Is Obama really our first black president?

[akdiver 3]

And EVERYone wouldn't be African-American anyway, since there are countries other than America out there...

Well, gee, I would have thought that from the context of the conversation, it would be obvious that I was referring to people in America.......but I guess not. So - surprise!! I was referring to people in America.

[Morning Sunshine 0]

if he can run it better then the rich idiot who ran for 8 years I dont care if he is green with freaking polka dots

Exactly! I agree!

Is Obama really our first black president? Well, I would say yes. He is brown skinned and all the other presidents were white. So, he is bi-racial but so are many others but most people assume you are black if you are even somewhat black. So, yes he is the first black president!

Edited November 5, 2008 by ~Dream Love~

[PlatyPius 5]

And EVERYone wouldn't be African-American anyway, since there are countries other than America out there...

Well, gee, I would have thought that from the context of the conversation, it would be obvious that I was referring to people in America.......but I guess not. So - surprise!! I was referring to people in America.

Golly gee. You're such a Maverick! Drill baby, drill!

You Betcha!

[akdiver 3]

Golly gee. You're such a Maverick! Drill baby, drill!

You Betcha!

Yeah.......as if I am a Palin supporter. But thanks for playing.

[diadromous mermaid 36]

don't think this is such a silly discourse. I wonder why his "colour" was even mentioned at all, after all it is quite obvious, if not to propogate more of the very same thinking that his being elected was supposed to overcome. I suppose to refer to him as the First Black President-elect is better than to refer to him as the first non-white President-elect?

And EVERYone wouldn't be African-American anyway, since there are countries other than America out there...

Well, gee, I would have thought that from the context of the conversation, it would be obvious that I was referring to people in America.......but I guess not. So - surprise!! I was referring to people in America.

[Amby 490]

what about abe lincoln?

[Scott & Lai 12]

haha....dont know where this came from. My husband is half white...father is white....and he would shoot somebody for thinking he's white.

Flip that around: if a man who was half white/half black said they would shoot somebody for thinking he was black, would you consider that acceptable? Or would that be racist?

It wouldnt be racist, cause the person saying it is from BOTH races. They can say what they want.

Of course they can say what they want. But if they are identifying themselves as one race and take it as a serious insult justifying a violent response when someone thinks they are the other race which is half of whom they are, how is that not racist? Sure, they are from both races, but they identify with one and cannot tolerate being identified as the other. Is that really an acceptable attitude?

[akdiver 3]

what about abe lincoln?

He died. A long time ago.

don't think this is such a silly discourse. I wonder why his "colour" was even mentioned at all, after all it is quite obvious, if not to propogate more of the very same thinking that his being elected was supposed to overcome.

Ding, ding, ding!! We have a winner!!! Someone gets it...almost.

I suppose to refer to him as the First Black President-elect is better than to refer to him as the first non-white President-elect?

Why not simply, "the next president" or "the 44th president" - why make race an issue AT ALL?? It's just a type of racist thinking in my book.

[His_Wifey 1]

Obama is D Man! no matter what the colour of the skin is...what matters is that he is ready to make some changes and that is what the USA needs right now! Good luck Mr. Obama!!

[IAMX 3,055]

don't think this is such a silly discourse. I wonder why his "colour" was even mentioned at all, after all it is quite obvious, if not to propogate more of the very same thinking that his being elected was supposed to overcome. I suppose to refer to him as the First Black President-elect is better than to refer to him as the first non-white President-elect?

And EVERYone wouldn't be African-American anyway, since there are countries other than America out there...

Well, gee, I would have thought that from the context of the conversation, it would be obvious that I was referring to people in America.......but I guess not. So - surprise!! I was referring to people in America.

Well, as you know, black people get elected President all the time.

There's obviously a large value of history here, but just as obvious, we're also like a nation of almanac records, keeping tabs (and creating a bunch of new criteria) on "firsts", just like you see in NFL and NHL games.

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Quite true, but in view of this "first" to make any reference to the distinction between Obama and any preceeding president worked against the true value of the historic event, in my opinion.

don't think this is such a silly discourse. I wonder why his "colour" was even mentioned at all, after all it is quite obvious, if not to propogate more of the very same thinking that his being elected was supposed to overcome. I suppose to refer to him as the First Black President-elect is better than to refer to him as the first non-white President-elect?

And EVERYone wouldn't be African-American anyway, since there are countries other than America out there...

Well, gee, I would have thought that from the context of the conversation, it would be obvious that I was referring to people in America.......but I guess not. So - surprise!! I was referring to people in America.

Well, as you know, black people get elected President all the time.

There's obviously a large value of history here, but just as obvious, we're also like a nation of almanac records, keeping tabs (and creating a bunch of new criteria) on "firsts", just like you see in NFL and NHL games.

[akdiver 3]

just like you see in NFL and NHL games.

Yeah, I don't understand that either.

ANYTHING can be a first, if you look hard enough.

Today I was the first white man driving a silver vehicle, while wearing a black down coat and sandles to go to a specific fred meyer at a specific address and buy exactly $110.32 worth of food - on this specific date.

Big deal.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Obama is Black. No way there's going to be any getting around that, and why should there be. According to his autobios, he's consciously put alot of effort into determining what his identity as a Black man would be, seeking out Black male role models along the way. I'm currently reading Shelby Steele's tome, A Bound Man, which is an examination of Obama's search for a Black identity in a white world. There is no doubt that he has taken such a quest and will continue to define and reshape himself along those lines for some time. This is not at all an uncommon dynamic among mixed race people in the US.