Why is President Obama called a black man?

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  1. Tusitala Tom profile image66
    Tusitala Tomposted 13 years ago

    Why is President Obama called a black man?

    When President O'bama was running for the presidency of the U.S. there was a lot of background material presented.   If I'm not mistaken, it was stated that O'bama has a black father and a white mother.   Now, I know that black and white humans don't make 'grey' humans, but why should the President be called a blackman when, it seems, he's half and half?

  2. FilthyRichFellow profile image59
    FilthyRichFellowposted 13 years ago

    Besides, everybody knows OBAMA is japanese!

    1. Levertis Steele profile image76
      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Spot on!

    2. MarieAlana1 profile image69
      MarieAlana1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      No, everybody know he's an African.

  3. nifty@50 profile image68
    nifty@50posted 13 years ago

    Your racial identity is often what people preceive you as being. If you look black and are only 10% black which racial population are you going to hang with in prison, the Latinos, the Whites or the Blacks? Or as a black man once answered, why Tiger Woods isn't considered Chinese, What color is he when the cops pull him over?!!
    I have a Spanish surname everyone assumes I am Mexican and speak fluent Spanish....wrong!

  4. wychic profile image85
    wychicposted 13 years ago

    I agree with nifty@50, it's what people see when they look at you. For instance, my stepson is part black, part white and is considered black. I am part white, part Lakota but am considered white (take a look at my profile pic...I have very white skin, that's all that matters when people look). My niece is part black, part white but is almost as white as I am, so she is considered white...she got very distinct facial features from her father that don't fit anywhere in her mother's heritage, but she's still identified by the actual color of her skin.

    1. MarieAlana1 profile image69
      MarieAlana1posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      This is interesting.

  5. Ohma profile image60
    Ohmaposted 13 years ago

    Well I agree that people tend to make judgment based on what is visible but I think it also has a lot to do with the fact that that is what he considers himself to be. Of course if he did not align himself solely with that particular race it is possible that others would perceive him to be white.

  6. Emissionguy profile image76
    Emissionguyposted 13 years ago

    because if you don't look whitey-white-white then you must be "other".  So being called black is the closest "other" catagory that would be used to describe him.

  7. dabeaner profile image60
    dabeanerposted 13 years ago

    To me, he appears sort of brown.

  8. Rogochuks profile image64
    Rogochuksposted 13 years ago

    There is no such thing as half and half.
    President Obama is called a black man because people lack the literacy skills to refer to other people as they should. People are Americans, Africans, African Americans, Italian Americans or Irish Americans etc, and the color of their skin is simple conjecture.
    Is a South American peach? Is a Chinese yellow? Is a Brazilian Orange or a Spaniard red? People will try to define you by a color when they lack the sophistication or comprehension to see you for the high achieving human that you are.
    President Obama is not black or half and half, he is an American success story and a great role model for your kid.

    1. Levertis Steele profile image76
      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are all entitled to your opinions, but anyone with common sense can see that Obama is Latino. Case closed!

    2. Levertis Steele profile image76
      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      He is probably Latino or Chinese.

  9. akuigla profile image59
    akuiglaposted 13 years ago

    Because he is from India smile
    Also his wife is black and it is well known truth that men changes their origin,skin color and everything else to his wifes after they got married smile

  10. profile image61
    *Voice_Of_Reason*posted 13 years ago

    The (black) comedian Reginald D Hunter said most cleverly:  "He's black enough for me."   Obama can be claimed as a black icon, and able to be called "The first black President of the United States".  It may not be entirely true, but as an important moment in history, Reginald is spot on!

    Besides, as the other replies to this question are testament to, there is no such thing as black and white.  Everything is grey.  See:  http://hubpages.com/hub/Nothing-is-black-or-white .

  11. Jonesy0311 profile image60
    Jonesy0311posted 12 years ago

    I don't really know. Maybe for the same reason that Wayne Brady is considered "black." Also, this may go back to Hitler's idea of how much blood it took for someone to be undesirable. Apparently us Caucasians are so picky that 50% doesn't qualify for admission into our club. Maybe it's the hair...or his skin tone is slightly more toward the dark end of the spectrum. In any event, he is certainly more black than the last President.

  12. vveasey profile image71
    vveaseyposted 11 years ago

    I guess you never heard of the "one drop rule".

    This "rule" was created during the slave era. It states that any one who could be proven or thought to have any african (black) blood was black nomatter how white they looked.

    This rule is still used to determine who's black or not to this day.

    If you were half white/black your were a mulatto
    If you were one quater black your were a quadroon
    If you were one eighth black your were a octaroon

    If you had even "one drop" of "black" blood you were black (a nigger)

    That why President Obama is called a black man along with millions of other mixed white and "black" folks

    1. Levertis Steele profile image76
      Levertis Steeleposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      In that case there are a lot of white people who are black. If Obama is white, then all half black people are white. So, black USA percentage is really lower than 12%, I suppose. Ask Obama to prevent confusion about his racial identity.

  13. crickette_w profile image61
    crickette_wposted 11 years ago

    This is a very good question.  And truth his mother, a white American citizen, and father, a dark skinned British subject who was from, what we now call Kenya.  When he was born in 1961 Kenya was not even Kenya yet...It was a British ran area. It became Kenya in 1963.  Therefore, being born to a man who was a subject of Britian, he also became a subject of Britian.
    So, I don't know why he is deemed "black", and definately have no idea how he was able to run for the Pres. position. A naturalized citizen, is a person born to parents who are both citizens of the United States...
    Once again great question, along with alot more questions that need answers about this man...

 
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