Is Obama black?

[Twin Fist]

ok, Mr Semantics

hows this?

there are less white people with racist beliefs than ever before.

example?

we (whites) elected the moron in the oval office. He couldnt have gotten elected without white votes.

we, speaking for myself, my family, my peers, have moved on, by and large. White americans will now bend over backwards to prove how NOT racist we are.

we SHUN david duke

Al Sharpton still has a job. John Whiley Price, google it. Shelia Jackson Lee.

exceptions always exist, but the white racist? he is the exception now. If you think he is not, then YOU know not of what you speak.

 

[crushing]

No, because Obama is.....unless, maybe, those rumors about Abe Lincoln or Warren G. Harding are true :lol:

Well, Obama is the first openly black president.

 

[Empty Hands]

I respect that, but I can`t say I understand it. I`ve never felt that way.

Perhaps you would if this country had a history of telling white people that the color of their skin made them lesser, inhuman, unintelligent, and incapable of succeeding. To then see a white person succeed would be very important to you.

 

[Empty Hands]

What makes a 50/50 'black'?

How everyone sees and treats them. It's like Halle Berry said in the quote Elder posted, when she walks in the room, no one is ever going to say "Oh look, a white woman." The reasons for this are historical, as I've explained in my post.

Colorism is in itself a political issue within the black community. Because of that history, lighter skin came to be preferred, the echoes of which are still seen today - Big Daddy rapped "sexy young ladies of the light skinned breed" not all that long ago. Racism makes everything complicated.

 

[Carol]

White racism isn't rare by any stretch, and over the last 10 years there has been a particular uptick in racism against Latinos.

 

[granfire]

White racism isn't rare by any stretch, and over the last 10 years there has been a particular uptick in racism against Latinos.

Let me put it this way:
It's well documented.

However, I find it interesting that well educated, smart people consider it impossible to be called racist because they are not white...
It ticks both ways, fueled by a select few who make a good living off of it....

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

Perhaps you would if this country had a history of telling white people that the color of their skin made them lesser, inhuman, unintelligent, and incapable of succeeding. To then see a white person succeed would be very important to you.

You mean something other then what I have experienced in my lifetime growing up in Southern California where White people have been vilified, and that because of the color of my skin I have been called a racist, inhuman, unintelligent, and incapable of succeeding without the horrors that my ancestors supposedly caused.... even though people have done so without knowing my racial background at all or my family tree at all?
Then what to see this nonsense go away would be very important to me?
Sure I get ya.

 

[elder999]

But I can also assure you, there are more than a handful of white racists out there still. And yes, some of those are having a significant impact on the lives of non-whites.

And some of them are probably equating the "biracial" as "analogous" to mules......

 

[Empty Hands]

You mean something other then what I have experienced in my lifetime growing up in Southern California where White people have been vilified, and that because of the color of my skin I have been called a racist, inhuman, unintelligent, and incapable of succeeding without the horrors that my ancestors supposedly caused.... even though people have done so without knowing my racial background at all or my family tree at all?

I lived in SoCal for 7 years, in the San Fernando Valley in a majority Hispanic neighborhood. I worked at an institution that was majority Asian. Never had that happen to me even once. Maybe I'm just nicer?

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

I lived in SoCal for 7 years, in the San Fernando Valley in a majority Hispanic neighborhood. I worked at an institution that was majority Asian. Never had that happen to me even once. Maybe I'm just nicer?

doubt it.
Hell even when I lived in San Francisco for 4 years my liberal friends would jokingly introduce me to their friends as "The Enemy" because I was white, straight, Christian, "Wealthy", and conservative...
I have had people excuse my successes my entire life as being because of my parents, or because I was white... not because I was actually doing something right.
Because I never had any problems getting a job it was excused away as me being white not me being qualified, or doing something worthwhile to be hired. When trying to get college scholarships I was told I shouldn't apply because my family could afford to pay for me.... forget the fact I was kicked out of my house 5 days after I graduated high school and lived in the back of my 69 volkswagon bug for several months while I worked to get myself a rented room, and go to college... no I was told that other minority students should have priority regardless of my situation... which I was to proud at the time to even mention... the reasoning going all the way back to slavery and and unfair balance..yes that was actually told to me as a reason why I should apply and take this from someone else...
when I tried applying for the big brother organization when I was 26 I was flat out told no thanks we dont need you, we need more ethnic participants.....There are many many examples I can give out of my personal life, but I really dont care to share. I just get sick of reading some of this sanctimonious crap that some of you spew sometimes and expect it to be taken as gospel.

 

[ATACX GYM]

If it is wrong to discriminate against people based on race, why does race need to be stated on government forms?

The two have very little correlation visavis the kind of racism that you're referring to.The demographic of one's population plays an integral role in all manner of governmental record keeping and functions,including considerations for Social Security Medicaid military etc. Racial demographics are also important for tracking the impact of various domestic programs upon the diverse U.S. population,and racial demographics are of the first importance to combating institutionalized racism.

 

[elder999]

WOW how nuts is it that this even is worth discussing?
It almost reminds me of the Native American Indian Blood issues... or more importantly the ever changing blood percentage to be considered a member of a specific tribe or not..
Its funny how they tend to increase or decrease depending on what is needed at the moment..
if its about sharing tribal funds from casino profits it usually becomes pretty hard to claim heritage without a large percentage of blood...
but when it comes time for benefits for the tribes based on how many members they have those restrictions tend to loosen up..

The blood quota is something set up by the U.S. government. It gets downright ridiculous at times-I have a friend whose tribal membership card says she's 1/125th Cherokee. My mom's mom was Windriver Shoshone, White Knives Clan, and my dad's dad was Montauk/Shinnecock, Beaver clan. This makes me legally 1/2 Indian: 1/4 Shoshone and 1/4 SHinnecock......but it might be more, and is, more likely, less.....in any case, since-in both cases-I live off reservation, there is no benefit to the tribe, and, when the Shinnecocks have a casino, there'll be no casino money for me.....in most cases, there usually isn't for those who live on reservation, anyway.....it does let me have eagle feathers and peyote, and to carry those things across state lines.

maybe its something like this with Obama..
one race will claim him when he does something they like, and the other side will deny him, and then when the opposite happens they can change course...
sounds like a great thing to keep all those small minded race worried people occupied.
When the hell are people going to grow up and realize race is unimportant in this type of a situation?

They mostly won't. It seems to me that some people keep trying to remind us of his "whiteness" as though that is the reason for his success. It's worth pointing out, again that the man identifies himself as black, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the societies in which he lived-including ours-called him that, right up until he gave that speech at the Democratic convention, anyway:

"I ceased to advertise my mother’s race at the age of twelve or thirteen, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites."

I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.'

'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.'

'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa, that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself: the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.'

THese quotes come directly from his book. He isn't white, because he doesn't want to be-and, of course, he couldn't be. I don't really see why he has to be one, or the other, or both, but he made his choice long ago.

doubt it.
I have had people excuse my successes my entire life as being because of my parents, or because I was white... not because I was actually doing something right.

And, like Clarence Thomas, I've had people attribute my successes to affirmative action, or racial quotas, or scholarship funds, or some other special treatment.

Life is soooo unfair.

Because I never had any problems getting a job it was excused away as me being white not me being qualified, or doing something worthwhile to be hired. When trying to get college scholarships I was told I shouldn't apply because my family could afford to pay for me.... forget the fact I was kicked out of my house 5 days after I graduated high school and lived in the back of my 69 volkswagon bug for several months while I worked to get myself a rented room, and go to college... no I was told that other minority students should have priority regardless of my situation... which I was to proud at the time to even mention... the reasoning going all the way back to slavery and and unfair balance..yes that was actually told to me as a reason why I should apply and take this from someone else...

This is largely B.S., I'm afraid-maybe you were told that, but it was B.S. There have always been scholarships and grants available for those who prove need, regardless of race. And, as I've said before, all you really have to do is put "black" on the form, and that money becomes available to you. People might question it, but all you have to do is say that your grandmother-or even great, great grandmother-was black, and it's a done deal.

 

[ATACX GYM]

ok, Mr Semantics

hows this?

there are less white people with racist beliefs than ever before.

example?

we (whites) elected the moron in the oval office. He couldnt have gotten elected without white votes.

we, speaking for myself, my family, my peers, have moved on, by and large. White americans will now bend over backwards to prove how NOT racist we are.

we SHUN david duke

Al Sharpton still has a job. John Whiley Price, google it. Shelia Jackson Lee.

exceptions always exist, but the white racist? he is the exception now. If you think he is not, then YOU know not of what you speak.

Both of you are making mistakes based upon not knowing the specifics of the distinct difference between racial PREJUDICE and INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM. Racial PREJUDICE is specific to individuals...and refers to individuals who may dislike another race purely upon the basis of race.INSTITUTIONAL racism refers to a group that is the political majority (the group in power) enshrining its values in such a way that every major institution in society favors them and specifically discriminates against others not of their race.Institutionalized racism in this country is very very very much alive.The fact remains that--population wide--the reality for Black people in the United States is still starkly different than our White compatriots,and the differences are borne of institutionalized racism.

So YOU may not be racist.I am not,others may not be.But the INSTITUTION/SYSTEM IS,and the people who perpetuate it don't even have to be racist to perpetuate a racist institution.Not every cop in the USA is racist.The policing policies and effects are assuredly racist,nationwide.No question or doubt.Not every doctor in the U.S.A. or employer is racist.There is no doubt that there is traumatic differences between the educational and health opportunities afforded White and Black people with White people receiving many critical services in many areas that are just not available to Black people because we're Black.And that,ladies and germs,is INSTITUTIONAL racism.

And it'll stay that way until we fundamentally and more fairly (for everyone) rework the primary institutions in these United States of America.

Btw,if President Obama is a "moron",what President would you consider his intellectual superior? Why? What President within say the last 40 years did a better job? Why?

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

This is largely B.S., I'm afraid-maybe you were told that, but it was B.S. There have always been scholarships and grants available for those who prove need, regardless of race. And, as I've said before, all you really have to do is put "black" on the form, and that money becomes available to you. People might question it, but all you have to do is say that your grandmother-or even great, great grandmother-was black, and it's a done deal.

ya I was 18 at the time, didn't know any better, and my family and I were on the outs. the people I came to that I thought knew how things worked misled me, and I was to ignorant at the time to realize it, or do anything about it. It doesn't matter now, but the fact remains in my lifetime I have not seen this so called one way racism bullcrap, and where I have grown up at I have seen quite a bit directed at me nonstop and it has steadily grown worse and worse... so you will have to either call me a liar or understand why I dont buy into the BS claims that I responded to in the first place. Oh btw, Im a mutt when it comes to heritage. I can trace my lineage back fairly far and it goes interesting places, but as you mention about Obama I too have pretty much always declared myself as Caucasian for the most part, although I did mull over declaring myself as Native American for the scholarships, although my blood quota also was not enough to be an official member of a Tribe, so I discounted it and never even thought of trying to advertise myself as anything else...
although wasnt there a movie in the late 80s early 90s where some white guy did that, and then actually disguised himself as a black man to try to keep his secret after he got the scholarship??

 

[Twin Fist]

Not every cop in the USA is racist.The policing policies and effects are assuredly racist,nationwide.No question or doubt.

and there goes any credibility you might have had, right out the window

 

[ballen0351]

Not every cop in the USA is racist.The policing policies and effects are assuredly racist,nationwide.No question or doubt

What Policy would that be?

 

[Blade96]

Let me put it this way:
It's well documented.

However, I find it interesting that well educated, smart people consider it impossible to be called racist because they are not white...
It ticks both ways, fueled by a select few who make a good living off of it....

It does tick both ways. My friend Amy's in laws hate her because she is white and not Chinese.

 

[punisher73]

I have nothing to add to this thread....

Clicked on the thread because I was curious, I have to say that after reading through some of the comments on the first two pages, I have now lowered my IQ and actually feel dumber for having read it.

Continue on with the regularly scheduled program!

 

[elder999]

When we fill out arrest booking information for our court systems we have a space for Bi-racial/white-Hispanic/other.

I'm curious: do you ask what race they are when booking, or do you indicate what "space" they fall into yourselves?

 

[ballen0351]

I'm curious: do you ask what race they are when booking, or do you indicate what "space" they fall into yourselves?

I personally ask every question on the sheet after I made the mistake of thinking someone was a male when in fact she was not (think pat from Sat night live but with a mustache). I cant speak for other people but that's what I do.