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Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 2041
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 02, 2006 - 03:14 pm: | 
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What Obama isn't: black like me
Thursday, November 2nd, 2006
by Stanley Crouch
If Barack Obama makes it all the way to becoming the Democratic nominee for President in 2008, a feat he says he may attempt, a much more complex understanding of the difference between color and ethnic identity will be upon us for the very first time.
Back in 2004, Alan Keyes made this point quite often. Keyes was the black Republican carpetbagger chosen by the elephants to run against Obama for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. The choice of Keyes was either a Republican version of affirmative action or an example of just how dumb the party believes black voters to be, since it was obvious that Keyes came from the Southeast, not the Midwest.
That race was never much of a contest, but one fascinating subplot was how Keyes was unable to draw a meaningful distinction between himself as a black American and Obama as an African-American. After all, Obama's mother is of white U.S. stock. His father is a black Kenyan. Other than color, Obama did not - does not - share a heritage with the majority of black Americans, who are descendants of plantation slaves.
Of course, the idea that one would be a better or a worse representative of black Americans depending upon his or her culture or ethnic group is clearly absurd. Even slavery itself initially came under fire from white Christians - the first of whom to separate themselves from the institution were Quakers. The majority of the Union troops were white, and so were those who have brought about the most important civil rights legislation.
Why then do we still have such a simple-minded conception of black and white - and how does it color the way we see Obama? The naive ideas coming out of Pan-Africanism are at the root of the confusion. When Pan-African ideas began to take shape in the 19th century, all black people, regardless of where in the world they lived, suffered and shared a common body of injustices. Europe, after all, had colonized much of the black world, and the United States had enslaved people of African descent for nearly 250 years.
Suffice it to say: This is no longer the case.
So when black Americans refer to Obama as "one of us," I do not know what they are talking about. In his new book, "The Audacity of Hope," Obama makes it clear that, while he has experienced some light versions of typical racial stereotypes, he cannot claim those problems as his own - nor has he lived the life of a black American.
Will this matter in the end? Probably not. Obama is being greeted with the same kind of public affection that Colin Powell had when he seemed ready to knock Bill Clinton out of the Oval Office. For many reasons, most of them personal, Powell did not become the first black American to be a serious presidential contender.
I doubt Obama will share Powell's fate, but if he throws his hat in the ring, he will have to run as the son of a white woman and an African immigrant. If we then end up with him as our first black President, he will have come into the White House through a side door - which might, at this point, be the only one that's open. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5704
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 02, 2006 - 03:53 pm: |
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A very thought-provoking article. Obama does have a certain mystique that seems to enhance his appeal to white people. Maybe it is because they sense that he more like one of them, than one of us. |
Nels
Veteran Poster
Username: Nels
Post Number: 558
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 12:25 am: |
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Black Americans seem to be clueless on the whole issue. Kind of reminds me of the futile tirades of the Congressional Black Caucus. But then again, all those who are perceived to be black (in White America's eyes) aren't necessarily "black" anymore. Go figure.
p.s., What's your admixture? |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5708
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 11:40 am: |
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Like most of America's slave descendants, my heritage is black, white and red. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6772
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 12:03 pm: |
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Given the history of this country, given EVERYTHING that 'certain' Black foks have had to endure to even be considered human, much less to garner freedom, the right to property and to vote, etc.; there is sort of a bittersweat irony about the possibility that America's first 'Black' president might NOT be a descendent of Slavery. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5709
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 12:22 pm: |
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Bitter, yes. Sweet, no. |
Tropical_storm
First Time Poster
Username: Tropical_storm
Post Number: 9
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 08:44 pm: |
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This article does nothing more than state the obvious. At least what I always thought was obvious until I too began to hear Blacks refer to Obama as "one of us." It's very interesting that the first "Black" president has a white mother and has a very different heritage from Blacks (who I define as descendants of slaves in the United States).
If anything Obama could be America's first white/Kenyan American president but certainly NOT America's first Black American president. |
Urban_scribe
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Urban_scribe
Post Number: 172
Registered: 05-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 09:01 pm: |
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Tropical_storm,
The flaw in your definition of Blacks is that a good portion of today's White Americans are also descendants of slaves. Throughout Latin America, including Brazil, most of the population descends from slaves. Of course this is also true of the West Indies/Caribbean. Would you define everyone in Latin America who descends from slaves as Black? Would you define today's White descendants of slaves as Black? Simply stated, there is much, much more to the definition of Black American than merely having slave ancestry.
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Tropical_storm
First Time Poster
Username: Tropical_storm
Post Number: 10
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 09:34 pm: |
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Urban_scribe,
The definition I employ is simply an effort to simplify things. I prefer to use the term "Black" to describe descendants of slaves in the United States because that is the term I most often hear them use to describe themselves.
The main point of my initial post is that you have a distinct group of people in the United States who share a common slave heritage and out of that heritage have formed their own unique culture. A Kenyan American is NOT a part of that culture (whatever members of that culture choose to call themselves). |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5720
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 11:36 pm: |
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Barack Obama is, what he is. And I give him credit for having no illusions about trying to claim the heritage of America's slave descendants. But he does share common racial roots with us. And I definitely detect a "brotha" vibe about him - and his negroid hair. Heeeeeeey, playa. 'Sure glad you decided to put down the pipe. |
Tonya
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 3465
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 12:56 pm: |
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I saw an interview last week with Obama's wife, Michelle, and her best friend (Jesse Jackson's daughter). I was surprised to learn how socially conscious Obama’s wife is about the black community--she seems to know and care a great deal about it; and I did not get the sense that she's anywhere near as 'colorBLIND' as her husband appears to be, which all left me fairly enchanted. Plus she's very smart, and very well educated; she has both law and sociology degrees (which should be somewhat of a requirement, sociology, for anyone looking to become a so called leader of the Black (or any) community, IMO).
So: if Obama plans to have her campaign for him in the black community, I see him picking up a lot of votes from sistahs like me. In fact, the idea of a FIRST BLACK FIRST LADY who’s intelligent with a Black social conscious and is someone we all can actually see ourselves in--(she is a black black woman who looks like most black women which adds to her appeal)--could very well motivate black voters in general. And, as far as I'm concerned, Bill and Hillary would just have to wait if Obama‘s wife turns out to be the best candidate, lol. |
Tropical_storm
Newbie Poster
Username: Tropical_storm
Post Number: 11
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 04, 2006 - 03:49 pm: |
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I agree that his wife is wonderful. In fact, when I see them being interviewed together I find myself being more interested in hearing from HER than her husband. |
Nels
Veteran Poster
Username: Nels
Post Number: 559
Registered: 07-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 01:18 am: |
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Cyn --
"Like most of America's slave descendants, my heritage is black, white and red."
Slave descendants -- just one thread of your ancestry.
Any yes, many of us are red, white and black. |
Lil_ze
Veteran Poster
Username: Lil_ze
Post Number: 569
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 01:36 am: |
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baraka obama has NOTHING to do with our people.
he is an african, who has ZERO history with our people.
don't people fooled by a wolf in sheeps' clothing.
baraka obama is a con man, who doesn't give a dam about our people or the issues that face us.
this guy is portraying himself as not a "black" figure, but a man who is a representative of ALL people (i understand that to be in public office you must come across as this type of person).
but this guy has NO history with our people. his forefathers came to this country on a jumbo jet. our people came here as slaves.
our people were raped (men, women, and children), worked for hundreds of years for nothing. our people were hung from tree's, set on fire, has their tounged cut out, had their genitals cut off, our pregnant women had their babies cut out of their stomachs, and stomped into the ground.
barak obama has NO part of our history. therefore he has NO understandingf of our struggle.
i don't care if he married some simple ass black american female.
this guy is a fraud.
don't be fooled by "skin color". he is in it fore him self.
i would never support this stranger.
he is the white mans's "safe" political figure. thats all.
barak obama does not give a dam about the cause of black americans.
DON'T BE FOOLED! |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 2068
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 03:31 am: |
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Sen. Obama Linked to Accused Fundraiser
Nov 5, 1:33 AM EST
CHICAGO (AP) -- Responding to a newspaper report, Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that arrangements he had with a political fundraiser accused of shaking down companies might have raised the appearance of impropriety.
Antoin "Tony" Rezko, whom Gov. Rod Blagojevich has described as a friend and a fundraiser, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he plotted to squeeze millions of dollars in kickbacks out of investment firms seeking state business. He also has pleaded not guilty to obtaining a $10.5 million loan from General Electric Capital Corp. through fraud and swindling a group of investors.
Obama and his wife closed on a $1.65 million home last year in Chicago; the same day, Rezko's wife closed on a $625,000 lot next door, the Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday.
Both lots were once part of the same estate but were listed for sale separately. A city ordinance required Rezko to fence the dividing line.
Obama paid Rezko $104,500 in January for part of the lot, to create more space between his house and the fence. Obama has said the arrangements were ethical and proper.
However, he acknowledged Saturday that he "misgauged" the implications suggested by his purchase of the additional land.
"It was simply not good enough that I paid above the appraised value for the strip of land that he sold me," Obama said. "It was a mistake to have been engaged with him at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor."
Rezko and his companies donated nearly $20,000 to Obama's state Senate races and federal fund.
Obama has said he would divest the federal donation. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5731
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 06, 2006 - 01:23 pm: |
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At the end of his 6-year term, the bloom will undoubtedly be off Obama's rose. But in our eagerness to put him under the microscope, we have to remember that althouhg he may not be our brother, his is still our cousin. And blood is thicker than water - unless it's the blood of an anemic right-winger! |
Tropical_storm
Newbie Poster
Username: Tropical_storm
Post Number: 12
Registered: 10-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 04:53 am: |
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I hope he is prepared for the inevitable backlash that won't necessarily come exclusively from the other side.
On topic, Blacks for years have complained that immigrants, including African immigrants, are benefiting from the blood, sweat, and tears of their ancestors - so it's interesting that America's potential first "Black" president is the Harvard educated son of a Harvard educated African immigrant. |
Yvettep
Veteran Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 1402
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 09:53 am: |
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although he may not be our brother, his is still our cousin
That is how I look at it, Cynique. Plus, if you have read his first book he talks at length about his on-the-job training about Black America while working in grassroots organizations in Chicago. From my reading, he was in good hands with the older Black women who took him under their wing at the time.
Yet I agree: *if* her were to become the first serious contender for Black president or vice president that is mighty telling, ironic, interesting, bittersweet, and all sorts of other adjectives folks here have already used.
Re: the "Harvard educated" part, Tropical, I think that whoever is the first real contender they will have to be similarly credentialled: They will have to be SO far superior than the run of the mill White candidate that their preparation (at least education-wise) is beyond question.
Unfair, true (e.g., twice as good phenomenon). But what else is new, eh? |
Renata
Veteran Poster
Username: Renata
Post Number: 1524
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - 04:17 pm: |
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Tropical Storm, it wouldn't make any difference to me.....what scares people (even black people) is that they'll have to kiss a black president's ass.....never mind that we don't have any problems kissing a white president's ass.
Yeah, WE are going to debate all kinds of bs about how he isn't really "us", use that as a reason to not vote for him REGARDLESS of what issues he stands for or against......and then have no problems voting for "just the issues" of a white president to rule us instead with no questions about where he may or may not have descended from. Of such are dumb niggers.
I may or may not vote for him myself. But I will DEFINITELY choose to do so on where he stands politically....not if he's "me" or not. Hell, GWB isn't "me" either, neither was Kerry, nor Gore, nor Clinton. So for all the people who won't like him just because he isn't "us", I just want to tell them to look for some other bs to bitch about. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6783
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 08, 2006 - 11:07 am: |
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Saw Baraka Obama on CSPAN this weekend. He was talking about and signing his latest book (Btw: Can't help chuckling at the juxtaposition of Obama WRITING books while our current Commander in [Chump] Bush refuses to even READ the suckers.)
Still don't really know where Obama stands on a lot of important issues. But, I swear, dudes got WINNER practically seeping from his pores.
I hope they don't kill him for it. |
Toubobie
First Time Poster
Username: Toubobie
Post Number: 10
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 03:06 am: |
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Barack Obama is the consummate opportunist, who was (still is) the Democrats' virtual ass man (puppet).
He has NOTHING in common with us (black people). Crouch usually puts a bitter taste in my mouth, but this time around, I must agree with him.
The way Obam-bam's lips are far darker than his basic complexion is altogether frightening! Why has he not produced a male child by that black 'sheba?' What's up with that huge wart on the side of his face? Why does he always look malnourished? Something tells me, he and his wife may have separate sleeping quarters. I bet he has orgies on the regular with white women and fellow mixed breed types. I've seen him in public, he'll place those mismatched lips on anything. YUCK!
I see no love in his eyes, no sincerity, no compassion... It's all contrived... Hmmm I guess he may be ripe for the presidency after all. |
Yvettep
Veteran Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 1428
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 09:44 am: |
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????????????????????????????????????????????????? |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5806
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 - 02:53 pm: |
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LOL. Those are interesting obsevations, Toubobie. I've always been distracted by Obama's purple lips, too. He is a fascinating embodiment of his blood lines. Is he ruthless? Probably. But that only makes him being guilty of being the consummate politician and - presidential candidate. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6810
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 09:33 am: |
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Some might argue ultra-right wing descendants of African American slavery like Condi Rice, Clarence Thomas, Starr Parker and Armstrong Williams are much LESS kindred with MOST African Americans than Baraka Obama.
Heck. Some might even reach that same conclusion when juxtaposing Obama and STANLEY CROUCH. |
Toubobie
Newbie Poster
Username: Toubobie
Post Number: 20
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 03:46 pm: |
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With that said, Stanley Crouch is a verb: "As president, Obama will not likely 'Stanley Crouch' (help whites take comfort in knowing blacks have deep-rooted intraracial issues [that pale in comparison to those of white supremacy]) African American concerns about racism."
Obam-bam will avoid the issues altogether.
Stanley Crouch is HUGELY anti-African. I know this first hand. |
Latina_wi
Regular Poster
Username: Latina_wi
Post Number: 58
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 27, 2006 - 07:54 pm: |
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I hope he is prepared for the inevitable backlash that won't necessarily come exclusively from the other side.
On topic, Blacks for years have complained that immigrants, including African immigrants, are benefiting from the blood, sweat, and tears of their ancestors - so it's interesting that America's potential first "Black" president is the Harvard educated son of a Harvard educated African immigrant.
Very true.
And did Colin Powell's position have such an angry reaction in the african-american community when the 'bush' establishment came to power? Just curious as his parents are alos immigrants (from Jamaica). |
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