Why is Obama labeled "black?"

[Kathryn]

I think this is a very 19th century position. Barack Obama is half African American and half white (probably European American). Why do most people insist on labeling him African American? Why doesn't he himself make the distinction that he is multiracial and refuse to be labeled one particular "color?"

My kids are multiracial. I will never forget an event that happened when I registered my youngest son in a new elementary school. I didn't check any box when they asked what his race was. Nothing applied - the choices stated, "Check ONE." Why would I check one box? My son wasn't one race, so I just left the area blank.

There was a redneck secretary who was processing his paperwork. She had seen me in there with my son earlier, and she actually called me and said, "Hey, you dint check off anythang in the race section - whut race is yore boy?" I said, "Hes multiracial." She said, "Whale, you hafta mark one of these races." I said, "No, I don't." She said, "Yes you shore do, m'am. Which one is yore boy - black or white?" I said, "He's both -what's the problem?" She said, "You gotta choose one or the other, m'am." I said, "I'll tell you what - I'm not going to fill in that section of the form. What are you going to do - hate me? Kick him out of school? Have a great day." And I hung up on her.

My kids always refused (and still do refuse) to identify themselves by race. I am very proud of them for that. I think it's unnecessary to make that distinction.

When you insist on making that distinction, I believe you are limiting options.

We will truly have progressed when race make absolutely NO difference and is a complete non issue - in politics and life in general. We have absolutely no control over our own genetic heritage and it shouldn't be a source of pride OR shame.

It is what it is. Just be a good person and derive your sense of identity from your beliefs and life choices, not the color of your skin.

 

[Storm]

I'd guess it's because he's been treated as black all his life.

 

[Kathryn]

I'd guess it's because he's been treated as black all his life.

Hmm, that's interesting. My biracial kids would tell you that they have NOT been treated as "black" all their lives. I guess perception is reality for some people.

Here's a little story:

When I was married to the father of my kids (who is black), I can honestly tell you that we experienced true discrimination - to my knowledge - only a handful of times in the 11 years we were married. However, I had a white girlfriend who was married to a black guy. She claimed that everywhere they went they were discriminated against. This was always weird to me because we lived in the same town and my experiences were so different.

I finally came to the conclusion that apparently we sent off "different vibes" or "karma." I didn't EXPECT to have problems with people - and I wasn't hypersensitive to the race issue. My husband and I were confident in ourselves, if that makes any sense. If someone was looking closely at my kids, I didn't assume they were thinking they were ugly - I assumed they were thinking they were cute - unless their actions suggested differently (which I don't recall ever happening). My friend always assumed people were staring at her kids and thinking "what ugly kids."

My kids are grown now, and each one of them has stressed to me over and over again how much they have enjoyed being multiracial - and what an asset it's been in their lives.

And I have to admit - they are some beautiful people. But I'm biased!

 

[Storm]

Well, like I said, I'm guessing, but Obama LOOKS black. Sure, he's light skinned, but a lot of black folks are. I've seen biracial kids who looked biracial, and one who looked as white as me.

The point being, that racial discrimination is based on looks. If your kids don't look "as" black as Obama, I would expect them to face less discrimination. OF course, I have no clue what they look like.

Another possibility is that it's a minority pride thing.

 

[Kathryn]

A minority pride thing? Why should we be proud OR ashamed of our genetic heritage? It's not like we did anything to EARN it. I can see being proud of accomplishment, or children, or a new car - but race? We have no control over that aspect of our personhood.

By the way, Obama looks multiracial to me. And I have four biracial kids - and they're all different "colors." Two of them are very lightskinned and two are about Obama's coloring. Regardless of their coloring, they make it a point WHEN OTHERS MAKE IT A POINT - to point out that they are multiracial - NOT "black" or "white" or whatever.

If another person doesn't make it an issue, they don't either. When someone does make it an issue, they look at it as an opportunity to bridge differences rather than point out differences.

I think that's a great way to handle it.

 

[Storm]

A minority pride thing? Why should we be proud OR ashamed of our genetic heritage? It's not like we did anything to EARN it. I can see being proud of accomplishment, or children, or a new car - but race? We have no control over that aspect of our personhood.

Easily said when you're not a minority. "Minority pride" isn't the greatest phrase for precisely that reason, but I think it's important. It's in reaction to those who tell you ______ is something to be ashamed of. It's about showing that you're equal to others.

By the way, Obama looks multiracial to me. And I have four biracial kids - and they're all different "colors." Two of them are very lightskinned and two are about Obama's coloring. Regardless of their coloring, they make it a point WHEN OTHERS MAKE IT A POINT - to point out that they are multiracial - NOT "black" or "white" or whatever.

If another person doesn't make it an issue, they don't either. When someone does make it an issue, they look at it as an opportunity to bridge differences rather than point out differences.

I think that's a great way to handle it.

Sounds like.

 

[Kathryn]

Easily said when you're not a minority. "Minority pride" isn't the greatest phrase for precisely that reason, but I think it's important. It's in reaction to those who tell you ______ is something to be ashamed of. It's about showing that you're equal to others.


Sounds like.

No, I am not a minority, but I have four children whom I dearly love who are considered "minorities." I have an adopted brother who is a "minority." I have six grandchildren who are "minorities."

I was married to a "minority" for eleven years.

I think that gives me some additional insight, empathy, and credibility when it comes to this topic.

 

[Storm]

No, I am not a minority, but I have four children whom I dearly love who are considered "minorities." I have an adopted brother who is a "minority." I have six grandchildren who are "minorities."

I was married to a "minority" for eleven years.

I think that gives me some additional insight, empathy, and credibility when it comes to this topic.

I don't deny that, and didn't mean to imply you were insensitive or anything. But it's not the same as BEING one, trust me.

Minority pride is a weird concept to wrap your head around. I'm just trying to help.

 

[Kathryn]

LOL, I've done my multicultural duty!

 

[PureX]

Barrack Obama grew up in a different time and place than you and your kids. He has said that he identifies as "black" because he was treated as black most of his life, and because being referred to as black is not a problem for him. He doesn't see someone calling him "black" as mischaracterizing or denigrating him in any way. Nor does he feel being called bi-racial is a mischaracterization, either. He's comfortable with either one.

 

[Kathryn]

Barack Obama is my age. My adopted brother is biracial. Barack and I grew up in integrated schools.

I do not see any evidence that his race has hindered him in any way. What does it mean to be "treated as black?" Is this something negative? If so, how has that hindered Obama?

I think if anything, it's HELPED him. I think as a biracial person, he has benefited from his entire cultural heritage and to imply otherwise is offensive to me - as a white person, and as the mother of biracial children.

 

[painted wolf]

As a person of mixed heritage myself I can only go on my personal feelings.

Most of the time I self identify as a proud American mutt. Most of the time I am assumed to be Euro-American and that is essentially how I was raised.
When I do choose to identify as First Nations I do so to acknowledge my connection to that part of my cultural history and identity. I do it to honor those ancestors of mine and acknowledge their struggles and all they fought for, that I take for granted.

I can't say for the president... but perhaps he feels the same way. He is very keen on social justice and it may be his way to honor the people who fought for his parents rights to marry and for those who fought for the ideals that he shares?

I have never seen him deny his white heritage or fail to praise his mother and her role in making him who he is today.

Perhaps as he grew up, he simply found he identified more with his 'black' heritage ?
Empathized with their struggles more, felt uplifted by their triumphs more?

Who am I to say? Does it really matter?

wa:do

 

[gnomon]

Obama is called black because the American collective conscience on race and culture is still too stupid to move beyond simplicity. Or the whole human race for that matter.

We like to package people and it's so easy to take their looks and define them by that.

But my experience has led me to a negative view of this form of cultural identification. "White" was usually thrown at me as a derogatory label. To this day the only single identifier anyone has ever come up with for "White" is the so called white privilege. There is nothing in the term to actually reveal any aspect of my beliefs, culture or personality.

Why do we call Obama black?

It's easy. That's why.

That and just calling him Obama and accepting him solely for his own actions and character, or anyone for that matter, is too hard.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Obama is called black because the American collective conscience on race and culture is still too stupid to move beyond simplicity. Or the whole human race for that matter.

We like to package people and it's so easy to take their looks and define them by that.

But my experience has led me to a negative view of this form of cultural identification. "White" was usually thrown at me as a derogatory label. To this day the only single identifier anyone has ever come up with for "White" is the so called white privilege. There is nothing in the term to actually reveal any aspect of my beliefs, culture or personality.

Why do we call Obama black?

It's easy. That's why.

That and just calling him Obama and accepting him solely for his own actions and character, or anyone for that matter, is too hard.

Unfortunately I think you're right here. It's easy and people are lazy. It's also the same for whites too. Where I grew up there were three main types of white people, English Protestant, French Catholic and Italian Catholic. In other words; WASPs, Coonasses, and Degos. Most people would call us all white, after all, we all look alike.

 

[lilithu]

Hmm, that's interesting. My biracial kids would tell you that they have NOT been treated as "black" all their lives. I guess perception is reality for some people.

Perception is the reality for everyone. What in the world makes you think that just because your kids have had a different experience than Obama that means that Obama's reality is only based on his perception while your kids' reality is based on something more objective??

Minority pride is a weird concept to wrap your head around.

Speaking from experience, it beats the alternative.

But my experience has led me to a negative view of this form of cultural identification. "White" was usually thrown at me as a derogatory label. To this day the only single identifier anyone has ever come up with for "White" is the so called white privilege. There is nothing in the term to actually reveal any aspect of my beliefs, culture or personality.

That's because there is very little there other than the white privilege. There's a bit of cultural content, such as the use off the English language and certain popular holidays, but even those are just expressions of white privilege. "White" is a status that certain groups obtain in this culture, which affords them privilege over others. Which also explains why white is seen negatively, because it is by its very nature based on inequity and oppression. Groups such as the Irish and the Italians and Poles were seen as "not white" for generations and only attained "whiteness" post-WWI. Members of other groups such as Asian Indians have sued in order to be recognized as "white" and lost.

If you want to explore culture, explore your ethnicity and nationality, not your race. Race, all "races" are the result this white privilege and the other groups orienting around that concept. There was no concept of "Asian" identity until colonialization. The same with African and Latin-American and Native American.

Let me put it this way:
Chinese pride - great.
Mexican pride - fine.
Irish pride - dandy.
Indian pride - super.
German pride - swell.
Jamaican pride - wonderful.
Norwegian pride - cool.

White pride - NO.

If you want to explore your European ancestry and culture, that's fantastic. That takes you out of the center of white privilege and into the periphery of being an ethnicity, like everyone else, with "American" at the center. True, multi-cultural American, not white American as is the case now. (And yeah, multiple ethnicities are fine.) That's why Zephyr and I get along. Pride in one's European ancestry is not the same as "white pride." It's a shame that many white Americans don't see that and try to do the "I don't see color" thing. Or the "We're all the same" thing.

As for African-Americans, their ancestors were forcibly cut off from their cultures and transplanted over here. Many descendants do not know their exact ethnic heritage and often times are mixed anyway, due to masters raping their slaves. (Which makes the OP quite ironic, as the vast majority of those whom we call "black" in this country are already of mixed race.) Many Africans do not see African-Americans as kindred. For many blacks, the only culture that they have is African American or "black" culture. Tho some are exploring West African culture, which is where most of the slaves came from.

 

[lilithu]

Perhaps as he grew up, he simply found he identified more with his 'black' heritage ?
Empathized with their struggles more, felt uplifted by their triumphs more?

Who am I to say? Does it really matter?

I don't disagree with anything you've written, but I do think that Obama's motivations are not a mystery. He's written three books after all!

He says he identifies as African American because that is how most folks see him and relate to him. But as you said, that doesn't mean he's ever denied his white mom, or his white grandparents who raised him, for that matter. As PureX said, he is capable of identifying as both, depending on the context. Just as you are capable of switching back and forth, depending upon the context. Most Americans of color are capable of doing that because we have had to.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

White pride - NO.

If you want to explore your European ancestry and culture, that's fantastic. That takes you out of the center of white privilege and into the periphery of being an ethnicity, like everyone else, with "American" at the center. True, multi-cultural American, not white American as is the case now. (And yeah, multiple ethnicities are fine.) That's why Zephyr and I get along. Pride in one's European ancestry is not the same as "white pride." It's a shame that many white Americans don't see that and try to do the "I don't see color" thing. Or the "We're all the same" thing.

I agree that the label "White Pride" when used by the KKK or Neo-Nazis is crap but do not lump me in with them because I'm proud of my WASP heritage. I find the above rather offensive and insulting and I'm surprised you feel that way.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Kathryn,

Why is Obama labeled "black?"

As you have brought out the fact that you wish to project them as MULTIRACIAL, and others have to accept that.
Similarly it depends on the individual.
Personally we have to understand that we may appear to be humans but are not even that; we are just ENERGY in different forms and that is what everything we see or do not see is made of and that is what god is all about. Once that understanding dwells; all differences between the individual and the universal disappears.
Differences are only because of the MIND which THINKS and PERCEIVES.
Still the mind and everything is ONE.
Love & rgds

 

[DallasApple]

That's why Zephyr and I get along. Pride in one's European ancestry is not the same as "white pride." It's a shame that many white Americans don't see that and try to do the "I don't see color" thing. Or the "We're all the same" thing.

Im proud..Im totally of northern Eroupean decent for 100's of years back in America..

On both my maternal and frateral side ...
and I am GRATEFUL my forefathers names can be traced for 100's of years..

I think thats a priveledge and a blessing..

Love

Dallas

 

[lilithu]

I agree that the label "White Pride" when used by the KKK or Neo-Nazis is crap but do not lump me in with them because I'm proud of my WASP heritage. I find the above rather offensive and insulting and I'm surprised you feel that way.

Why in the world are you insulted that I said it's great for Euro-Americans to explore their ancestry?

Whatever dude.