I cannot believe our notions of blackness today. Obama believes that he is not black because his ancestry is not apart of the West Africans that were not enslaved. To him... Black means you were enslaved. I am Black... I am from HAiti. I am African because that is where my ancestors came from... Black is not slavery ...do you see any field hands and house negroes around.. I am AMerican because I was born here. I mean if Obama aint black ...somebody tell me who is. What is he a tragic mullato? Have you seen your skin lately? or maybe you have glossed over your AFRIKAN NAME? Let's be real here. Does anyone seriously believe he's not black?
I do not like the way people would like to separate themselves from each other. No Im mullato. No I'm haitian NO Jaimaican...Latina...Southeast Asian
We are people of color. PERIOD. and some of us are members of the African diaspora
If you care not for your roots
How can you care for your branches?
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I totally agree...I'm Puerto Rican and hate when my friends get offended by being called American. Are you kidding? WE ALL ARE AMERICAN!!!! Don't be ridiculous LOL
I did not see this fact, but it looks like he is saving his ass to look better politically, basically what every politician has to do at one point or another. His father was from Kenya, so he should at least claim being half-black (don't know the race of his mother).
At any rate, why should this matter, either to Obama or to the rest of us? We are all people, and there shouldn't be prejudiced.
As I said in a previous reply for another post, this presidential race is going to get ugly.
Obama completely self identifies as black, what are you people smoking??? Read both his books "Dreams from my Father" and "the Audacity of Hope". Where this notion that he is denying his blackness is coming from I have not idea, Hello...the media is all about him being the next Black President, oh wait.. that was Bill Clinton. Anyway, get your facts straight please! Check out Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama) or www.barackobama.com to learn more about Obama.
After all, Obama's mother is of white U.S. stock. His father is a black Kenyan. Other than color, Obama did not - does not - share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves.
)So when black Americans refer to Obama as "one of us," I do not know what they are talking about. In his new book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama makes it clear that, while he has experienced some light versions of typical racial stereotypes, he cannot claim those problems as his own - nor has he lived the life of a black American. taken from
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/467300p-393261c.html
Is isnt what Obama is saying about his blackness but other people. People on Colbert and Oprah... that are contesting his blackness. I would like to say like other people that It doesn't matter. But the only reason Obama is getting so much Media attention is because he is black. That it wont matter when it comes to votes.. Has yet to be determined.
What Obama is saying is not necessarily that he is not "Black" or that he does not self- identify with black people. He is merely stating that although he is black and has been the subject of some racially centered predjudice, he cannot totally relate to other blacks who fall victim to this treatment on a daily basis. That is most likely the case being that he grew up with a white family (Mother) , so in turn was presented other opportunities. Also the majority of Black Americans are not descendents of slaves, a vast majority are descendents of free blacks who lived in this country since before the Revolution. I myself am a descendent of free blacks; but that does not mean i dont claim my Black heritage. As with any Black, wheter they claim their ties to other blacks or not, we all have been subjects of cultural genocide and racism; wheter your skin is as black as night or as yellow as a highlighter.
God Bless