When did Obama become black?

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

Unless this is a debate about whether life begins at conception, birth or some other phase, I am confused by your question.

"How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"

Being black isn't just a race, Nicodemus. It's a "culture." It's a "community." This is why Harry Belafonte can accuse Colin Powell of actually being white.

[woot]

Originally Posted by Tex

"How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"

Being black isn't just a race, Nicodemus. It's a "culture." It's a "community." This is why Harry Belafonte can accuse Colin Powell of actually being white.

Actually, being black is neither a race nor a culture. If you'd like to comment about some aspect of culture commonly associated with blacks, then feel free to do so, but let's not confuse ourselves with obvious falsehoods.

[il Padrino Ute]

Sheesh. Sarcasm rarely is recognized on a message board, but my post wasn't even on the radar.

Why are we as a country still so hypersensitive about one's race?

[ChinoCoug]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I seem to recall Mike might have raised this, so if so, I apologize.

I was watching a show last week that reviewed Obama's life. He was born in Hawaii to a white mother and Kenyan father. When Obama was two the father split and played a limited role in Obama's life from that time. Obama's mom then marries a guy from Indonesia and they move there. From school photos it is apparent that Obama attended expat schools. He is one of few blacks among a sea of white and Asian faces. He then moves back to Hawaii where he attends the exclusive Punahou High School, being one of the few blacks in a fairly multi-ethnic environment.

In essence, he was raised by a white mother and grandparents and had limited exposure to black culture. Yet as an adult he identifies as black, punctuating that identification by attending an african-centric (some would say radically so) church, considering its chief pastor as a mentor.

I wonder why that is.

All part-black kids consider themselves black, regardless.

[JohnnyLingo]

Originally Posted by Tex

"How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?"

Being black isn't just a race, Nicodemus. It's a "culture." It's a "community." This is why Harry Belafonte can accuse Colin Powell of actually being white.

Don't forget Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

And I'm pretty sure Bill Cosby has been accused of such, as well.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

All part-black kids consider themselves black, regardless.

I think society has done that all along. For one thing, all the injustices dealt to blacks by whites have been visited on part-blacks to the fullest extent.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by ChinoCoug

All part-black kids consider themselves black, regardless.

That's an interesting statement.

If it is true, then it's society that causes part black kids to think that way because why would children choose one parentage over another?

[woot]

Originally Posted by Archaea

That's an interesting statement.

If it is true, then it's society that causes part black kids to think that way because why would children choose one parentage over another?

Because part-black kids have black skin. This isn't rocket science.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Archaea

That's an interesting statement.

If it is true, then it's society that causes part black kids to think that way because why would children choose one parentage over another?

Society looks at a child with black blood and says black. You are what other people say you are as much as what you think you are. You get treated as though you are black even if you know very little of what black culture is about. Certainly I think it could be argued that some of this stems from the old "one drop" blood laws of the old days.

For instance, I am a mormon, therefore I am a bike riding white shirt wearing missionary who hates gay people and engages in polygamy in the eyes of most of the people I meet. Even close friends and relatives still assume this. Society wants us to fit into neat little boxes and it attempts to force us into these constructs. I can escape that Mormon construct because you can not tell someone is a Mormon by looking at them.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

For instance, I am a mormon, therefore I am a bike riding white shirt wearing missionary who hates gay people and engages in polygamy in the eyes of most of the people I meet. Even close friends and relatives still assume this. Society wants us to fit into neat little boxes and it attempts to force us into these constructs.

So what keeps you from hating gay people and becoming a polygamist?

Obama had about as multi-ethnic an upbringing as possible. He was raised by his white mother and grandparents. He doesn't carry the heritage of American blacks. Yet when he becomes an adult he chooses a religious belief system that is so Afro-centric that it could be construed as bigoted. His self-professed spiritual mentor is controversial when it comes to race relations. His tortured denial/disavowal/rejection of Farrakhan's support during the debate was odd. It seems that he's gone the extra mile in embracing his African-American-ness.

This isn't a value judgement, I'm just curious if anyone has any insights. Does he explore this in his book? Surely some of the Obamaniacs here could shed some light.