Posted: Mon 19 May 2008 20:57 Post subject: America ignores half of Obama’s lineage and race
"Biracials dont't have a choice in the matter. Society makes the choice for them. Can you imagine Obama referring to himself as white, even if he wanted to?"
Barack Obama’s surprising campaign for president has reminded us, yet again, that America sees life through a severely warped prism. Despite everything we learned in elementary school, we know our society subscribes to its own peculiar mixing chart:
White + black = black.
See, we really are colorblind!
As long as the color in question is gray.
Obama is the son of a white woman from Kansas. He was raised in large measure by his white grandparents. As he mentioned in his enlightening speech on race, he has “brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue.”
Hue aside, Obama is a white man as much as anything.
But that’s not the spectrum we use in this country. We don’t see biracial; that’s too gray. You’re either white or black, defined as the latter via the “one-drop rule.”
If she was still alive, Obama’s mother could’ve played an integral role in helping us overcome our white/black fixation. Every time we saw her, especially when pictured with him, it would serve as a jarring reminder of Obama’s duality. We’d be forced to acknowledge how silly it is to call him “black,” or “African-American,” completely ignoring half of his lineage.
Obama’s physical characteristics make it easier for us to lump him with black folks. He’s not a guy who could “pass” back in the day. But the truth is, Obama could be as fair-skinned as Casper the Ghost, with hair as fine as Johnny Depp’s, and he’d still be labeled as a black man.
Like other biracials, he has no choice in the matter, no say in his identification tag. Our society defines and assigns, leaving no room for appeal. White + black = black.
And that equation has marginalized Obama.
When Geraldine Ferraro and, later, Bob Johnson suggested that Obama wouldn’t be in this position if he was white, they meant he wouldn’t be doing so well.
But you could argue he might’ve already finished off Hillary Clinton if he wasn’t black. His race certainly seems to work against him in a lot of voters’ minds, at least according to the polls.
Obama never would’ve faced the nonsense he’s dealt with if he wasn’t carrying the hopes and aspirations of an entire race. First he wasn’t “black enough.” Then he was “too black.” He was too close to the grass roots. Then he was too elitist.
His former pastor has said some wacky things, which slowed Obama’s momentum. But John McCain never took any heat for his association with the Rev. John Hagee, an endorser, who has called the Catholic Church “the great whore of Babylon” and “the anti-Christ.”
And neither McCain nor Rudy Giuliani suffered any damage for seeking support from the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, who declared America’s “pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians” were partially to blame for the 9/11 attacks.
Being identified as “black” has never much of an advantage in this society. You couldn’t blame Obama and other biracials if they said, “No, no! I want to be classified with the other side of my family!”
It’s bad enough that blacks earn a fraction of what whites earn, suffer higher rates of infant mortality, unemployment, poverty, incarceration and murder. But everyone in the group is viewed through the same lenses, no matter how successful he or she becomes.
Obama, who wants to be an agent of change, can add the subject of racial identity to his list. Perhaps, eventually, he can help us see more clearly — despite his skin, hair and facial features — that he’s no more black than he’s white. Maybe he can get us back to elementary facts and eliminate a blind spot on race.
White + black = a gray area that deserves recognition.
Posted: Thu 22 May 2008 13:29 Post subject: Re: America ignores half of Obama’s lineage and race
zsana wrote:
"Biracials dont't have a choice in the matter. Society makes the choice for them. Can you imagine Obama referring to himself as white, even if he wanted to?"
Barack Obama’s surprising campaign for president has reminded us, yet again, that America sees life through a severely warped prism. Despite everything we learned in elementary school, we know our society subscribes to its own peculiar mixing chart:
White + black = black.
See, we really are colorblind!
As long as the color in question is gray.
Obama is the son of a white woman from Kansas. He was raised in large measure by his white grandparents. As he mentioned in his enlightening speech on race, he has “brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue.”
Hue aside, Obama is a white man as much as anything.
But that’s not the spectrum we use in this country. We don’t see biracial; that’s too gray. You’re either white or black, defined as the latter via the “one-drop rule.”
If she was still alive, Obama’s mother could’ve played an integral role in helping us overcome our white/black fixation.
That's a lot to expect from is mother. I would prefer that she would be able to prove he will be a good President. I think too much is being lumped on Obama race wise. I say let's get by the Presidential vote first.
Every time we saw her, especially when pictured with him, it would serve as a jarring reminder of Obama’s duality. We’d be forced to acknowledge how silly it is to call him “black,” or “African-American,” completely ignoring half of his lineage.
It's not silly because that is his choice, people still don't get that.
Obama’s physical characteristics make it easier for us to lump him with black folks. He’s not a guy who could “pass” back in the day. But the truth is, Obama could be as fair-skinned as Casper the Ghost, with hair as fine as Johnny Depp’s, and he’d still be labeled as a black man.
I disagree. There is a lot of multiracial identity that is present in Pop culture today. Many people who are identified as biracial or multiracial: Mariah Carey, Jennifer Beals & Tiger Woods for example.
Like other biracials, he has no choice in the matter, no say in his identification tag. Our society defines and assigns, leaving no room for appeal. White + black = black.
And that equation has marginalized Obama.
Disagree.
When Geraldine Ferraro and, later, Bob Johnson suggested that Obama wouldn’t be in this position if he was white, they meant he wouldn’t be doing so well.
But you could argue he might’ve already finished off Hillary Clinton if he wasn’t black. His race certainly seems to work against him in a lot of voters’ minds, at least according to the polls.
Obama never would’ve faced the nonsense he’s dealt with if he wasn’t carrying the hopes and aspirations of an entire race. First he wasn’t “black enough.” Then he was “too black.” He was too close to the grass roots. Then he was too elitist.
His former pastor has said some wacky things, which slowed Obama’s momentum. But John McCain never took any heat for his association with the Rev. John Hagee, an endorser, who has called the Catholic Church “the great whore of Babylon” and “the anti-Christ.”
And neither McCain nor Rudy Giuliani suffered any damage for seeking support from the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, who declared America’s “pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians” were partially to blame for the 9/11 attacks.
Being identified as “black” has never much of an advantage in this society. You couldn’t blame Obama and other biracials if they said, “No, no! I want to be classified with the other side of my family!”
It’s bad enough that blacks earn a fraction of what whites earn, suffer higher rates of infant mortality, unemployment, poverty, incarceration and murder. But everyone in the group is viewed through the same lenses, no matter how successful he or she becomes.
This I agree with.
Obama, who wants to be an agent of change, can add the subject of racial identity to his list. Perhaps, eventually, he can help us see more clearly — despite his skin, hair and facial features — that he’s no more black than he’s white. Maybe he can get us back to elementary facts and eliminate a blind spot on race.
White + black = a gray area that deserves recognition.
'
FAQ
Search
Register
Log in
