Which is more important socially?

[elder999]

Fact is, he is also half white,

Is that a fact? Which half?:lol:
Like I said, he can call himself black, or white-but people would think he was crazy if he called himself white, because of what they see.

Fact is that, while he can and should embrace any and all parts of his heritage that he desires to, he "looks like a black man." It's like Colin Powell said about Tiger Woods, (whom I'll get to in a minute) "If you look like me, you're black."

As for Tiger, while the post-race ideal is a good one, and while the fanciful word he came up with in his childhood,"Cablinasian(?)" for all he knows of his heritage Caucasian, Black,Indian,Asian, is cute, it's not what people see, and, whether he wants to admit it or not, he has been, can be, and will be subjected to discrimination of one sort or another because of the color of his skin. And no one is going to call him something that he made up.As descriptive as it might be, he can't be a member of a race of one, even if race is an artificial construct.

Not many in America get to see it, but people of Haitian, or Dominican, or Puerto Rican, or Brazilian descent , or from Barbados (who call themselves Bajians to distinguish)-or many others of the African diaspora-in the U.S. are quick to distinguish themselves from "African Americans," for a variety of reasons-some good, some bad. To some people who aren't of African descent, though, and even to some who are, the distinction is often ludicrous.

For myself-I've a Ghanian name for a last name, a great deal if Indian heritage (legally "half," but probably less),a great grandmother who was Polynesian and...well, these freckles and green eyes had to come from somewhere-Scottish and Dutch I'm told. Sometimes I'll call myself "black," in fact, most of the time, but I participate in a lot of ceremonies, so sometimes I get called Indian, which is okay too. I'm not about to start calling myself "Cablinesian," or some such-or white, because, while my hair is.......genetically confused, and I do have "white freckles and eyes," and look vaguely Indian or vaguely Polynesian, to most of America I look black......

My children look "white" to most; it was kind of interesting having them alone in public. My son calls himself black-though he did win a poetry contest for Native Americans, and does, like me, look "vaguely Indian".......what would you call him? Why not call him what he wants to be called? Here we are at his wedding. Handsome fellows, ain't we?
(BTW, back on topic:it should be clear from which has generated the most conversation, which is more "socially significant.")

 

[elder999]

like it or not, you are known by those you associate with. .

By that logic, Jesus should be known by heretics , thieves, tax-collectors and harlots............:lol:

Like it or not, you're known by what you do.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

I think both are positive!

However, now what is really important is their stance on issues. That will determine who I vote for.

 

[Big Don]

By that logic, Jesus should be known by heretics , thieves, tax-collectors and harlots............:lol:

Like it or not, you're known by what you do.

By that standard, Obama has even less going for him...

 

[Andrew Green]

Voting only because someone is black or a female is stupid.

Largely I agree, but let me try and justify it.

If a black man tells me he is voting for Obama because he is black and nothing else, he is a racist and an idiot.

Suppose Obama does win, what happens? Well, for the first time in history the president of the United States, arguably the most powerful man in the world, is black.

When kids see the president on the news, he is black. The most powerful position in the country, arguably the world. That could have an effect on racism, perhaps not the outward racism, but to a community that identifies itself based on race and has felt dissempowered for generations having their kids grow up seeing a black man as the most powerful person in the world could be far more important then whether the US is out of Iraq in 16 months on 24 months, or whether it gets its power from offshore drilling or some other form of energy.

If a woman is voting for McCain/Palin because she is a woman, she is equally stupid.

Same basic idea.

This year their are alot of stupid people planning to vote, I just find their is more stupidity on the left, but there is a good amount on the right.

The right elected George W Bush... twice...

Both sides will always see the other side as stupid. But stupid people exist in equal numbers on each side, they are just stupid about different things. And really, there is not a whole lot of difference between the two. It's not like you got a libertarian party running against a socialist party or anything, both extend off a bit in each direction, but the ones that actually run for the top spots always seem to be pretty close to the middle.

 

[punisher73]

To use a REALLY bad analogy, it reminds me of the superbowl a couple of years ago. What was the main thing that all of the media talked about for it? That there were two black coaches in it, not that two great coaches made it to there.

It's a slippery slope. I saw a debate one time concerning affirmative action and one critic pointed out that the best person, whoever it was, should get the job based on credentials. The person from the NAACP countered that this was an inherently rascist statement because it is implied that minorities aren't as qualified. WHAT?

There are people out there that race really doesn't matter. Black/white or brown eyed/green eyed it's the same. They look at what the person brings to the table and evaluates them based on that. In my opinion, this is how it should be.

I think it's also a shame that many people in the black community I have heard speaking say that any black person who is not an entertainer or athlete is just a "sell out" or an "uncle tom". Somehow to them you can't be sucessful by going to school and college and getting a good career without selling out. All of our black officers I have spoken to have all been accused of being a sell out for working in LE.

I think the only significance this election has is how much farther we have to go in this country to see and judge people from what is on the inside instead of based on artificial/exterior labels.

 

[Empty Hands]

Gee, how does that refute Obama's cronies?

Did I say it did? I was agreeing with you in fact! Don't be so sensitive Don, it isn't my fault McCain gets cut more deeply by your standard than Obama.