Barack Obama is black?

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:00 pm

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-ge ... of.an.Era/

She's gotten more than 17 million votes in her own right this year, enticingly close to the number won by Barack Obama, who is making history, too, because he's black.

The statement above is the kind of statement that really irritates me. Technically, I don't know what to call him other than Barack Obama. What I mean is he is not "black" and he isn't "white." He is half and half or should I say mixed as far as color is concerned. My child is going to be taught that they are to be called/known by their name and not by color. In case you are wondering why Cappster is bothered by such a statement, my child is mixed.

Granted, he or she hasn't popped out of Momma yet, but these are some things I am starting to pay more attention to. Americans need to lose the color label and recognize people by the content of their character.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:08 pm

Obama is bi-racial. So are most people.
Most people are, in fact, multi-racial.
I'm with you here. Names work best.

And Obama is not making history because of his racial makeup. He's making history in spite of his racial makeup.

tribeofjudah · Post by **tribeofjudah** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:06 pm

Save the drama............ for Obama!

Yeah, we're all people, different branches of ONE big tree............

Praise the LORD!

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:21 am

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/primary_rdp

WASHINGTON - Change is coming, that much Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama agree on as they plunge into a five-month campaign for the White House.

The primaries behind them, the presidential rivals were wasting no time drawing the battle line for a fall fight that will make history with the election of either the oldest first-term president in McCain or the first black leader in Obama. In speeches marking the start of the general election, both maneuvered for the advantage with voters sour on the status quo.

Again, how is Obama black? He is half and half as in half white and half black. Reporters would be correct in saying that he is the first half white or half black presidential candidate running for office.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:33 am

Cappster wrote:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/primary_rdp

WASHINGTON - Change is coming, that much Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama agree on as they plunge into a five-month campaign for the White House.

The primaries behind them, the presidential rivals were wasting no time drawing the battle line for a fall fight that will make history with the election of either the oldest first-term president in McCain or the first black leader in Obama. In speeches marking the start of the general election, both maneuvered for the advantage with voters sour on the status quo.

Again, how is Obama black? He is half and half as in half white and half black. Reporters would be correct in saying that he is the first half white or half black presidential candidate running for office.

More proof the media is stupid. Black and white are pigments, not colors. When the two are mixed, the result is shades of gray. So, technically, Obama is gray. I'd love to see the fallout from someone asking Obama how it feels to be the first gray Presidential candidate.

It reminds me of the "So, Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?" story.

The media can't write anything without controversy. There has to be a political, social, racial, religious or sexist overtone to everything. If there isn't one, invent one. We don't report, we do tabloids. We just call them "Blogs."

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:47 am

It reminds me of the "So, Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?" story.

That one is a myth, and widely misunderstood.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:53 am

Irn-Bru wrote:
It reminds me of the "So, Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?" story.

That one is a myth, and widely misunderstood.

A myth, and widely misunderstood. I'd say that's an accurate description of referring to Barack Obama as "black." I'd also say that the Doug Williams story depends greatly upon who you ask. While I believe Doug himself has stated that the story is not true, people sitting next to him at the time of the interview have stated that it is true. I suppose prudence should dictate that we believe Doug Williams over other sources.

Prudence should also dictate that we refer to Barack Obama as Barack Obama. I don't think we need to refer to him as "black", as though we need to differentiate between him and the "white" Barack Obama, or the "Yellow" Barack Obama, or the "Red" Barack Obama. I'm quite certain there's only one running for President, even if there is more than one Barack Obama in the United States.

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:57 am

Both Doug and the people sitting next to him are right. It did, in fact, happen, but not in the way that is widely reported (therefore, it's also "not true," in that sense).

Snopes and some other articles have detailed this. We had a thread on it at THN a little while back.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:59 am

Irn-Bru wrote:Both Doug and the people sitting next to him are right. It did, in fact, happen, but not in the way that is widely reported (therefore, it's also "not true," in that sense).

Snopes and some other articles have detailed this. We had a thread on it at THN a little while back.

I'll have to look for that thread. As much as I'm here, I still haven't read all of the historical threads.

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:51 am

Sigh..............another Obama is black statement.

Obama made history on Tuesday when he became the first black to win a U.S. major-party presidential nomination. Clinton would have been the first woman to do so.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-po ... LITICS-DC/

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:43 am

What's wrong with pointing that out? I don't think invisibility should be the ideal when it comes to race—that's simply ignoring reality.

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:44 am

Irn-Bru wrote:What's wrong with pointing that out? I don't think invisibility should be the ideal when it comes to race—that's simply ignoring reality.

I don't see his race having been any real issue for anyone. The Left like him because he's an unapologetic uber-liberal, Marxist, not because he's black. Republicans and fiscal conservatives dislike him because he's an unapologetic uber-liberal, Marxist not because he's black.

The only race issues are some of the liberal nut jobs saying how those of us who oppose him because he's an unapologetic uber-liberal, Marxist oppose him because he's black, not because he's an unapologetic uber-liberal, Marxist. Which is of course backed up by our unabashedly supporting and excusing white unapologetic uber-liberal, Marxists like Kerry, Clinton and Gore. :roll:

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:29 pm

Irn-Bru wrote:What's wrong with pointing that out? I don't think invisibility should be the ideal when it comes to race—that's simply ignoring reality.

The problem that I have is that pointing out Obama being a BLACK man is only half true....As in he is also half white. It bothers me more than most because my unborn child is mixed. Pointing out color only segregates or "classifies" different types of people by how they look and not what they stand for and that has always been a problem within this country. The only true statement is calling Barack Obama, well, Barack Obama: Democratic Presidential Candidate.

Also, he looks rather brown in color to me so if I were to say "that brown man over there has a funny looking hat on," that would be a correct statement. If I were to say the "black man over there blah blah blah," while referring to Obama, that would be an incorrect assessment.

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:58 pm

Cappster wrote:
Irn-Bru wrote:What's wrong with pointing that out? I don't think invisibility should be the ideal when it comes to race—that's simply ignoring reality.

The problem that I have is that pointing out Obama being a BLACK man is only half true....As in he is also half white. It bothers me more than most because my unborn child is mixed. Pointing out color only segregates or "classifies" different types of people by how they look and not what they stand for and that has always been a problem within this country. The only true statement is calling Barack Obama, well, Barack Obama: Democratic Presidential Candidate.

Also, he looks rather brown in color to me so if I were to say "that brown man over there has a funny looking hat on," that would be a correct statement. If I were to say the "black man over there blah blah blah," while referring to Obama, that would be an incorrect assessment.

I don't see the problem with saying he's "black." In this country, mixed black/white is typically considered black. Tiger is half Asian and typically described as black. He looks more black, though you can see the Asian in him. My wife is Korean as I mentioned, my kids look more white. In Africa mixed black and white is typically viewed as "white." It just has to do with who's the majority and what are the common features. As pointed out earlier almost all blacks in this country are actually mixed. Probably most whites are too if you go far back enough.

I agree with you none of this "matters." And in that vein I haven't described him as black himself not because I'm "avoiding" it but because it's not really relevant to anything I had to say. His words are the issue, as they would be if a white candidate was an apologist for a white racist. I'd oppose Obama if he was a white liberal Marxist. That some think we should lower the bar and actually treat him DIFFERENTLY because he's black are the ones with an issue. Or because he's mixed race. Or whatever you want to call him. THAT is derogatory and condescending. As if somehow he can't handle it like a white could.

Irn-Bru · Post by **Irn-Bru** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:50 pm

Cappster wrote:The problem that I have is that pointing out Obama being a BLACK man is only half true....As in he is also half white.

Being black is more than simply having the 'right' skin color or exact heritage. It's a culture in itself. And that's why I think this:

The only true statement is calling Barack Obama, well, Barack Obama: Democratic Presidential Candidate.

Is plainly false.

BnGhog · Post by **BnGhog** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:45 am

Cappster, it seems the "labels" really bother you.

Did you ever see the show that P. Diddy produced for TV, where they took a white family and a black family and had them switch races?

I only saw the show once, and this one scene I remember was the first day they switched places. The Black guy (made up to be white with makeup) couldn't wait to take the white guy(made up to be black) out to show him how much he has to deal with on a daily basis.

So they were walking down the street and they are taking up the whole sidewalk, and here comes a white lady walking towards them in the opposite direction. She has to move way over to pass them and has to lean her shoulders sideways so their shoulders don't bump. Well, she grabbed her purse with her hand in the process. So, the black guy (painted white) says, "did you see that, right there. She was protecting her purse because you’re black". The white guy (black) didn't pay any attention to it. Really, she had to lean her shoulders, as not to bump in to him, and the grabbed the purse so it wouldn't fall off her shoulder.

My point is, he was spending too much time looking for something.

There is too much racism in the world today. True, but if you are looking for it, you will always find it.

People use labels for everyone, and even if it is a race label, don't always mean its raciest. People use labels like the fat guy, the small guy, the skinny guy, that ugly girl, that dude with one arm, the guy with the skin problems, the bad lighting girl, and the white guy, and black guy.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 12:01 pm

Herein lies the conundrum:
Obama's Mother is from Kansas.
Obama's Father is from Kenya.
One can't get "whiter" than Kansas.
One can't get "blacker" than Kenya.
So, Obama is technically all of the above.
He's Kansas White, Kenya Black, and Bi-Racial.

And his middle name is "Hussein".
Does that also make him Middle Eastern?

Can we see which box he checked on the I-9, please?

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:30 pm

BnGhog wrote:Cappster, it seems the "labels" really bother you.

Did you ever see the show that P. Diddy produced for TV, where they took a white family and a black family and had them switch races?

I only saw the show once, and this one scene I remember was the first day they switched places. The Black guy (made up to be white with makeup) couldn't wait to take the white guy(made up to be black) out to show him how much he has to deal with on a daily basis.

So they were walking down the street and they are taking up the whole sidewalk, and here comes a white lady walking towards them in the opposite direction. She has to move way over to pass them and has to lean her shoulders sideways so their shoulders don't bump. Well, she grabbed her purse with her hand in the process. So, the black guy (painted white) says, "did you see that, right there. She was protecting her purse because you’re black". The white guy (black) didn't pay any attention to it. Really, she had to lean her shoulders, as not to bump in to him, and the grabbed the purse so it wouldn't fall off her shoulder.

My point is, he was spending too much time looking for something.

There is too much racism in the world today. True, but if you are looking for it, you will always find it.

People use labels for everyone, and even if it is a race label, don't always mean its raciest. People use labels like the fat guy, the small guy, the skinny guy, that ugly girl, that dude with one arm, the guy with the skin problems, the bad lighting girl, and the white guy, and black guy.

Yes, I have seen that show once or twice before, but I believe Ice Cube is the one who produced it though and not puff daddy. To your point: Yes, people will look for something to happen, therefore, they see it happening. When I first started dating my g/f, I felt that people were staring at us because I am white and she is brown. Now, a year later, I don't recognize anyone starring at us and I guess that is because either I don't care or I am just not looking for it.

KazooSkinsFan · Post by **KazooSkinsFan** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 8:09 pm

The wallet thing is such a great example of a stupid example of racism. I lived in the NY, DC, Atlanta, SF areas and have never had my wallet stolen because I've got habits. If I have a button pair of pants and I'm anywhere I button it. If I'm in a crowd I put my wallet in my front pocket where it's easier to track.

I noticed several times at my wife's bible thumping church I've buttoned my back wallet pocket. It's habit. If it's not you'd forget. That a woman walking past two men of any color noted the way she was carrying her purse and deciding black has anything to it is nonsense.