Do You Really See Obama As 'Black"?

[jankren]

When I see Obama on TV the fact that he is half-black is not the first thing that comes into my mind. I mean for me he doesnt really give the impression that he is a black American running for president. He is more like an American who is running for president who happens to be black. The 'vibes' he give are different than when you see Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. In my opinion there is nothing black about Obama except his skin color.

PS:If somehow I sound racist please notify me.

[therussian]

No. He was raised in Hawaii by a completely white family. I love how he tells people that he is black, and then goes on to highlight his life with his white family....oh the hypocrisy. Bah. Why do both candidates have to suck so much....

[wilting]

No. He was raised in Hawaii by a completely white family. I love how he tells people that he is black, and then goes on to highlight his life with his white family....oh the hypocrisy. Bah. Why do both candidates have to suck so much....

I wasn't aware that being raised by a family of a different skin colour changed yours.

Does 'black' really inherently mean anything other than race?

How is Obama not black?

[Каие]

I see him as mixed race racially, but to be honest his race/Hillary's gender had nothing to do with how I perceived them. I saw Obama not as the black candidate, but the underdog ambitious new guy, while Hillary was the ambitious and determined strong woman. McCain [at the beginning] I saw as a graceful, man of principle.

[the_mango55]

I mean for me he doesnt really give the impression that he is a black American running for president. He is more like an American who is running for president who happens to be black.

IMO these things mean the same thing.

The whole "Happens to be _____" is such BS.

[Каие]

Only his father was African. His mother was White. That makes him Mixed race, not one or the other.

[Sphere]

Does 'black' really inherently mean anything other than race?

In the US, yes it does. Ever since the nations founding they has been a "Black" America and a "White" America. This seperation was even enshrined in the the US Constitution. Being "Black" means you can trace your heritage back to slaves/sharecroppers to the revolution of the 1960's etc. There is distinct "Black" culture, dialect, religion, food etc. As Dave Chappelle put it, all Black people are bilingual. This is one of the oldest heritages in the US, considering the bulk of Americans decend from immigrants that arrived well after the slave trade had ended.

In this way Obama is not "Black" in that he did not grow up in "Black" America and is not decended from slaves/sharecroppers. There are "Black" politicians such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, and Obama has been keen to distance himself from them. Indeed his one substaintial tie to the black community was Rev. Wright, and we all know how that worked out.

[Pallantides]

In my opinion there is nothing black about Obama except his skin color.

Obama isn't much darker than the guys in your sig.

[wilting]

@Sphere

Inherently

[Sphere]

Existing as an essential constituent or characteristic

Again, in the US the characteristics that make you "Black", are more than just your skin color. I mean if you said "I have a friend, he is African" it means something completely different from "I have a friend, he is Black". To be "Black" in America, it takes more than just skin color.

Hence the debate about Obama being, "Black" enough had nothing to do with race, and everything to do with the other defining characteristics that make you "Black" in America.

[Pickle_mole]

he may not be 100% black but would you call him white? he would be grouped as black by 99% of the american populace therefore he was raised to identify with black people. I mean have you seen him play ball

[Kiljan Arslan]

mixed race.

[VALIS]

Half caste.

[Markas]

Inflatable man. His mother was a dinghy and his father a bicycle pump.

[Celsius]

I think he's an oreo. white inside, black outside.

[Keravnos]

Does it REALLY matter?

I would hope that the question would be "Do you really see Obama as a GOOD president?" or "Do you really see Obama as a BAD president?"

Color is absolutely inessential for either, as most people would tend to have a different opinion on that.

[Big War Bird]

I see him as a man with several poor policy proposals.

[Oglethorpe1983]

Well.. In America... (especially in "Black America" he is a "black" presidental candidate)...this is becuae of dominance of the one drop rule... [essentially if you have any "black blood" you are black] (and thus can check the box to get all those nifty benifits)

However as some have pointed out...he really isnt black... infact he is actually an AFRICAN American...as his father was/is (I believe) Kenyan had a child with a white American

Now the question is do I see Obama as black.... Yes... but in part becuase that is something that is inescapable... this isnt a racist attitude...its a matter of fact attitude... he is a "black man" in a perfect world that shouldnt matter... in the real world it does... Obama unlike Jesse Jackson is not running as a "black" candidate (which in part is the reason why he is doing so well... however his statuus as the first legitimate "black candidate is not hurting him either...)

Obama's race is a factor in this election...for good or for bad.... and it will certianly be a factor in the aftermath (if he happens to lose) becuase any semblence of him being beyond race...beyond black and white will fade in the wake of protests that he lost becuase of his race... and if you dont believe that...you arent just colorblind....your deaf and dumb too

[Otsman]

he's actually more arab than he is black, and would actually be considered americas first arab-american president

[jankren]

he's actually more arab than he is black, and would actually be considered americas first arab-american president

He should also be considered first Muslim American president.