white.

but 95% of the time i simply say, "I am Mexican born in San Jose, CA"

joseph

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