Why do americans say Obama is black?

[Gamerace]

oldschoolfool said:

libellule said:

Gamerace said:
I just think it's disgraceful for the white community to effectively disown one of their own, especially someone they should be so proud of. This also goes for Tiger Woods, Halle Berry and many others. By calling them 'black' you're basically saying they are not a part of your heritage/race despite them having your bloodline. Tiger doesn't even consider himself black, since he's more Asian than white or black yet everyone calls him black.

Yes, he's dark skinned, and 'black' is an easy way to identify but we need to seperate the colour of a persons skin from race, especially in this day and age when mixed children are so common.

yeppppppp

yeah then after that we need love,peace,harmony and good will toward men too.

Sure do. 

But point is, it's certainly possible to be a black Caucasin or Asian (because you're 1/4 - 1/8 African or East Asian) or a white African or east Asian (1/4 to 1/8 Caucasin or Asian or fair east Indian).    In the Caribbean and South America the races are so mixed it's almost pointless to call them anything other than Jamaican or Brazilian (etc).

In the end Obama is American, pure and simple, but yes, he is a black American due to skin tone but not a Black man but it's still very significant that no one of African descent has ever achieved such status before so that's why it's so noted.