How come Obama is a BLACK MAN cuz he's 1/2 Black, but not White even though hes 1/2 White?

In answer to the op. It is a passion of people to name things. Box it up. Package and label it. And now you are asking why. Fact of the matter is that both a Ford or a Chevrolet are a CAR. Everyone has one. But I'll bet my dad can beat your dad up.
sigh

I never like the term 'black' and 'white' - looks like tanned and pale to me. Judgin Obamas physical characteristic, he'd be considered tanned moreso than pale.

Peace.

reply to post by BiggerPicture


Obama being of mixed race is just one of many detractors that has kept him in office and probably re elected. Obama is fluid. He is nothing more than a man standing behind the podium letting us know what has been decided by a panel of others. The more we focus on black or white, republican or democrat, left or right, rich or poor the less we focus on what were are leaving for the next generations. Focus less on the man and focus more on the path that has got us here. We got our selfs in this mess.

reply to post by BiggerPicture


Even funnier is how before he was elected, during the primaries in 2007 and 2008, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were saying that he isn't a "real" black man because he has no "slave roots". Of course once he was elected, they changed their tune and started riding his nuts like every other race baiting liberal.

It would be strange calling him a white man whe he so clearly looks black, atleast he looks pretty black to me.

It's because keeping people discussing trivial things such as if he should be considered "black" or "white" instead of just "human" will keep our country divided and unable to focus on real problems that are being caused.

They've got you right where they want you.
Just look at some of the ridiculous replies and arguments in this thread. It's pathetic.

Originally posted by Afterthought
reply to post by nixie_nox

 

So, we should resort to making our decisions based on what was the norm 60 years ago?
Yeah. I don't think so.

So you agree he would of had to sit in the back of the bus 60 years ago then?
And btw, there are plenty of people still around that remember and experienced it, and the whites only water fountains.

And racism is still very alive and well, people just don't admit it publicly.


So yea, I think so.

The fact is is that calling someone 'black' is being replaced by the word 'brown'. Really, if you go to Africa, you're going to see a true 'black' person simply because that is the way their skin pigment is.

I have also seen lighter toned Africans.

So we should be making our decisions based on what is the norm in Africa?

And no, black people are not brown. Latins and Eastern Indians are brown.

You see many more brownish toned skin in America and elsewhere, but very few dark, dark skinned people.

I don't know where you live but in my area, there are plenty.

Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Peruvians, Egyptians, and others are certainly brownish.

Go ahead and call a black person, brown,and a Mexian, black. Let me know how that turns out for you.

Besides, race isn't just about color, it is about features as well.

Then, you have the Italians and Grecians who are considered to have an olive complexion.

But when you have to answer race questions, there isn't an option for olive, yellow,or red.

reply to post by nixie_nox


You completely missed my point.
The thing is is that our skin tone is part of our identity.

The part that truly bugs me is when I'm watching the news and they're trying to describe a person they're looking for. Sometimes, they won't even say a race or skin tone. When describing a perp that's on the loose, in order to catch him, it's pertinent to describe his total person. We've become so PC that it's going to give those who don't need an edge the upper hand.

"He had brown hair and brown eyes."
Well, that just described one third of the population in most cities....

They could even say he had brown hair and blue eyes, but I've met islanders who have blue eyes, so describing skin tone and ethnicity should not be overlooked when it actually matters.

Originally posted by Afterthought

"He had brown hair and brown eyes."
Well, that just described one third of the population in most cities....

And saying he's "black" really narrows it down.

Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by LErickson

 

Well physically Obama looks mixed to me. His facial features and skin tone doesn't look "full black". Are you color blind?

I know lots of black people with two black parents that have much lighter skin and more subtle features than Obama. Great he looks mixed to you. He does not look mixed to most people. In fact, no one even ever noticed he "looked" mixed until it was common knowledge that he was.

Black:

Mixed:

You must be colorblind because if you want to get like that 50 is not black either. He is more a shade of violet brown.

Has any one asked themselves, what does Obama call himself?
Him personally, what colour does he consider himself to be?
Does that count in this crazy equation?

But yes, I can't deny that the media and the whole conglomorate praises him as black because well that way they can say "you see, we voted you a black President", style.

"Don't say it's just us (whites)"

Some time in the future "remember Obama?!"

Originally posted by BiggerPicture

Originally posted by AnIntellectualRedneck
All I know is that in the ordinary order of things, black people don't accept somebody who's mixed any better than white people do where I'm from, so it makes me laugh to hear black people down here referring to how they're proud to have a black man in the white house.

Hmm,

I thought most African-Americans ARE mixed due to slave-rapes and such in history,

but yeah, just deny it.

It isn't just slave-rapes, many Black women CHOSE to mate with White men so their lighter children would have a better chance in society -- and eventually their descendants would be able to escape into the White mainstream.

And yes, the MAJORITY of American Blacks are part White. According to some USG survey done over 50 years ago, it was estimated that over 80% of American "Negroes" had White blood. I'm sure the percentage is much higher now -- since the anti-miscegenation laws were take off the books.

"Negro" is literally the Latin word for Black, but became "unacceptable" by the mid-1960's with the rise of the "Black Power" movement. Before that calling a "Negro" "Black" was considered an insult and could get someone killed.

And to get back to the OP, Obama is classified as Black because he looks African. He most certainly does not look White and would never be mistaken for a White.

Because you say "Why not call him white?" - which in some odd, sub-conscious way would imply that "black" is something bad?

reply to post by flexy123


A perfect example of the lopsidedness of black-white racial disposition. It has nothing to do with "black being something bad", why call someone equally "white" and equally "black" a black man? It is a perfect criticism of the fact that he is never called "white" and is not racist at all.

the very fact that many people here are saying Obama is black "because he looks black" to them and "because he doesn't look white" is the biggest proof that a large percentage of Americans are still very much into "race issues"...

one drop rule still applies for too many people.

and it is not surprise if we look into the history: "blacks" were slaves, used and abused a long time after slavery "ended" and it is worth to say that the exploitation of "black" people in the USA was very good for "white" ECONOMY of the USA.

even more funny is when I meet Americans who talk with so much pride about positive discrimination and the position of "blacks" in the USA; like "we are so nice to them nowadays".

sad, but funny. tragicomedy.

Just joined ATS after many years of being here and I just had to chime in on this. I noticed a post that said down south, black people don't accept mixed races...bullhockey...it's in my family as well as many others. I'm Black, Cherokee and my great-great grandfather was White and I have reddish brown curly hair, but in the world, I'm a black guy
and I'm cool with that because for all practical purposes, I am, but my skin color isn't even BLACK...it's reddish brown. And Obama isn't BLACK as in the color, as I am not but we're still called black, even though the last BLACK people came over on ships many moons ago. And to add to this, my daughter is half white and she's BLACK! Lol, go figure on the outdated modes of race recognition of people with African blood as well as other blood. And hanging around ATS all these years, I already know someone is gonna ask what do I want to be labeled as. That's the thing, I don't like labels...labels tend to divide...I'm just American me.

Maybe since he sees himself as an African America and identifies with the African American culture he is for that reason.

reply to post by BiggerPicture


it's because he's barry.
amirite?
is there a prize?

also, clinton.

reply to post by BiggerPicture


Yup your right, Obama is not the first black president...he is the first mixed president. His wife is very racist's she most likely has implanted it into his brain that he is black also. Which he is not black. I have 3 brothers and 2 sister's that are half black and white, you ask them if they are black they say no I'm mixed.

Originally posted by BiggerPicture
why is that? we'd all readily accept Obama as a 'black' man but heads will roll if Obama were referred to as white even though he's half and half... if anything, brown.

and so what are the psychosocial implications looking forward that even today in 2012 American society stoops to the racist american colonial "1 percent rule"?

to me, it all boils down to American being against multiculturalism and all for 1 percent rule and black vs white like left vs right dem vs rep, all dichotomies.

"Here we go...America has yet to see a black President...the only thing about obama being black is his Dad getting his Mom pregnant...Than he left and so did she..leaving him to be raised by his white grandparents in Hawaii..LOL
-KBLETHF"

edit on 9-3-2012 by BiggerPicture because: (no reason given)

Hi,

I have only one word left to say at the end of this message...

WAKE UP PEOPLE! BLACK or WHITE its just a LABEL!

OBAMA is simply a "HUMAN BEING" JUST LIKE YOU ARE!

HE is simply a "spirit" inside of a shell as are YOU.

WHAT IF we ALL LOOKED IDENTICAL on the OUTSIDE?

JOHN LENNON + YOKO ONO - THEY GOT IT RIGHT!

MY LAST WORD ON THIS THREAD IS...

BAGISM

Whats it matter he's a human being

WE ARE ALL THE SAME