I can understand your resentment as a multircial man (black father, white mother), but I also uphold Obama's right to define himself as black. If you or I have the right to define ourselves as multiracial, shouldn't he have the ability to define himself as he so chooses? Isnt' that one of the things we dont' get as multiracial people--the ability to chose how we identify?
I like you define myself as a multiracial, black-white person. Yet, I believe Obama is free to do as he sees fit with no animosity from me.
I agree with the person above. I think all people are allowed to identify with whatever they feel. I am not fearful that people will call me black when I consider myself biracial. What this election has meant for me is that I have my own identity
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I understand where you're coming from and I know your anger, but for some reason I doubt Obama disowns his white half.
Identity is a more fluid thing than most think.
It is possible, if not likely, that he considers himself a biracial man (how can he not? he was raised by the white side of his family) in some contexts, and a black man in others.
I also think how biracial people identifies themselves is hugely influenced by where/how we're raised. I.e. someone raised in the ghetto is more likely to identify as black despite being half white and vice versa. Hating him is energy wasted, sister: how he identifies, unless you want to accuse him of being dishonest or disingenuous for political reasons, is out of his hands. It's something that begins in early childhood, before we realize what race is.
As a wise person once said to me: don't hate others for what they are, but for what they do.
And I really don't get the Latina thing. I get mistaken for Hispanic a lot too, and it bewilders me beyond belief. I think I can tell the difference very easily and don't see how anyone else couldn't -- there are so many Hispanic mixtures anyways, but maybe that's just me.
Sorry ms_tek, this is turning into one big lecture from me. Don't intend it that way, trust me. But I just want to say, life is only as hard as you make it. Nelson Mandela spent 40 years in a small prison cell, I think they recently stoned a woman to death (in Somalia?) for being raped. Now that's people making life hard.
What could someone can say or do to you that would make your life so difficult? Is it really them or is it your response?
For the first time in a long time, we have the rest of the world looking at us with respect for something we've done. Regardless of if he was your first pick [hell, if you would have even picked him at all], you must admit that he's a man of intelligence and is on his way to changing our country from at very least, the past 8 years of the George W. Bush shit storm. You're not picking out anything positive that could come with this man's presidency, you're complaining about the entire thing.
And not just complaining, you're being a total hypocrite while you're at it. You're getting upset for the way Barack Obama has chosen to define himself as a person of mixed race. So what if he doesn't constantly say "HEY, I'M NOT JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN, I'M MIXED!". That would be perfectly within his right, but don't you think it'd take away from his overall message, if he chose to make race such a big deal? We have serious issues to deal with as one united nation, we need to be hearing about what his plans are for the country without him
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I can understand your resentment as a multircial man (black father, white mother), but I also uphold Obama's right to define himself as black. If you or I have the right to define ourselves as multiracial, shouldn't he have the ability to define himself as he so chooses? Isnt' that one of the things we dont' get as multiracial people--the ability to chose how we identify?
I like you define myself as a multiracial, black-white person. Yet, I believe Obama is free to do as he sees fit with no animosity from me.
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Identity is a more fluid thing than most think.
It is possible, if not likely, that he considers himself a biracial man (how can he not? he was raised by the white side of his family) in some contexts, and a black man in others.
I also think how biracial people identifies themselves is hugely influenced by where/how we're raised. I.e. someone raised in the ghetto is more likely to identify as black despite being half white and vice versa. Hating him is energy wasted, sister: how he identifies, unless you want to accuse him of being dishonest or disingenuous for political reasons, is out of his hands. It's something that begins in early childhood, before we realize what race is.
As a wise person once said to me: don't hate others for what they are, but for what they do.
Reply
Reply
What could someone can say or do to you that would make your life so difficult? Is it really them or is it your response?
Reply
And not just complaining, you're being a total hypocrite while you're at it. You're getting upset for the way Barack Obama has chosen to define himself as a person of mixed race. So what if he doesn't constantly say "HEY, I'M NOT JUST AFRICAN AMERICAN, I'M MIXED!". That would be perfectly within his right, but don't you think it'd take away from his overall message, if he chose to make race such a big deal? We have serious issues to deal with as one united nation, we need to be hearing about what his plans are for the country without him ( ... )
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