Why doesn't everyone get it right and always say that Obama is the first Half Black, or Half African-American, president elect? If we want to be truthful here?

And in this case it is actually valid to say that he is Half African-American!! His father actually is from Africa.

This business of Blacks in America wanting to be called "African-American" is a joke and completely racist in nature. Simply because a very distant, very removed relative was actually from Africa, they want to be called "African-American".

Strange how MOST Americans are simply "Americans", or Americans of [fill in the blank] decent.

NeedKarma

Ok, he's half-black. Better now?

RickJ

I too wonder the same thing. It's not just Obama - but in my area I see this a lot and wonder. When someone is half black and half something else, it seems that the majority of them consider themselves "black"

Frankly I don't look to Obama to explain it. I've not seen him focus on it. It's the media that is.

tomder55

it just isn't something I lose alot of sleep over .

450donn

It has never been about the color of his skin, except maybe to the racist radicals. It has always been about his character, the people he has associated himself with, those that bought the election for him, and the direction he intends to take this country.

Lowtax4eva

I'm sick of this argument, it seems some people cant refer to Obama as "black" cause it hurts their pride... they need to mention he is half white to keep their sanity.

Why does it matter what people call him...

NeedKarma

Not.

ScottGem

Excuse me, but doesn't the term African-American simply mean an american of African descent? Just as an Italian-American or Irish-Amercian would!

To be of African (or Italian or Irish) descent simply means that one or more of your parents or ancestors was from Africa. That would make saying someone was half African-American to be potentially redundant.

Obama is African-American, lets leave it at that.

BABRAM

The answer is historical. The courts in the 1800's and early 1900's, led by Caucasian-American society decided that anyone with an ounce of Black blood, and appeared Black, no matter if they were 1/2, 1/8, or 1/16th, was considered Black by their standards. Some States chose to define using specifics, mulatto, octoroon, etc... Point being that most African-American have other ancestry than African descent going back several generations. However this was not the decision of African Americans, but later they took pride in being Black. BTW Irish/Jews/Italians/Native American Indians/Hispanics/Asians were excluded in society to some degree and they each had ostracised standards placed upon them for various reasons during limited time periods.



It's because we are such diverse nation of mainly immigrants from generations back that it actually made sense for decades. However, your point is well taken. Our US populace identity is definitely becoming blurred and I think that's for the better.