Could an Obama attempt happen?

NuggetBrain · August 2009

This always annoys me. If his Dad is black and his mom is white, why is he black? Does he look white to you? There you go.You want to get technical, bi-racial. There. But to those folks, he's just as black as if his dad had been Al Sharpton and his momma had been Oprah.

AlexiaANDRobert · August 2009

So, if another black person becomes President and BOTH his/her parents are black, are they the 2nd black President in the US?He's just as much white as he is black, so I just don't get what the big deal is that we have a "black president."

NuggetBrain · August 2009

He's just as much white as he is black, so I just don't get what the big deal is that we have a "black president."If someone came up to you and said "Obama is such a great white president", what would you say?People go with the most obvious. They need to catagorize. Its in our nature. I'm black, but I'm also French and native american. However, I'm most obviously black. It's easier to say I'm black, than put "French-Native-American-African-American."

SarahSmile23 · August 2009

If someone came up to you and said "Obama is such a great white president", what would you say?I'd be so busy laughing about the "great" part, I'd probably overlook the skin color.

No, but i'd correct them to "biracial,' just as I do now.

NuggetBrain · August 2009

but i'd correct them to "biracial,' just as I do now. It's always easier for people to deal with catagorized stuff. Like I said, it doesn't always make sense, but there you go. Like how biracial folks used to pass for white - they couldn't have done it if they didn't look more white than black. They identified themselves as white, and society accepted it because they looked white. But if Obama tried to pass as white, people would be all "...WTF? Really?"

AlexiaANDRobert · August 2009

If someone came up to you and said "Obama is such a great white president", what would you say?I'd strongly disagree with that statement because I'd rather have Ronald McDonald in office and it has nothing to do with Obama's race.I just get annoyed when race is the issue. I don't like him and I don't care if he is half white or half black or all white or all black.Race: Black or White or Asian (Hispanic is HIGHLY debatable)Nationality: French, Cuban, Spanish, Mexican, etc.

ricksang · August 2009

I'd be so busy laughing about the "great" part, I'd probably overlook the skin color.

No, but i'd correct them to "biracial,' just as I do now. Bwahahaha ditto this. Also, my niece is biracial and we are teaching her that she is in fact biracial. We don't want her to have a negative view of either race.

NuggetBrain · August 2009

I don't think you have to have a negative view of a race to identify more with one. If you're more obviously black, it's going to affect how you are treated in life, which shapes the person you become. Like for me, I'm black but people assume I'm bi-racial, and that's changed the way they've reacted to me. I've had some people not want to have much to do with me when they thought I was mixed, and be all about hanging out when they found out I was "really" black (bear in mind, this was in middle and high school). I've had people do the opposite too. I've had people even in passing, like at bars or on busses or airplanes, be more comfortable talking to me, and when it comes out in conversation that I'm not Puerto Rican/Hispanic/Mixed, they suddenly get all wierd and kind of wander off, or the conversation dies. For some reason, it changes the way they look at me. When you're raised dealing with that your whole life, it changes the way you look at yourself. You begin to identify more with the race people identify you with, if that makes any sense.Halle Berry is mixed too, but you never hear anybody referring to her as anything other than "black" because that's how everybody sees her.

laladypoet · August 2009

too...many...republicans...

SarahSmile23 · August 2009

too...many...republicans... yes. it's bad for there to be different opinions in this country.

ricksang · August 2009

Yes, LaLa we are multiplying. Actually, I used to be a moderate until this election.

sameoldash · August 2009

I agree that society referring to him as simply "black" annoys me to no end. I am biracial (mom's white, dad's black) and it's frustrating when people try to tell me that I am a "black" or "white" woman, only. No.However, isn't his father African? Do Africans typically refer to themselves as "black"? Maybe that's a dumb question to ask..

jasmineh7777 · August 2009

lalady- hahaha! Seriously thanks.

vallyhoo · August 2009

Yes, LaLa we are multiplying. Actually, I used to be a moderate until this election.Dare I say, we are multiplying like rabbits

laladypoet · August 2009

::backs out of thread before republicans take my soul::

AlexiaANDRobert · August 2009

I like when we multiply... It brings a little diversity.

NuggetBrain · August 2009

However, isn't his father African? Do Africans typically refer to themselves as "black"? Maybe that's a dumb question to ask..No, that's a good question actually. The ones I know have, but I don't know if that's because they're pretty Americanized or what.I do know they're more likely to say where they're from, like "I'm Somalian" or "I'm Liberian" over "I'm black", but in conversation they'll sometimes refer to themselves as black.

ricksang · August 2009

What you say Nugget scares me. I worry about my niece being picked on (even out right harassed) due to her race. We just don't want her growing up thinking one race is better than the other, but I see what you are saying. But, maybe if we all started saying the president was biracial this attitude would change about biracial people. I don't know.

NuggetBrain · August 2009

I like when we multiply... It brings a little diversity.Pfft. Diversity is for hippies and pinko Commies.

ricksang · August 2009

Dare I say, we are multiplying like rabbits ;)Well, maybe not my rabbit. He lost his ballz a long time ago.

karenttrouble · August 2009

I'm surprised it has happened already.

SarahSmile23 · August 2009

nugget, thanks for your feedback on this thread. i know i disagreed with you the entire time, but i was also appreciating your point of view. and i do recognize it's easier to stick somebody in a "black" or "white" category based on their visible appearance. it just annoys me when the media goes on and on about how we have our first black president when he is actually biracial. i have heard a few biracial colleagues mention that they would feel honored to hear obama referenced as biracial and they feel a bit cheated that he isn't.

tecmo · August 2009

I also am surprised there hasn't been an actual attempt caught on tape somewhere yet. There are too many people whose thinking still resides in the 1800s when it comes to race that I would have thought the likelihood would have been much higher. Like had been said earlier, just being President gives you a fair share of crazies.I personally don't care for some of President Obama's political views... such as federalized health care (because our government gets oh so much right without having to plow through a mountain of red tape), but that hardly makes me want to take a life for it, or want to see anyone else do it.

mwhitson14 · August 2009

We had a crazy arrested in a couple towns over a few weeks ago who had an Obama assassination attempt planned. He was real smart about it, posted it on FB and told a few people his plans.

Emstarme · August 2009

At this point I would think an attempt would be politically motivated and not racially motivated. Quite honestly I am an independent and his frivolous spending and political views (especially on health care) are terrifying to me. I wish that politicians cared what people thought, but it seems that everyone has an agenda. As a Massachusetts resident I can tell you that the health care plan would be a great way to put the country into further debt. I think people are scared of his plans and it could get him into trouble.

ootmother2 · August 2009

That conversation spouted from talking about "where were you" when: - Sept. 11 happened - Princess Di died - when you found out MJ died - JFK I may never be the same after this statement.

smokeybailey · August 2009

I am sure no one is still reading this but it was actually "white" America who defined what "black" is. I believe the saying was "one drop of 'black' blood" made you black. Is Obama biracial? yes. But that is not how people see him (like Nugget said).When a biracial man is arrested for carjacking no one complains when the press calls him "black." The only time I ever hear the argument about, wait, he's/she's half white is they have done something. When Halle Berry won her Oscar, white folks all over were all, but she's half white! You didn't hear that outcry before she won her award.Just sayin'.....

SarahSmile23 · August 2009

When a biracial man is arrested for carjacking no one complains when the press calls him "black." Seriously? You seriously think that we wouldn't consider a biracial carjacker to be biracial if we knew his background? You think we would knowingly call him black, despite knowing his actual race?And the reason there was an outcry about Halle Berry is because, like Obama, the race was used to gain publicity. You have to see the difference between someone calling themselves black or white in daily life vs. claiming to be black or white to gain additional publicity for an accomplishment. It's almost as if they are ashamed to claim that they are mixed.

saschaduran · August 2009

Sarah...I have never ever heard of a criminal being referred to as biracial in a news story. I absolutely believe that knowing a criminal was biracial would not stop the media from calling the person black. Not saying it is right, but it is what happens.

smokeybailey · August 2009

Sascha-that's exactly my point. They don't say, we are looking for a half black/half white man. They say, we are looking for a black man.It isn't until someone wants to throw down a claim because of success do we ever hear the "but she/he is half white!" Until then she is just another black actress.

Could an Obama attempt happen?

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