Obama's census choice: simply African-American

[GostHacked]

Says the person I've owned the 2nd most!

Says the person who can't back up anything after he posts and runs.

[bush_cheney2004]

I think they did it because the census is getting a bad wrap this year and the census bureau is trying to up responses in both conservative areas of the country and in black areas.....

The US Census always gets a bad rap for deserved reasons. Not only has the questionaire exceeded Constitutional mandate to just count people for purposes of redistricting, the collected information has actually been used to round up citizens and resident aliens for internment (WW2). This years form goes a long way to simplify and get back to the basics of counting heads.

[Shady]

Says the person who can't back up anything after he posts and runs.

I back up what I say 100% of the time.

[GostHacked]

I back up what I say 100% of the time.

Which is 100% bull. You can't even be honest with yourself can you?

[xul]

I can not see what's wrong in this.

We should understand, a census form is different from those forms issured by scientists which are used for genetic research. It is more social than scientific. So people can identify themselves as what they consider themselves to be or what they consider others mostly consider them to be. There is not a certain recognized definition of the term "race". For example, in America, Korean and Chinese are two "races" in the form which Obama filled. But in China, Korean is also an ethnic minority so a Korean Chinese is also a Chinese, just like an African American is also an American. So if a Korean ethnic Chinese migrated to America and became a citizen, he could identify himself as "Chinese", "Korean" or "Chinese and Korean", depending on what he considers himself as.

Sometimes what race a person identifies or considers himself or herself as depends on his or her experience and how others identify or consider what race he is. For example, if a Chinese married a Japanese, how their children identify themselves may mostly depend on their experience. If the family mostly lives in Japan, the kids may mostly consider themselves as Japanese rather than Chinese; but if the family lives in China, the kids may mostly consider themselves as Chinese. This is because Chinese and Japanese are similar in physical feature so the kids are easily identified by their classmates as "pureblood" Japanese or Chinese, and over time they will be accustomed to identify themselves as what others identify them as.

On the other hand, if a black or a white married a Chinese or Japanese and the family lives in China or Japan, I bet their kids will not identify themselves as Chinese and Japanese but white or black because they may look different in physical feature so their classmates will identify them as "black" or "white", and over time they will be accustomed to identify themselves as what others identify them as.

In Obama's case, since his skin color mostly inherites his father's, and people used to call African and European black and white, so we can suppose that he may have been accustomed to others, like his classmates, friend and colleagues, identify him as a "black" before he become a politician and famous to draw attention of silly writers to pry into his racial heritage for selling their papers.

[Shady]

Looks like I'm vidicated once again!

Why Obama should not have checked 'black' on his census form

Despite being raised by a white mother and white grandparents, despite have spent most of his childhood in the rainbow state of Hawaii, despite clearly being comfortable in almost any type of crowd (though I suppose Tea Partyers might give him pause), the president apparently considers himself only black. "I self-identify as an African American. That's how I am treated and that's how I am viewed. And I'm proud of it," he has said. But he also argued in his famous speech about race that he could no more disown the Reverend Jeremiah Wright "than I can my white grandmother." With his census choice, he has done precisely that.

I am the mother of biracial children (Asian/Caucasian) and believe that multiracial people need to be accepted and acknowledged -- even celebrated. The president's choice disappoints me, and it seems somewhat disingenuous. Obama, who has also referred to himself as a "mutt," made a big deal during the 2008 campaign of being able to relate to Hawaiians and Midwesterners, Harvard grads and salespeople, blacks, whites, Latinos, whatever -- precisely because of his "unconventional" background and multicultural exposure. On the census, however, he has effectively said that when it counts, he is black.

Washington Post

[punked]

Looks like I'm vidicated once again!

The Washington post parroting the same republican talking points in an opinion section DOES NOT make you right in anyway.

Hey look Shady is unvindicated because another journalist thinks he IS wrong. It must be tough to be you Shady you know everything you saying being wrong all the time.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/mitchell/2006/12/us_senator_barak_obama_and_the.html

Edited April 29, 2010 by punked

[JB Globe]

Why would Obama purposely not check White on his census form? His mother is White, correct? His father was Black correct? Wouldn't that make him mixed race? Wouldn't that make him as much White as he is Black?

Any theories?

Yes, I have a theory.

That there is a implication in this post that bigoted white people such as yourself still believe that they can dictate how biracial people construct their own identity.

Here's a newsflash - your cute little opinions on how biracial people should view themselves don't matter to anyone but your friends on Stormfront.

This post was hilarious, thanks for the comedy.

[bush_cheney2004]

....That there is a implication in this post that bigoted white people such as yourself still believe that they can dictate how biracial people construct their own identity.

Here's a newsflash - your cute little opinions on how biracial people should view themselves don't matter to anyone but your friends on Stormfront.

Yet you have no problem doing exactly the same for the "biracial" people.

[TeddyH]

Lately the USA actively tries to convince all countries, involved in honest distributing Arctic oil and gas reserves (namely, such states as our Canada, Denmark, Norway and Russia) that it would be better for us to develop Arctic resources jointly instead of abiding the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which determines territorial claims according to coastlines and undersea continental shelves (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/may/29/fossilfuels.poles).

Attractive offer, isn’t it? But in reality US oil and gas-producing companies simply wish to have access to all reserves of this energy-rich region. The matter is that during Arctic nations’ separation due to the 1982 UN Convention the USA can get only 600 miles north of Alaska. And I hear this part of Arctic basin is rather rich of oil, but has minute volume of natural gas! Good plan, isn’t it?

[bush_cheney2004]

...Attractive offer, isn’t it? But in reality US oil and gas-producing companies simply wish to have access to all reserves of this energy-rich region. The matter is that during Arctic nations’ separation due to the 1982 UN Convention the USA can get only 600 miles north of Alaska. And I hear this part of Arctic basin is rather rich of oil, but has minute volume of natural gas! Good plan, isn’t it?

This is off topic, but since you brought it up, please explain how Canada developed such resources in the past without American and other foreign cooperation (namely investment capital and technology).

[Shady]

That there is a implication in this post that bigoted white people such as yourself still believe that they can dictate how biracial people construct their own identity.

How am I bigoted? I'm not dictating how biracial people construct their own identity. But I wasn't aware that constructing one's own identity was even possible. Especially when said constructed identity goes against actual reality. I can pretend I'm Chinese. But it doesn't make it true. Mr. Obama can pretend he's only Black. But we all know that isn't the case.

Here's a newsflash - your cute little opinions on how biracial people should view themselves don't matter to anyone but your friends on Stormfront.

It's not about opinions, it's about reality. Mr. Obama is biracial. Why he chooses to ignore that fact on his census form is disturbing.

What's Stormfront? It sounds like a really cool video game. Can you get if for Xbox 360?

[Guest American Woman]

How am I bigoted? I'm not dictating how biracial people construct their own identity. But I wasn't aware that constructing one's own identity was even possible. Especially when said constructed identity goes against actual reality. I can pretend I'm Chinese. But it doesn't make it true.

Because you're not Chinese.

Mr. Obama can pretend he's only Black. But we all know that isn't the case.

He's not "pretending" anything. He chose to identify himself as African American on the census form, and unless he's come out denying that his mother was white, he's not "pretending" anything; simply choosing to identify as Black.

It's not about opinions, it's about reality. Mr. Obama is biracial. Why he chooses to ignore that fact on his census form is disturbing.

Yes, he is biracial, and while he chose to identify himself simply as Black on the census form and I don't understand his reasons for answering the way he did, in no way do I find it "disturbing." In fact, I haven't given it any more thought since I first heard about it, and I would think the amount of time you've spent fretting over it is the only disturbing thing about it.

[JB Globe]

Yet you have no problem doing exactly the same for the "biracial" people.

Enlighten me

[Smallc]

Enlighten me

I'll enlighten you. He's a troll that's best ignored.

[Shady]

Because you're not Chinese.

And Obama isn't just Black.

[JB Globe]

How am I bigoted? I'm not dictating how biracial people construct their own identity. But I wasn't aware that constructing one's own identity was even possible . . . But we all know that isn't the case.

You're not dictating how biracial people construct their identity . . . You just want them to check the boxes that you want them to check, because you know them better than they know themselves.

Right.

Obama isn't pretending anything - he's choosing a term to describe himself that he's most comfortable with. Biracial folks spend their whole lives half-belonging and belonging no where at the same time, that quite frankly they've earned the right to label themselves, and to hell with anyone else trying to define them.

Why he chooses to ignore that fact on his census form is disturbing.

Obama has done more deep introspection about his ancestry and identity than pretty much any other politician in recent history. There is nothing disturbing about someone taking the time to look in the mirror and deep within themselves and come to a conclusion about who they are and where they stand in the world.

He is completely comfortable in his own skin, and has never had an issue talking about his identity and ancestry or writing huge chapters in books about them.

You certainly can't say the same thing about Bobby Jindal - who squirms every time it's brought up that he's of Indian ancestry.

[Shady]

You're not dictating how biracial people construct their identity . . . You just want them to check the boxes that you want them to check, because you know them better than they know themselves.

Nope. I just want them to tell the truth. His mother was White.

Obama isn't pretending anything - he's choosing a term to describe himself that he's most comfortable with.

The census form is suppose to count reality, not what somebody is comfortable with. And that speaks volumes if he's not comfortable with acknowledging that his mother was White.

Obama has done more deep introspection about his ancestry and identity than pretty much any other politician in recent history.

It's doesn't take deep introspection to acknowledge reality. He's biracial, yet he chose to ignore that fact when completing his census form.

He is completely comfortable in his own skin.

If he's completely comfortable in his own skin then why did he lie about that very skin on his census form?

[Born Free]

And Obama isn't just Black.

I say impeach the bastard....impeach all Presidents who lie...

[bush_cheney2004]

....Obama isn't pretending anything - he's choosing a term to describe himself that he's most comfortable with. Biracial folks spend their whole lives half-belonging and belonging no where at the same time, that quite frankly they've earned the right to label themselves, and to hell with anyone else trying to define them....

Correct...and that includes the proliferation of the very term "biracial", "triracial", or any other false construct of "n-racial" framework that attempts to protect the boundaries (and purity) of the "white race".

[GostHacked]

And Obama isn't just Black.

You'd complain either way.

[JB Globe]

Nope. I just want them to tell the truth. His mother was White.

When the hell has Obama ever denied that his mom is white? He talks about having a white mom whenever he talks about his family.

The census form is suppose to count reality, not what somebody is comfortable with.

You mean - you want the census to reflect YOUR reality, not the person filling out the form, right?

And that speaks volumes if he's not comfortable with acknowledging that his mother was White.

What type of narcotic are you on? The man wrote volumes about his white mother and his ancestry in his books. He's spoken about her many times in speeches. Where are you getting that he doesn't acknowledge his mom is white?

Just because I don't check the box on the census that says "Russian" doesn't mean I'm in denial that my great-grandparents were born in Russia. It means I don't consider myself to be Russian.

What the hell is your background anyways? What would you check off? You have a Swedish great grandfather? You gonna check off Swedish? No? Then you're in denial about yourself according to your own BS logic.

Can you imagine how long people's hyphenated descriptions of themselves would be if they followed your logic in 50 years time? People would apparently belong to 20 different ethnic groups due to all the intermarriage.

People get to define their own racial/ethnic identity, end of story. If you want to call yourself Chinese, go ahead, no one will believe you because there's no Chinese in your ancestry. But no one has a problem with Obama calling himself African-American - except for far-right troll posters who seem to try to turn everything he does into a stab at him.

No really - if this is such an outrage, show me anyone who cares who isn't a quasi-racist far-right blogger. Most of us who actually speak to black folks on a regular basis are completely unphazed by any of this.

Maybe you need to get out of your trailer park more often.

If he's completely comfortable in his own skin then why did he lie about that very skin on his census form?

Obama has white skin?

Apparently you can't see or reason.

Edited May 7, 2010 by JB Globe

[JB Globe]

You'd complain either way.

Cosign.

[Born Free]

When the hell has Obama ever denied that his mom is white? He talks about having a white mom whenever he talks about his family.

Off with his head for lying.... Seriously Shady, you need to get out more...

[Jack Weber]

You'd complain either way.

+3...