Since Barack Obama was elected as the first African American president of the US, articles have appeared in various newspapers, some questioning whether Barrack Obama should correctly be referred to as ‘black’ with some suggesting that he is mixed race or biracial. Barrack Obama was born of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother. Most of the current discourse on race is replete with confusion or lack of understanding about the meaning of race.What race is Barack Obama?
The concept of ‘race’
The idea that geographical population with differing external phenotypes can be classified into distinct ‘races’ was first proposed by 19th century European anthropologists. The French writer, Joseph Gobineau was the most notable proponent of this theory culminating in his proposition of an ‘Aryan i.e white European master race. Central to this scheme, was the idea that ‘races’ have separate origins with European ‘whites’ being the first and purest of all ‘races’ ,descending directly from Noah’s ark which had apparently settled in the Caucasus mountains, present day Georgia (hence the name Caucasians) who later mixed with other inferior ‘races’ of separate origins.
Modern science has however dismantled the 19th schema of race; no serious scholar believes human beings can scientifically be grouped into separate ‘races’ For example, Papua new Guineans may externally be mistaken as African with their woolly hair and dark skin but in reality, Papuans are genetically closer to Asians and indeed Europeans than they are to Africans. Scientific disciplines of genetics and archaeology have conclusively shown that all living human beings of all ‘races’ share a common single origin from a hypothetical African ‘Adam’ and ‘Eve’ who lived in Sub -Sahara Africa between 60,000 and 80,000 years ago, to later differentiate into diverse people of various colours and body shapes we are today. The ‘racial’ difference is therefore not skin deep; it is the result of adaptation to diverse environments over hundreds of years. People who migrated north evolved lighter skins for a more efficient synthesis of vitamin D from the weak sun while southerners remained dark. Dark skin provides protection against intense sun rays common in the south.
Genetics has shown that 99.9 per cent of human genes across human populations are similar. A greater number of genetic differences are often observed within individuals from the same population than from a different population. Genetic ‘overlaps’ are common among human populations. Europeans, who were originally thought as a pure ‘race’, are in fact ‘hybrid’ according to the Italian geneticist Luigi Cavalli Sforza. ‘White’ Europeans have 2/3 Asian and 1/3 African genes.
Race as a social term
Race is therefore a social rather than a scientific construct. In the United States, one drop of black blood was enough to qualify a person as black, although scientifically, this arrangement is not entirely true, socially, it was a useful way of upholding white privileges.
The mechanics of race in American are largely social. Race is much more of a combination of self identification and looks; a person with a hint of African blood, irrespective of the amount of ‘mixture’ is regarded and treated as black. Barrack Obama fits both definitions. He socially identifies himself as black (attended a black church, married a black woman), has been treated as a black (had problems hailing a cab) and so forth.
Obama cannot socially identify himself as biracial. ‘Biracial’ culture does not exist and never existed in America or anywhere else in the world. Those who wonder why Obama is not referred to as the first mixed president of the America miss the point. There is no ‘mixed’ identity, nor ‘mixed’ churches or organisations that preach biracial emancipation. Above all a, racially pure ‘white race’ does not exist; whites are originally mixed with Africans in the first place.
Obama is an African American .Socially or scientifically, his ‘white’ blood does not make much difference.
Posts: 96 | Registered: Dec 2007
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Not sure what your point is or where you are coming from but. . ..
"scientifically" Obama is "mixed". IF there is such a thing as RACE. He is NOT AA by "race".
He is also NOT AA socially. His upbring was NOT AA. That's why there are all these Jews supporting him and not eg. . .Ford who is a much better black politician and orator. Axelrod and Emmanual as egs jews behind him. My take . . .he is a black Jew. Maybe even Falasha by father. He is the first Jew elected . . . .more to follow.
He may serve two purpose. 1. soften the blow for the US invasion of Africa by aligning AAs. 2. Make the US less alienated in the world as the administration continue their dirty work.
His wife is "racially" and socially AA.
my 2cents. And I am not anit-Jew. They have done some good for us black folks, personally, for my parents.
Posts: 12143 | From: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable | Registered: Jun 2007
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@ Herukhuti: Do you refer to Barack as "King" because he's the 44th President and African, because of the Swahili meaning of his name [Barack], or flat out cuz he's an 'Oba'?
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Xyyman, To say that BHO is mixed is a very trivial statement since all humans are mixtures of their fathers and mothers--23 chromosomes from the father, the same number from the mother.
You say he is not AA socially. Well what does "AA socially mean"? Was Thurgood Marshall--always referred to as "the first black SC judge"--AA socially? I doubt he socialised or had the same kind of life-style as the average U.S. black. His w ife was not even balck, etc., etc.
There are lots of politico Jews who support him--all rethreads from Bill Clinton's advisory coterie-- but there are an equal number on the neo-con right who oppose him. Kristol and Krauthammer come to mind. And Israeli Jews openly expressed their preference for McCain-Palin.
Ford is no match for Obama. He couldn't even make a Senate seat; and he is an intellectual lightweight. I doubt that ever bassed his Bar exams and he has a reputation for frivolity and playing around.
If the U.S. seeks to "invade" Africa--then if it succeeds it would be Africa's fault. No need to go non-white for that-- given how Bill Clinton charmed his way through Africa.
And by the way, "AA" is not a race; it's an ethnic group.
Parenthetically: if Obama's father were Russian instead of Kenyan, would he be not real Anglo American, if had exactly the same experiences as Obama? How would white America have received him?
Or assume that Obama's father was Ralph Nader and his mother German--but with exactly the same social background, how might white America have received him.
I believe that they wouldn't have cared a hoot--so long as he looked white. Remember that Europe found unification only within the U.S. and not in Europe.
The truth is that for the majority white group in the U.S. "race" trumps everything--and when it comes to blacks cultural background counts for very little. This may not be the case for blacks though, both in the U.S. and Africa. Example: witness how Southern Africans and other Africans from outside South Africa are treated in South Africa. To the South African whites--all of them are just blacks--or "kaffirs" when they want to go pejorative.
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Alive-(What Box): @ Herukhuti: Do you refer to Barack as "King" because he's the 44th President and African, because of the Swahili meaning of his name [Barack], or flat out cuz he's an 'Oba'?
All of the above. *smug*Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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@ lamin. Noticed my quotation marks? I agree there is not such thing as race. I understand that now since visiting this forum. And reading up on genetics. Afterall most people were Black > 8kya.
I was using conventional terms to get my point across.
Main point is being his childhood associates were MOSTLY non-African Americans. He grew up in a white household. So culturally he is NOT AA. Are you saying there isn't an AA or an Euro-American sub-culture?
Plus - he had a father that is classified as black and mother classified as white. Therefore in reality he should be classified as.. . . mixed or biracial. Based on the strict convention. But we know these things don't have any logic. Racist are not logical. That is why he is classified as . . . AA
Posts: 12143 | From: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable | Registered: Jun 2007
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quote: Are you saying there isn't an AA or an Euro-American sub-culture?[quote]. It depends.
The households of Euro-American Jews would be quite different from those of Italian Americans. And Irish American or Amish or Polish American households.
[quote]Plus - he had a father that is classified as black and mother classified as white. Therefore in reality he should be classified as.. . . mixed or biracial. Based on the strict convention. But we know these things don't have any logic. Racist are not logical. That is why he is classified as . . . AA
With AAs--I want to believe that there may be class differences but the sense of being black might lead to a kind of pyschology that may be somewhat binding.
It is a fact that BHO's childhood associates were mostly non-AA but that does not explain his personality at all: there are adequate samples of indivduals who have have one parent black and one parent white and who have grown up mainly with the white parent. there are also blacks who have adopted by white families and live culturally accordingly--but such individuals have not been in any way remarkable.
There are exceptions though: Andre Watts, the accomplished classical pianist, grew mainly with his white mother. The same for Halle Berry. But Tiger Woods grew with his black father and seems to more distant from "blackness" than BHO. Explanations? And how would you explain people like Shelby Steele and Thomas Sowell.
It's psychologically more complicated than you might think.
Here's a thought experiment: assume that BHO were a foundling child left on some hospital doorstep in the dead of night. The question is: how would the hospital authorities have classified him before putting him up for adoption? That's an easy question. Hope you get it right.
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Barack Obama is not an African American by my definition.
An African American is a United States of America descendent of the survivors of the dread Middle Passage transAtlantic "holocaust"/maafa/hell-across/hell-of-a-cost misvoyage.
A child of a "European American" and a visiting Luo Kenyan student has no ties whatsoever to the heritage of the AA's.
Barak Obama's wife, and thus his children, are all Black Americans. I don't know if they have the conscious to fit my further definition of African American which requires some modicum of applied African cultural connection.
I don't know how he was raised, but if without USA black kin I find it hard to believe he was internally socialized as a Black American. Of course he, and any other visibly part black person raised in the USA, had to experience the prejudice and discrimination meted to those of similar phenotype. That, however, is not enough to make anyone belong to a precise and specific ethnic group they were not born into.
More power to him! To Barak Obama, the 44th president of the earth's powerfullest nation. All eyes are on it and him.
yithBarakh May he have the blessing of God/Allah/Nyasaye to succeed in all he sets his hand to do, be it for the good of blacks, whites, yellows, reds, browns, others, in-betweeners, all humanity, his nation, its allies, and the world. And let us say, amen.Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by alTakruri: Barack Obama is not an African American by my definition.
An African American is a United States of America descendent of the survivors of the dread Middle Passage transAtlantic "holocaust"/maafa/hell-across/hell-of-a-cost misvoyage.
A child of a "European American" and a visiting Luo Kenyan student has no ties whatsoever to the heritage of the AA's.
Barak Obama's wife, and thus his children, are all Black Americans. I don't know if they have the conscious to fit my further definition of African American which requires some modicum of applied African cultural connection.
I don't know how he was raised, but without USA black kin I find it hard to believe he was internally socialized as a Black American. Of course he and any other visibly part black person raised in the USA has to experience the prejudice and discrimination meted to those of similar phenotype. That, however, is not enough to make anyone belong to a precise and specific ethnic group they were not born into.
More power to him, to Barak Obama, the 44th president of the earth's powerfullest nation. All eyes are on it and him.
yithBarakh May he have the blessing of God/Allah/Nyasaye to succeed in all he sets his hand to do, be it for the good of blacks, whites, yellows, reds, browns, others, in-betweeners, all humanity, his nation, and the world. And let us say, amen.
You are incorrect. When the US census visits or extrapolates that member, they will be asked a few questions and ultimately, they will be tallied as, African-American. Same as any UK, or European immigrate will be tallied as, white American. Once an immigrant takes resdence in the US, they may call or label themselves whatever they like, but in the governments eyes, they will be placed in the definition defined by the US government. For African, Caribbean blacks, or even black Brazilians, the US will label them as, African-Americans. The US has begun to breakup definitions for whites as, non-Hispanic Whites, and Hispanic whites. There is no, black Hispanic definition.
These definitions are carried over to over declarations such as, job applications, income tax returns, etc.
In Obama's case, he was as good as born in America. While his father is African, his mother is American. Since his grand parents raised him in the US, he is an African-American.
Barack Obama himself describes himself as, African-American.
It doesn't take very long to experience the racism of America. There is a store up the street from me owned and operated ny a brother from Nigeria. He and I had a conversation when he first arrived and he was saying blacks made too much of American racism, and that with hard work anyone could succeed in America. a couple months later, while riding my bike down the street I see a police car on the side of the road with two black guys laying on the ground with hands over their heads. As I looked closer I realize it's the African who owns the store. When he saw me he yells, "Hey man, tell these police who I am. They say I fit the description of a store robber." I told them he owned the store up the street. They told me they didn't ask me anything, so I went about my business. It doesn't take long at all.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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Wrong. Census is polled. Sometimes a census taker will show up at your door, and there is no AFRICAN choice to be made, only African-American.
Also, you may be unaware, but your race is embedded in your social security number. A poller can look at your SS# and see your race classification.
As for your definition, I believe I covered that when I said you can call yourself whatever you like, but as far as America is concerned, you are an African-American.
Unless, you are a WHITE African, than you will just be classified as, WHITE. White Africans aren't consider African-Americans by America. They are just WHITE.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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As for no black Hispanic census category: Table 1. Black non-Hispanic, Non-Black Hispanic, and Black Hispanic Population: April 1, 2000, July 1, 2001, and July 1, 2002 (Numbers in millions. Resident population) Population group* 2000 2001 2002
code:
A. Black, non-Hispanic 35.5 36.1 36.6 B. Non-Black, Hispanic 33.7 35.6 37.0 C. Black Hispanic (or Hispanic Black) 1.6 1.7 1.7
* Totals include people allocated from the Census 2000 category, Some other race, to standard OMB race categories. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division, population estimates program.
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^ I stand corrected on the black Hispanic class. The numbers are extremely low, meaning many SA blacks aren't placed there. Obama is under the black, non-Hispanic category. A South African White would be under the, White, non-Hispanic group.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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My view Ford speaks much better. He doesn't ahhh and umhmmm as Obama. They were looking for a young black "clean" star and at one time Ford seemed as the anointed one. Not sure what his, Ford, scholastic/intellectual background is but we know in politics that has little relevance.
And it takes several generation to be culurally AA. Don't agree with ALtk that we have to trace our kin through the middle passage though. Being first generation myself of the Powell-type our parents tried to disassociate us from AA sub-culture. So I know what I am talking about. West Indian, Brazil etc fore-parents also went through the middle passage but their sub-culture remains intact for at least one generation
quote:Originally posted by lamin: Xyyman, Ford is no match for Obama. He couldn't even make a Senate seat; and he is an intellectual lightweight. I doubt that ever bassed his Bar exams and he has a reputation for frivolity and playing around.
Posts: 12143 | From: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable | Registered: Jun 2007
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quote:Originally posted by xyyman: My view Ford speaks much better. He doesn't ahhh and umhmmm as Obama.
Ford can't run for President. If he were you'd bet he'd make many more pauses, and ahhh, and umms. Plus, Ford has history. He would not have garnered the black vote as Obama did.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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Interesting observations. It would be instructive to know whether Jews who are he direct descendants of Holocaust survivors distinguish themselves from Jews who were not--as a sub-ethnic group of the Ashkenazis.
There are descendants of German Jews in Israel, but there are also Russian Jews, North African and West Asian Jews, Falasha Jews. In North America there are Jews who descend directly from Holocaust survivors but there are also Jews whose historical roots are in Russia, France, Britain and parts of Eastern Europe.
The questions are: 1) do those Jews who desecend from Holocaust survivors actually view themselves as a sub-group among Jews as whole? 2)If not, then should they?
The same applies to the Irish immigrants to the U.S. Some are descendants of those who survived the Potato Famine 1845 and were able to escape to the U.S. There are others who are also descendants of Irish migrants who did not experience the Potato Famine.
The question is: do Irish distinguish among thmeselves as such?
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by lamin: Interesting observations. It would be instructive to know whether Jews who are he direct descendants of Holocaust survivors distinguish themselves from Jews who were not--as a sub-ethnic group of the Ashkenazis.
There are descendants of German Jews in Israel, but there are also Russian Jews, North African and West Asian Jews, Falasha Jews. In North America there are Jews who descend directly from Holocaust survivors but there are also Jews whose historical roots are in Russia, France, Britain and parts of Eastern Europe.
The questions are: 1) do those Jews who desecend from Holocaust survivors actually view themselves as a sub-group among Jews as whole? 2)If not, then should they?
The same applies to the Irish immigrants to the U.S. Some are descendants of those who survived the Potato Famine 1845 and were able to escape to the U.S. There are others who are also descendants of Irish migrants who did not experience the Potato Famine.
The question is: do Irish distinguish among thmeselves as such?
Is that like the people who describe themselves as half Jewish? That's funny. Lenny Kravitz bounces like that. If he interviews with a white magazine, he says he's half Jewish, half black. If it's a black magazine (rare), he says he's a black rocker. The government classifies him as black.
I'd imagine a descendant of a Holocaust survivor would classify themselves as Jewish since their are reparations involved, or they could be converts as well. I'd assume Jews are those who practice the religion, but who knows. Today, I'm not so sure.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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I usually don't answer such socio-politically charged questions in this part of the forum but I'll bite anyway...
quote:Originally posted by alTakruri: Barack Obama is not an African American by my definition.
An African American is a United States of America descendent of the survivors of the dread Middle Passage transAtlantic "holocaust"/maafa/hell-across/hell-of-a-cost misvoyage.
A child of a "European American" and a visiting Luo Kenyan student has no ties whatsoever to the heritage of the AA's.
Barak Obama's wife, and thus his children, are all Black Americans. I don't know if they have the conscious to fit my further definition of African American which requires some modicum of applied African cultural connection.
I don't know how he was raised, but if without USA black kin I find it hard to believe he was internally socialized as a Black American. Of course he, and any other visibly part black person raised in the USA, had to experience the prejudice and discrimination meted to those of similar phenotype. That, however, is not enough to make anyone belong to a precise and specific ethnic group they were not born into.
More power to him! To Barak Obama, the 44th president of the earth's powerfullest nation. All eyes are on it and him.
yithBarakh May he have the blessing of God/Allah/Nyasaye to succeed in all he sets his hand to do, be it for the good of blacks, whites, yellows, reds, browns, others, in-betweeners, all humanity, his nation, its allies, and the world. And let us say, amen.
There in lies the problem with the very phrase 'African-American' and its loose definitions. Originally it simply meant one of African descent who is born in America. That would mean all blacks of African descent, yet one could say that Obama is more 'African' American in the sense that his African heritage is more pronounced than say most black Americans whose ancestors survived the Middle Passage and had all or most of their African heritaged stripped away. And we have Asian Americans, yet no one distinguishes those born of recent immigrants compared to those whose ancestors have been in America for generations. And let's not forget that white Americans aren't called European American at all even though that is as much what they are, and the fact that they preserved their European cultural heritage intact.
As for the topic question. Technically Obama is 'mixed', but socially and politically he still 'black' due to the legacy of one-drop rule etc. Then again with nutcases like Meninarmer, he could be considered half "albino"! LMAOPosts: 26246 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Djehuti: As for the topic question. Technically Obama is 'mixed', but socially and politically he still 'black' due to the legacy of one-drop rule etc. Then again with nutcases like Meninarmer, he could be considered half "albino"! LMAO
You should have resisted temptation and kept your robotic mouth closed. FYI: There are many millions of Africa-Americans more "African" (your words) than Barack Obama. All AAs did not arrive via middle passage, but rather flowed to America before, in between, to present. What does it matter. In the day, we were all Negroes, no matter what your worldly geography.
I am in the type 5 skin category. Genetically, I am more Black African than you, and of course, there are no black or Albino AI lifeforms, yet.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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People who don't know and refuse to research what they are talking about should remain silent rather than propagate misinformation or deliberately diffuse disinformation.
Showing the inaccuracy of another false claim:
Federal Register Notice October 30, 1997
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity
(13) OMB accepts the following recommendations concerning the term or terms to be used for the name of the Black category:
The name of the Black category should be changed to "Black or African American."
. . . . Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity
1. Categories and Definitions
-- Black or African American. A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Terms such as "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in addition to "Black or African American."
Questions and Answers for Census 2000 Data on Race March 14, 2001
Question: What are the race groups that federal agencies are to use to comply with the Office of Management and Budget's guidance for civil rights monitoring and enforcement? Answer: The categories (made available in OMB Bulletin No. 00-02, "Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race for Use in Civil Rights Monitoring and Enforcement") to be used are:
American Indian and Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
White
American Indian and Alaska Native and White
Asian and White
Black or African American and White
American Indian and Alaska Native and Black or African American
Hence Obama and other part black individuals had the option of including their complete heritage.
quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: In Obama's case, he was as good as born in America. While his father is African, his mother is American. Since his grand parents raised him in the US, he is an African-American.
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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Obama is a kenyan half-white. He has nothing to do with pre-1970 Africans in America. The liberals and independents would not want anything to do with him if he did.
The conservatives don't care period. With them you're either white or you're not. And for African Americans that at least provides better racial solidarity than the type racism the liberals manifest.
As the popular cliche goes this is not your father's racism. This is a new generation of racism.
The liberals wish to institute a caste system among Africans.
(These are not my beliefs, but this is how the liberal thinks)
1. The African is to be thought of as an animal in constant need of assistance. Sort of like animal welfare. He is to achieve very little outside of obtaining a job.
2. The African American is to be either a villain, buffon, dummy, criminal, loser, victim, etc.
Anything positive about an African American is to be limited to entertainment, sports, a celebrity, or in some other non-threatening role or occupation like a cook or artist.
3. The liberals and independents who go left are depravedly obsessed with mixed breeds. Either because these liberals have self-hate and wish that they were not white, but mixed-breeds themselves, or because they fantasize that Africans and African Americans become mixed breeds because of their racist liberal beliefs.
The liberals want the mixed breeds to have no limitation on what they can achieve.
The media is made primarily for liberals and independents who can go left. Look at the media, you will see that the media portrays the 3 groups in exactly the way I described.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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That's wrong. African American arose as yet another name change for the descendents of enslaved Africans in the United States of America. It was meant to supercede Afro-American.
Many of the subject people disclaim connection to Africa and will only use black or Black American as a self-descriptor. Morgan Freeman is an example of that type.
African immigrants are rightfully labeled as Nigerian American, Senegalese American, etc. just as European immigrants retain their ethnic or national identity and are not lumped into a European American mish mosh.
A self-determined and self-respecting continental African with USA citizenship will select OTHER and write-in their ethnicity or nationality.
quote:Originally posted by Djehuti: There in lies the problem with the very phrase 'African-American' and its loose definitions. Originally it simply meant one of African descent who is born in America. That would mean all blacks of African descent,
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by alTakruri: Disspelling further census myths:
Questions and Answers for Census 2000 Data on Race March 14, 2001
Question: What are the race groups that federal agencies are to use to comply with the Office of Management and Budget's guidance for civil rights monitoring and enforcement? Answer: The categories (made available in OMB Bulletin No. 00-02, "Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race for Use in Civil Rights Monitoring and Enforcement") to be used are:
American Indian and Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
White
American Indian and Alaska Native and White
Asian and White
Black or African American and White
American Indian and Alaska Native and Black or African American
Hence Obama and other part black individuals had the option of including their complete heritage.
quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: In Obama's case, he was as good as born in America. While his father is African, his mother is American. Since his grand parents raised him in the US, he is an African-American.
LOL, you can pull at threads if you like. I have no idea of why African and Carribean blacks initially wish to distance themselves from African-Americans. All I can say it's a piece of dysfunctional programming.
Here is a phrase from Obama' website describing himself.
Senator Obama was born on August 4th, 1961, in Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham. He graduated from Columbia University in 1983, and moved to Chicago in 1985 to work for a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment. In 1991, Senator Obama graduated from Harvard Law School where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.
The US census data is used for many strategic purposes by the government. Due to the NEW influx of immigrates, it's classification are just being refined. It's classifications ARE NOT carried over to more day to day classifications such as, Birth Certificates, Drivers license, Employment records, etc.
You were wrong and should stop attempting to muddy the water. There is no AFRICAN classification, as there is no JEWISH classification. However, YOU can feel free to use any personal descriptor you like. You can call him Half Kenyan and half American, but it makes no difference. He classifies himself as African-American. Get that stupid middle passage phobia out of your silly heads.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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Your ping pong playin ass needs to shut up. You just further expose how much of a brainless numbskull you are.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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quote:Originally posted by alTakruri: Disspelling further census myths:
Questions and Answers for Census 2000 Data on Race March 14, 2001
Question: What are the race groups that federal agencies are to use to comply with the Office of Management and Budget's guidance for civil rights monitoring and enforcement? Answer: The categories (made available in OMB Bulletin No. 00-02, "Guidance on Aggregation and Allocation of Data on Race for Use in Civil Rights Monitoring and Enforcement") to be used are:
American Indian and Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
White
American Indian and Alaska Native and White
Asian and White
Black or African American and White
American Indian and Alaska Native and Black or African American
Hence Obama and other part black individuals had the option of including their complete heritage.
quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: In Obama's case, he was as good as born in America. While his father is African, his mother is American. Since his grand parents raised him in the US, he is an African-American.
LOL, you can pull at threads if you like. I have no idea of why African and Carribean blacks initially wish to distance themselves from African-Americans. All I can say it's a piece of dysfunctional programming.
Here is a phrase from Obama' website describing himself.
Senator Obama was born on August 4th, 1961, in Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. and Ann Dunham. He graduated from Columbia University in 1983, and moved to Chicago in 1985 to work for a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment. In 1991, Senator Obama graduated from Harvard Law School where he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review.
The US census data is used for many strategic purposes by the government. Due to the NEW influx of immigrates, it's classification are just being refined. It's classifications ARE NOT carried over to more day to day classifications such as, Birth Certificates, Drivers license, Employment records, etc.
You were wrong and should stop attempting to muddy the water. There is no AFRICAN classification, as there is no JEWISH classification. However, YOU can feel free to use any personal descriptor you like. You can call him Half Kenyan and half American, but it makes no difference. He classifies himself as African-American. Get that stupid middle passage phobia out of your silly heads.
^ You're simply unable to see the political advantage in alTakruri's standpoint.
Posts: 3423 | From: the jungle - when y'all stop playing games, call me. | Registered: Jul 2006
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It is not surprising that someone who caterwauls and wails like a child night and day about the why man would be so desperate to grab onto fantasy.
Like what was said earlier, Obama is a kenyan half-white who grew up in a white environment. Obama has nothing to do with pre-1970 Africans in America. The liberals and independents would not want anything to do with him if he did. That is why he caught on with them because of his place in their racial caste system and the fact that some of them wish they themselves were not white, but half-breeds.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
It's a matter of understanding TRUE dynamics, and not wishful thinking based in FEAR. It's clearly obvious your understanding of America is as limited as my understanding of Africa.
The fastest way for you to comprehend the US racial dynamics is to spend a few days in New York city and talk to the black people you meet there. You will meet many AFRICA AMERICANS who are from Haiti, Dominica, Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Carribean, and every other country in the world. Once they move to New York, they classify THEMSELVES as African Americans. I know this because I attended High School in Brooklyn and they were all in my classes.
And why not. They want to be apart of the culture the gave rise to Malcohm X, Martin Luther King, Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Jay-z, Marvin Gaye, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Soul, Civil rights, and la-de-da-da-da, and they are.
You silly fools need to get over the fact that African American does not solely apply to middle passage descendent's. There were free blacks (Africans) in the US even before slavery. I don't see how Africans, ones who've never even been in the US can decide what US blacks should label themselves anyway. Must be some kind of FEAR phobia, or maybe some of that TRIBALISM seeping out.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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Some mention that Barack notes his white ancestry. That is not all he calls himself.
In the Texas primary he said, "I'm tough. Hey, look. I'm a black candidate, Barack Obama, running for president of the U. S. of A. I'm tough."
Which side of the coin do we take? The side where he identifies himself as from a white mother? The side where he identifies himself as black and has married a black (African - by phenotype) woman?
With three great races with one being individuals with full facial features given to woolly or wiry hair, Barack Obama, who would be lynched in old south and wanted to be assassinated by over 500 groups/individuals investigated by the FBI during the primaries for being a nigger, he is (by phenotype) African.
. .
-------------------- The nature of homelife is the fate of the nation. Posts: 2334 | Registered: May 2006
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posted
meninarmer wrote: --------------------------- who are from Haiti, Dominica, Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Carribean, and every other country in the world. ---------------------------
You poor deluded fool. Those people are haitian Americans, Brazillian Americans, Dominican Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, Cuban Americans, etc.
If you want to lump everyone into one umbrella, simply use Africans or African Diaspora.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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Some mention that Barack notes his white ancestry. That is not all he calls himself.
In the Texas primary he said, "I'm tough. Hey, look. I'm a black candidate, Barack Obama, running for president of the U. S. of A. I'm tough."
Which side of the coin do we take? The side where he identifies himself as from a white mother? The side where he identifies himself as black and has married a black (African - by phenotype) woman?
With three great races with one being individuals with full facial features given to woolly or wiry hair, Barack Obama, who would be lynched in old south and wanted to be assassinated by over 500 groups/individuals investigated by the FBI during the primaries for being a nigger, he is (by phenotype) African.
. .
The US black label progression revolved thusly;
Negro -> Black -> African American
Many blacks interchange black/African American. It really makes little difference. The important aspect to maintain is the unifying factor. What these fools above wish to promote is a colonialism inspired divisive TRIBALISM style division. It AIN'T gonna work!!
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
meninarmer wrote: --------------------------- You silly fools need to get over the fact that African American does not solely apply to middle passage descendent's. There were free blacks (Africans) in the US even before slavery. ---------------------------
Of course, that is why I said pre-1970 Africans in America.
I don't know why the sahelian pseudointellectual is so hell bent on the "trans-atlantic slave trade".....the "trans-atlantic slave trade".....the "trans-atlantic slave trade".
I would like for him to describe in detail this "trans-atlantic slave trade" or the "middle passage". What people and locations did they involve?
How many want to place a bet that his view will fit a Eurocentric race myth?
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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--------------------------- Many blacks interchange black/African American. It really makes little difference. The important aspect to maintain is the unifying factor.
What these fools above wish to promote is a colonialism inspired divisive TRIBALISM style division. It AIN'T gonna work!! ---------------------------
Black means nothing there is no blackistan, blackstonia, or blackland. It has no origin or no ethnicity.
Its funny that your dumb ass would fall for this game.
I have seen countless instances of whites writing about not wanting African Americans to refer to themselves as such. They don't want AAs to have anything to do with Africa. I know that I am not the only one who has seen this.
They want you to name yourself a color. Because a color has no origin, meaning, history, or culture. It is dumb to name yourself after a color whether its black, brown, red, orange, beige, yellow, or off-white.
Anyone also notice how every group from japanese to indians to irish to italians to english no matter how many generations they are removed from their place of origin have festivals in honor of their ethnic origins. Funny how no one seems to have a problem with that.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
If anyone wants to lump Africa and its diaspora into one umbrella, simply label everyone as Africans or African Diaspora. Nothing wrong with that.
Posts: 3085 | Registered: Jan 2008
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[Marc writes] Some mention that Barack notes his white ancestry. That is not all he calls himself.
In the Texas primary he said, "I'm tough. Hey, look. I'm a black candidate, Barack Obama, running for president of the U. S. of A. I'm tough."
Which side of the coin do we take? The side where he identifies himself as from a white mother? The side where he identifies himself as black and has married a black (African - by phenotype) woman?
With three great races with one being individuals with full facial features given to woolly or wiry hair, Barack Obama, who would be lynched in old south and wanted to be assassinated by over 500 groups/individuals investigated by the FBI during the primaries for being a nigger, he is (by phenotype) African.
Humans originated in Africa. There were no other people but dark skinned folks in 'the beginning.'
So, is Obama mixed? Of course he is――with himself. See Djehuti's photo of the dude with the black arms and white face (or something like that) for further proof. Yet Djehuti may not see it that way because he isn't sure why he posted it (a few weeks ago).
Posts: 2118 | From: midwest, USA | Registered: Aug 2007
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Furthermore, on the molecular level, the characteristics or "color" of an object is influenced by the type of radiation absorbed and emitted. Technically, black is intrinsically, colorless, meaning in it's purest form in humans, Melanin, it is an ideal blackbody absorbing all wavelengths of radiation (Electromagnetic, thermal), while emitting very little and converting excess to thermal radiation.
Therefore, black is perceived when very little or no radiation is reflected back, while the color red radiation (WL:6x10^7 x h:5x10^14) is perceived when the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding or vibrating at the same frequency as red is reflected from an object whose moving molecules have an matching energy level and frequency.
At the molecular level, you can safely think of melanin bio-polymers as miniature black holes.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
You can't expect a man with no heritage other than what his former masters lay out and allow for him to understand that those who have a heritage and know it as evidenced in their African personal and family name, their African language, and their African faith, refuse to have it subsumed by a meaningless potpouri.
quote:Originally posted by Herukhuti: ^ You're simply unable to see the political advantage in alTakruri's standpoint.
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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Go to Little Senegal (116th St) or to Futa Town (Fulton Ave) and talk that bull s h i t. See how far it gets you.
quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: The fastest way for you to comprehend the US racial dynamics is to spend a few days in New York city and talk to the black people you meet there. You will meet many AFRICA AMERICANS who are from Haiti, Dominica, Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Carribean, and every other country in the world. Once they move to New York, they classify THEMSELVES as African Americans. I know this because I attended High School in Brooklyn and they were all in my classes.
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
You are correct. AFRICAN is the proper umbrella. Some few USA blacks recognized that fact in the 70's and withdrew colour or hyphenated American from their self-identity. However, it soon fell away.
Many are like Morgan Freeman and do not use describe themselves with any term related to Africa. They use and prefer Black American as is their perfect right.
The nationality American is for the USA. No other nation has "America" on their passport under the nationality designation.
Puerto Ricans, though, are Americans by default.
quote:Originally posted by argyle104: meninarmer wrote: --------------------------- who are from Haiti, Dominica, Africa, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Carribean, and every other country in the world. ---------------------------
You poor deluded fool. Those people are haitian Americans, Brazillian Americans, Dominican Americans, Puerto Rican Americans, Cuban Americans, etc.
If you want to lump everyone into one umbrella, simply use Africans or African Diaspora.
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by alTakruri: [QB] Pure poppycock.
Go to Little Senegal (116th St) or to Futa Town (Fulton Ave) and talk that bull s h i t. See how far it gets you.
Is that what you HEARD, from some nameless source, or did you find that on WIKI? LOL, this is America.
People can choose to join the larger group, or they can choose to huddle together in 3-4 car taxi cab companies and ACT like they superior in small like ineffective tribes. It's their choice.
To be honest, I'd prefer if you Soulja Boy types kept your confused lame asses where you are. We trying to move forward, not backward.
As far as talking BS, believe me when I say very seriously, there are never any African American versus African scuffles. Africans only talk that bull under their breath to each other or over the internet. Here in America, You Jewish knuckleheads are as quiet as church mice.
SO, if you were an African in America, what would YOU do differently than Malcolm X, or Reginauld Lewis?? You know Reggie. He's the brother from Baltimore who created the $2 Billion Beatrice Foods.
Posts: 3595 | From: Moved To Mars. Waiting with shotgun | Registered: Dec 2006
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It started as African, as can be seen in the names of earliest Christian religious bodies they made for themselves.
Due to acknowledged levels of miscegenation it then became colored.
Though patented as a term for an item rather than for humans, negro surfaced although concurrently there was a strong school for Aframerican (see Moore's pamphlet The Name negro it's Origin and Evil Use).
Negro was used because the masses feared using black. With the prominence of the activist movement Black replaced negro.
Afro-American next rose into place though African-American was a little used contemporary substitute.
Among those in the USA of African consciousness AFRICAN with no hyphen following it was the prefered term. Notice this in written materials issuing from 3rd World Press and related publishers in the 70's.
One branch of the activists led by Karenga (founder of Kwanza and proliferator of the Nguzo Saba) opted for African American based on the reasoning that the American seasoning applied to the African was irrevocable. Jesse Jackson picked up on the term and popularized it.
At the same time Black American was also used to replace plain old black since there are black people all over the planet.
The things this man writes are so easily disputed with but a bare minimum of research. I think I will leave it to the readers to test his posts for themselves and they will see just how watertight or leaky they actually are because I don't have the time to make it my job to expose all his rot, seeing that it'd take all the time in the world to do it as the more attention he gets via reply, the more his demagoguery flows.
quote:Originally posted by meninarmer: The US black label progression revolved [sic] thusly;
Negro -> Black -> African American
Posts: 8014 | From: the Tekrur in the Western Sahel | Registered: Feb 2006
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See Djehuti's photo of the dude with the black arms and white face (or something like that) for further proof. Yet Djehuti may not see it that way because he isn't sure why he posted it (a few weeks ago).
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