Posted on 12/13/2008 12:52:33 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
A perplexing new chapter is unfolding in Barack Obama's racial saga: Many people insist that "the first black president" is actually not black.
Debate over whether to call this son of a white Kansan and a black Kenyan biracial, African-American, mixed-race, half-and-half, multiracial — or, in Obama's own words, a "mutt" — has reached a crescendo since Obama's election shattered assumptions about race.
Obama has said, "I identify as African-American — that's how I'm treated and that's how I'm viewed. I'm proud of it." In other words, the world gave Obama no choice but to be black, and he was happy to oblige.
But the world has changed since the young Obama found his place in it.
Intermarriage and the decline of racism are dissolving ancient definitions. The candidate Obama, in achieving what many thought impossible, was treated differently from previous black generations. And many white and mixed-race people now view President-elect Obama as something other than black.
So what now for racial categories born of a time when those from far-off lands were property rather than people, or enemy instead of family?
"They're falling apart," said Marty Favor, a Dartmouth professor of African and African-American studies and author of the book "Authentic Blackness."
"In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois said the question of the 20th century is the question of the color line, which is a simplistic black-white thing," said Favor, who is biracial. "This is the moment in the 21st century when we're stepping across that."
Rebecca Walker, a 38-year-old writer with light brown skin who is of Russian, African, Irish, Scottish and Native American descent, said she used to identify herself as "human," which upset people of all backgrounds.
(Excerpt) Read more at wibw.com ...
IIRC it was the blacks who initially said the Obama wasn’t black because he hadn’t been a part of the movement.
Similarly, way back in school when I was asked "what nationality are you?", my deadpan reply was always: "American"
Let’s ask Tiger Woods what race 0bama is. That would be entertaining.
Well, they played the race card to get him elected, so now I’d say we’re stuck with it.
“Human”? Yes. But that’s not the plank he ran on. “Mutt”? No, only Obama is permitted to use that term. “Black”? Well, that’s the official, politically correct, designated description. Or, more properly, African-American, if you don’t mind coughing up an eight-syllable adjectival phrase every time you refer to him.
Some people have too much time on their hands.
0be’s not from da ‘hood.
“IIRC it was the blacks who initially said the Obama wasn’t black because he hadn’t been a part of the movement.”
The race hustlers are not at all ready to plan for the day when racial divisiveness ends. The race hustle bubble, should it burst, would have a devastating effect on some black millionaires.
People can debate this all day and all night if they want to, but (gasp) I agree with Obama on this one. Whatever his ethnic breakdown, presence or absence of slave blood, etc., Barack Obama would appear black to most people who saw him walking down the street. I little doubt that he’s been treated as a black man all his life - for all the good and bad that implies. If he wants to call himself the first black president, I have no quarrel with that. It’s when he starts discussing healthcare that I have a problem....
Good idea . Oh he’s muslim anyway ;-)
I thought it was because Joe Biden noted that he was good looking, clean and could speak proper English. Basically, that he wasn't Al Sharpton.
Obama sounds like Dave Chapelle’s “white guy” caricature. He is whiter than McCain.
Face it. Obama sucked them all into the big circus tent by living the dream of P.T. Barnum(I think) “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
Obama’s true colors are RED ( commie) and GREEN (extreme enviro-wacko)
“The race hustlers are not at all ready to plan for the day when racial divisiveness ends. “
They will never let it end. If everybody had mulatto coloration, they would require everyone be tattooed with percentages so those with >50% anglo/white could be denegrated.
Because too many Americans have a vested financial interest in maintaining the status quo of racial tension.
Government funds are allotted to states in accordance with data collected in the census.
Coveted places in prestigious law and medical schools are reserved to minorities.
College scholarships are dolled out to minorities.
Political power is generated from easily inflamed racial animosity caused by imaginary transgressions. How can this country ever get past racial identity politics when so much effort is put forward to maintain or advance racial identity politics by those who gain power and / or money from its existence?
Unfortunately I have heard the “N” word more
since November 4th than any other time in my
life.
It may be something that will take
another 200 years to get rid of.
Should be but won't. There is still a lot of mileage to be gained by racial identity politics and sadly it won't end anytime soon.
Look for studies to be done that say even though a Black has been elected to the highest office in the land we are STILL a racist nation!!
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