Why cant he be the First “Multi- Racial” President? I think that reflects the true “America”.

Go snag a biology book and read the section on genetics.

Lara Amber

The one thing that has consistantly bothered me about this election are the people who are upset that Obama is catagorized as a Black man. What’s wrong with being black?

I think racial categories are still useful for one specific purpose: medical screening. There are conditions that strike blacks in greater numbers then whites, one’s that strike Asians more, etc. Doctor’s can’t profess to be color blind, they need to watch for those conditions in order to be the best physician possible for their patients. Do we need more categories? Probably.

Lara Amber

I found your article to be informative, interesting, and a unique insight into deep truths of American society. I also enjoyed the parts pertaining to other cultural perspectives on race, which make the “powerful” and “diverse” country look like its taken a few steps backwards socially in all its modernism.
In all the progress towards equality that we`ve made however, the question is why is race still one of the most sensitive subjects, and given so much attention? And why is a child of a white parent and a parent with a phenotype that isn`t Caucasian considered the ladder? As I believe you have conveyed, without acceptance and a move away from classifying and individualizing based on race, there will always be people who feel alienated. However, the natural desire for identitiy has fueled and always will fuel a fire to be different or keep one`s culture, and unfortunately being different sometimes means not being treated equally.
The United States have developed a very multicultural society, consisting of a base culture, from which most of us share, and then several sub cultures that can be as distinct as anywhere. Because of this, and our particular history, in attempting to achieve a higher degree of equality through politically correct terms (i.e. Japanese-American) and by other means we have exacerbated the problem of separation, as much as help it alleviate it. Although America is still predominately Caucasian, as indicated by the youth vote multiculturalism and tolerance are the future of America. Obama`s eminent inauguration is a reflection of the changing times, and how far the country has moved in the right direction.
Perhaps if America had been founded by non-Europeans, there would be no racial divides, and people would see each other as they are–all Americans

People are people, our actions towards others are way more important than any physical attributes that may differentiate us visually.
JS

He didn’t have much contact with his father’s family, but when he did there’s no doubt what he was. He was an mzungu, a White European. My father in law is Black and a couple shades darker than Obama. When he and his family moved to Tanzania he and the kids were Europeans as far as everyone was concerned. Dark skin isn’t exactly rare in Africa. If you’re from America, speak American English and think like an American, you’re mzunga. His wife was Chinese, which was a completely different thing.

He spent several years in Indonesia. Same thing there. If you’re an American you’re a White Christian. You could be blacker than a coal scuttle at midnight, have a longer beard than ZZ Top, and be a Wahabite mullah. You’re still a White Christian. And people will treat you like one and remind you of the fact.

Most of the rest of his early years were spent in Hawaii. Ethnicity is different there. Obama’s mom was haole. The grandmother who raised him was haole. He went to Punaho. So he was hapa haole, part White and with a social position status and school connections that were more important than the color of his skin. Growing up in Honolulu he was more haole than anything else.

A White guy in America just blends in and isn’t anything special. He doesn’t have to think about his ethnicity. He’s what’s considered normal. Barrack Obama spent his formative years being reminded that he was White in obvious and subtle ways every single day. It’s something that was closer to his consciousness than it is to most Caucasians in America. In fact, he says that he went out of his way to move to Chicago, get involved with Black causes and culture and made a conscious decision to identify as a Black man.

In other words, he’s a guy who grew up White – albeit not in America (I dont’ consider Hawaii to be culturally part of the Mainland) – and decided to pass for Black. It’s like the “mulattos” and “quadroons” who moved up from the South and decided to pass for White. The only odd thing is he went against the pattern.

Black, White or whatever social category you put him in, he’s the best candidate out there. McCain and particularly the unspeakable Sarah Palin represent the uglier parts of the past. Obama represents the High Beige Heterozygous future