Obama And The Politics Of Being Biracial

"Talk of the Nation, December 18, 2008 · President-elect Barack Obama defines himself as African-American. His mother is a white American, and his father is a black African. This hits a nerve with some people, who wonder why Obama doesn't use the term biracial to describe his race."


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98455533





--Ali-- Because I am actually biracial, I can directly relate to this phenomenon. It really bothers me when white people get offended, or are confused by Barak Obama calling himself black. These people getting ass hurt by this fact should ask themselves a better question. Why does it matter if he calls himself black instead of mixed? I don't care about race at all. On a test I mark more than one box even if it says "mark one box." I don't go around playing up my black and Korean-ness because it has nothing to do with who I am. It only effects how other people treat me. Halle Berry, Lewis Hamilton, Ne-Yo, Tyson Bedford, Naomi Campbell, Tiger Woods, they're all the first "black" people to win or even dominate predominately white mediums. Its like when someone says "merry Christmas" and you're Jewish or something. Its easier to just go with it.