Is Obama really Black?

Hi folks. I just watched a video where the singer seems to be calling Obama's claims of being black into question. After all, his mother is snow white. It's pretty funny actually. Heres a link:

Rappin Obama

Whats your thoughts? If he is elected will Obama actually be the first black president of the United States, considering his mother is white.

If he is elected will Obama actually be the first black president of the United States, considering his mother is white.

Yes.

Up until quite recently, this country operated on a simple premise: if you looked black, you were. The one-drop rule applied with one caveat: if you were phenotypically 'white', you could "pass".

Then, everything changed (I noticed it in the 90's, but it certainly could have begun earlier), and (white) people started caring "what you were." Before, white people didn't seem to care (although black people catalogued this genealogical trivia)- you were just "black", or whatever else they called you- then, all of a sudden, people (of all colors) were even asking me, "What are you?", all big-eyed and wondering. It was disconcerting, even though I got the impression it was supposed to be a compliment.

So, 'racial etiquette' changes, and people adjust. Based on a decent sized sample representing a broad cross-section of black people (young people a lot of ATS'ers would characterize as 'thugs' and '(future) baby mamas', older Bill Cosby minded folks, community activists, younger college educated professionals, etc), the main question is, how is he socialized? It's hard to say, since we don't know him personally, but a pretty clear indication, at least to the black people I speak to, is that he's married to an African-American woman. In a very real sense, he's "yoked" to the AA community.

Not that any of this matters, of course. I've said before: I do not expect him to settle the debt many Americans think this country owes black people. If he wins, he'll have his hands full trying to get this country back on track. He'll need to focus, and I don't want him distracted with the race-baiting that is sure to follow any attempt at directly giving aid to "black America".

He has a larger task, and I understand that.

Btw, did I manage to answer your question somewhere in there?

Yes, he is.

Happily enough, it doesn't seem to matter for most people. I'm sure there are more than a few who'll vote for him because he is black, and just as many who'll not for the same reason. Regardless of whether or not they like his politics, foolish, but there it is.

Maybe America has come furthur along the path of true racial equality than some of us have thought. I remember a time when this would never, ever have happened...now it has. Even if he doesn't win, times...they are a changin'. For the better one would hope.

reply to post by mrwupy


The first half African-American half English? American President.

None of us are true anything when it comes down to it. We're all muts. There are no purebreds.

Is America ready for a woman or half-black President? I think so. I hope America doesn't vote for someone based on their racial makeup or sex.

We need to be debating the issues, not the person's physical attributes.

What is this high school?

[edit on 3/16/2008 by biggie smalls]

I was under the impression that Bill Clinton was the very first Black President???

Confusing...

All very confusing...

Semper

He's black.

I don't know if he can say that he has shared the average 'black american experience' or not (raised overseas, raised by his white family, high-end colleges) ... but he's black.

Originally posted by biggie smalls
Is America ready for a woman or half-black President?

My response - sure we are. As long as it's someone who can do the job.

I just hope that if Obama doesn't make it then people don't go around saying that America isn't ready for a black president. The cross-race numbers he's pulling in show otherwise. Same with Hillary. Her cross-gender numbers show that American can vote for a qualified and capable woman for POTUS.





[edit on 3/17/2008 by FlyersFan]

Actually, he'll be the first mongrol half-breed. Based on all the negative enlightenment recently, I doubt he'll make it to the White House.

His deck of cards is crumbling.

Barack (Universal Man) Obama is half black, half white. How hard is that to understand?

Yeah he's black and I really couldn't if I tried to care less about his skin color. The only thing that matters is: Can he do the job? Everything else just doesn't matter.

reply to post by gallopinghordes


That's a nice sentiment. I had hoped that his race wouldn't become an issue, but that wouldn't be America. Excuse my cynicism, but I know too, too many over-qualified black professionals who go through the same drama trying to get a promotion... the affirmative action accusations, the devaluing of his successes, the changing goalposts.

I wish more people felt the way you do, but, imo, this election cycle has made it clear that that's not the case. If it were, would we even be talking about this?

HarlemHottie;

Sadly you're correct it is an issue to some. I think people are getting it tho slowly but surely. If minority status wasn't an issue would job applications include "women and minorities are encouraged to apply"? No but society is changing as we raise our children and they also learn to look at the person; not skin color, not sex, not sexual orientation or any of the other things that just shouldn't matter.

I'm voting for Obama at this point; he's young but maybe that's a good thing. One thing is for sure it's going to get interesting.