Why do americans say Obama is black?

[oldschoolfool]

libellule said:

alekth said:
He's black enough and considers himself black. Maybe a black community wouldn't consider him black, I certainly do. Then again when I grew up I'd probably see a black person once a month and I've never lived around a big black community.

If he was just a guy I knew and someone else didn't and say only knew his name at a party, I'd say something like "That's him there, the tall black guy" rather than mixed-race guy. Well, luckily he'd be ok with that, as with libellule I've been pretty much taught to avoid refering to people by their race until sure it's ok to do so. At least out of a circle of close friends or in my head.

well, now, I really try to avoid using "black" and mostly use "black skin"

also, the main issue here is that plenty of "black" people will easly call themselve .... "black" despite the fact that most of the "white" people will desesperately try to find others words to describe them as "colored person" "african person" etc ... to avoid to hurt them using ... black

same can be said with the word "negro" (the N word) in a way ...

Personally, I m using "black skin" because it allows me to destroy the ethnical group "black" ... (same for others groups). It is not because I m to shy to call someone black. It is mostly because I prefer to not put people in "racial case" as I consider the word "black" designs a race and not a simple skin color ...

Nobody said's colored person anymore. That's would either get someone fired are beat up.