Comments on: READERS REACT:BARACK OBAMA’S WIN BRINGS ON CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE “ONE DROP RULE”

By: singlelady

singlelady — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:31:15 +0000

I don’t think it really matters if people call him black or biracial. As long as they acknowledge both of his parents then it’s cool, but if he were in the news for something negative would this even be a debate. Everyone including most black people would just label him as black.

By: TooTrue

TooTrue — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:32:30 +0000

This topic never ceases to amaze me…President-Elect Obama is whatever he wants to be identified as… the real question is what are we really?
Should I call myself “white” because my family has one drop (and even more than that) in my family? Would I identify as white even though my skin is a beautiful rich brown color, my hair coils beautifully, my nose a little wide? Should I identify as Native American? Or Hispanic? Or African? Mulugeon, even? My racial background (thanks to all my ancestors’ gene contributions) is all of these things but I am not ashamed to be labled as “black”. My maternal grandmother looked like one of the Golden Girls and loved me to death, another grandparent looked like Sitting Bull and yet another is straight African, yet I am still black (or multiracial, like most of us are). Should we do away with labels? Perhaps one day we will, if we can stop dwelling on this topic, until then I am proud to be black and do not fear others disdain. Also, I do not think about this on a daily basis. Unfortunately for us all, we dwell on this topic a bit too much when there is much more at stake in our world. Lets just be glad that all of our children once again have a role model (besides ourselves) worth aspiring to be like. I am the mother of three sons and I have told them that if they do their best and not let anyone block them from achieving greatness- they too can make history!

By: Not Buying It

Not Buying It — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:12:31 +0000

Yeye, so since Obama grew up in a WHITE household and was raised during all of his childhood by WHITE relatives, went to predominately WHITE schools, lives in a WHITE neighboorhood and has also worked in a predominately WHITE law firm, why aren’t we saying he’s WHITE? Again, he is both WHITE AAANNNNDDDD BLACK (hey, I could get used to chatting with pointless caps like Yeye). I understand there are people out there who simply can’t comprehend that there are more races that exist than black and white, but damn. This is 2008. We should no longer have this type of confusion.

By: Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade

Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:59:42 +0000

First of all Obama is BLACKER than many BLACKS because he made a conscious choice to be BLACK(when he could have been like tiger woods or michael jackson),married a BLACK woman darker than him, went BACK TO AFRICA to see his BLACK roots,chose to work in the BLACK ghetto, went for a BLACK course on how to be BLACK,learned to preach like BLACK preachers and on and on! His identity is intact and unlike many BLACKS if they had a choice would be white he,like Malcolm X ,chose to be BLACK! So no one can deny him his BLACK CROWN! BLACK ON BROTHER OBAMA! OLODUMARE(GOD ALL MIGHTY)WILL HELP YOU OVERCCOME ALL THE DEVIL’S PLANS AND LET YOU DO HIS WILL TO RIGHTEN AMERIKKKA!

YOUR SISTER from Lawrence,Kansas,BACK TO AFRICA 30YEARS AGO IN YORUBALAND,NIGERIA
Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade

By: Not Buying It

Not Buying It — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:13:42 +0000

Teri, why are you confusing terms here? The term African American denotes race in this country, not nationality. Putting slave laws aside, Obama is racially white AND black. But, hey, whatever makes you feel better.

By: Teri

Teri — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:46:56 +0000

Suz, if anyone is African-American, it’s Obama. His father was African, and his mother American, but whatever makes you feel better.

By: SUZ

SUZ — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:19:14 +0000

I shall consider him and call him biracial because we know he has an African & Caucasian parent, so he is biologically/gentically that.

And of course he can claim and call himself whatever he wants, but I shall not just call him African American.

A great man though and I’m glad I was apart of history. And “JUSTSAYIN” it wasn’t to “feel better” either. Smh…

By: SUZ

SUZ — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:09:57 +0000

I don’t think it’s unfair to call him the first “black” president because he is partially black. But it in a way isn’t the best way to put it.

And MARIA ANGELOZZI=Woo hoo!!Another Italian mami! =D

By: Katrina

Katrina — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:28:26 +0000

Co-sign Leo 100%!

By: Yelzbelz

Yelzbelz — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:16:34 +0000

He is still the first black President, because he is part black. Acknowledging both of his parents…