Question about mixed race

[DangerDave921]

Why is that Obama is called black and not white? He's 50/50 so why does society automatically assign him the one name and not the other? Just like Tiger Woods too. No one calls him a Thai, even though his mom is Thai. No, he's black.

Just curious if there is some reason for this. Is it simply the darker skin wins the naming contest? You could have a guy who's only 1/8 black and he would still be called black based on his skin tone even though he's 7/8 white.

[Lerkfish]

1. really horrible tradition of racists viewing any percent of "black blood" as tainting the purity

That's where it comes from.

How do we get past that? I have no idea.

[annabanana]

2. How you look to others determines how you are treated. . .

In this Country, if you "look black", you are treated as though you ARE. . regardless of those pesky facty truths.

If you are going to be pegged as "black" it is very hard not to self-identify with that community.

[Poseidan]

6. the Constitution does not describe a Republic

Democracies and Republics have a lot in common.

But yeah, people are Nazi's when it comes to race. Mixed is mixed, un-mixed is un-mixed or possibly in-bred. Nazi's, and most dog-breeders, think of it as pure-bred, but really, it is in-bred.

[Buzz Clik]

3. Ever read how Tiger sees himself?

It's interesting.

[DangerDave921]

4. In a mirror?

How Tiger sees himself? In a mirror!

ha ha ha ha

[Buzz Clik]

5. hm.

Gratefully, I didn't spend much time responding.

[DangerDave921]

8. It was a joke!

Have you never read Bazooka comics?

[Buzz Clik]

11. Yeah, when I was 12.

carry on.

[gratuitous]

7. Mixed race?

My understanding is that both of Barack Obama's parents were members of the human race. Nothing "mixed" there.

[DangerDave921]

10. OK Mr./Mrs. Literal

You know what I mean. What should I say instead? Mixed ethnicity? Please tell me the appropriate term to use as as not to offend your delicate sensibilities.

[notadmblnd]

9. Ask McCain, he's got black ancestors on his mother's side

I was reading here over the weekend. The story was about the McCains owning slaves way back. His mother was quoted as having ancestors that were once slaves.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. Old racist laws

called the "one drop rule"--if you had one drop of African blood, you were black. In slavery times, that drop of African blood meant you could be a slave, no matter what your appearance. There was a famous case in the antebellum South if Eliza, who was a slave although her only African ancestor was her great-grandfather. Her grandmother and mother had been concubines of their white masters, and so the poor girl looked white. She was auctioned off after the last of her owners died, and an abolitionist group bought her and gave her freedom so she would not be purchased by a man who wished to use her as a prostitute.

[Brewman_Jax]

13. The term is "hypodescent"

meaning that racially mixed persons are assigned the status of the racially subordinate group. The term is relative to the culture in question. In the US, I'm black; in Brazil, I'm white. More here at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/mixed/onedrop.html

[annabanana]

14. That is the best, most cogent, and accurate response I have ever

seen to that question. This information ought to be built into the public school curriculum in this Country.

from the link:
Not only does the one-drop rule apply to no other group than American blacks, but apparently the rule is unique in that it is found only in the United States and not in any other nation in the world.

[DangerDave921]

16. Very interesting! Thanks. eom

[Happyhippychick]

15. He has chosen to identify with black culture, i.e. he has a black wife. He

could have decided to identify with white culture but this is what felt right to him. It's fascinating to think that race and ethnicity could have genetic implications of "comfort". I had a boyfriend in college who was biracial and he identified as being "white". Interestingly, he didn't look white so it was a constant challenge for him.