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Forums - General - Why do americans say Obama is black?

Khuutra on 11 May 2010
shio said:

I would probably call him "mulato", which in portuguese means a person descendent of both black and white.

Listen, I know a couple of mixed guys, and one of them in particular I know no one would call him black EVER. He's got darker skin, but the features are very european.

I can tell you I wouldn't call her a "woman" before the sex change, and the pre-sex change is the part that's better comparable to the black/half-black issue.

But yes, I would call her a woman now, but she isn't technically.

alekth said:
shio said:
My point is, regardless of how you call yourself, your race will always be determined by your blood, not who you hang out with.

It is the same the few men that feel they should be women and try to have a sex change operation. They'll never be women, even after the operation. In comparison, there's no way for a person to change race (what MJ did isn't the same)

Woud you actually consider this one a man?

I wondr why you aren't replying to me, shio.

Anyway.

Never call anyone "mulato" in the States - we understand the term as being related to slavery and colonialism. The word finds its root in mule, after all - half horse, half donkey, completely sterile, and good primarily for hard labor. It's dehumanizing for some, though others don't mind - still, better not to risk that kind of insult.



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shio on 11 May 2010
mrstickball said:
I don't get why Europeans are trying to argue racism and hate in America.

I'd argue that we are far less racist than Europeans, given the amount of cultures our country has. Most European countries have a very small ethnic minority, which would allow them to leave less impeded, whereas in the US, you have a significant number of minorities in black and hispanics, which would tend to cause far greater issues, yet we've largely dealt with them.

Call me back when Europe has a country that has 30% of its citizens in a minority group. Until that happens, all arguments are pretty irrelevant...For the amount of minorities Europe has, there is a lot of strife.

Considering USA still has institutionalized racism, I seriously doubt you're right.



http://i48.tinypic.com/120qaon.jpg
halogamer1989 on 11 May 2010
NJ5 said:
Because in America being black is like a disease. Once you get some black genes, you're tainted as black.

(ok so I worded that to be intentionally controversial, but it's still true).

Sorry had to do it ;)

OT: It is because certain Americans of a left wing persuasion got caught up in the race game.  As for me, I could care less if he is black, mixed, or purple Obama is still a left wing Democrat nonsense spewer.

 



shio on 11 May 2010
Khuutra said:
shio said:

I would probably call him "mulato", which in portuguese means a person descendent of both black and white.

Listen, I know a couple of mixed guys, and one of them in particular I know no one would call him black EVER. He's got darker skin, but the features are very european.

I can tell you I wouldn't call her a "woman" before the sex change, and the pre-sex change is the part that's better comparable to the black/half-black issue.

But yes, I would call her a woman now, but she isn't technically.

alekth said:
shio said:
My point is, regardless of how you call yourself, your race will always be determined by your blood, not who you hang out with.

It is the same the few men that feel they should be women and try to have a sex change operation. They'll never be women, even after the operation. In comparison, there's no way for a person to change race (what MJ did isn't the same)

Woud you actually consider this one a man?

I wondr why you aren't replying to me, shio.

Anyway.

Never call anyone "mulato" in the States - we understand the term as being related to slavery and colonialism. The word finds its root in mule, after all - half horse, half donkey, completely sterile, and good primarily for hard labor. It's dehumanizing for some, though others don't mind - still, better not to risk that kind of insult.

"Mulato" is a word that is commonly used in Europe (Portugal at least) without being insulting, yet is pejorative in the US. This hints at the difference between both places.



http://i48.tinypic.com/120qaon.jpg
Khuutra on 11 May 2010
shio said:
Khuutra said:

I wondr why you aren't replying to me, shio.

Anyway.

Never call anyone "mulato" in the States - we understand the term as being related to slavery and colonialism. The word finds its root in mule, after all - half horse, half donkey, completely sterile, and good primarily for hard labor. It's dehumanizing for some, though others don't mind - still, better not to risk that kind of insult.

"Mulato" is a word that is commonly used in Europe (Portugal at least) without being insulting, yet is pejorative in the US. This hints at the difference between both places.

Why is this the only post of mine which you've replied to? Is the idea that you don't get to decide a person's identity based on genetic a bit odd to you?



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Profcrab on 11 May 2010

I see that some others already jumped on this but my bullshit meter goes off like an air raid siren when I hear Europeans say that the US is far more racist.

Call us back when your minority employment figures are anywhere near ours. Last I read, the unemployment rate for young African immigrant minorities in France was at about 50% and at 20% for older age groups.

Can anyone say that the immigrant Turks are getting a fair shake in Germany?

Sorry guys, just because you smile nice to tourists from across the world, doesn't mean you treat your immigrant neighbors as well (unless of course they are also European.)

I give this thread a 9.3.



Thank god for the disable signatures option.

Chairman-Mao on 11 May 2010

He's 0.5 black and when its 0.5 or higher you round UP. So he's half black but people round up and he's just called black.



Gamerace on 11 May 2010

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.



 

libellule on 11 May 2010
NJ5 said:
libellule said:
NJ5 said:
Because in America being black is like a disease. Once you get some black genes, you're tainted as black.

(ok so I worded that to be intentionally controversial, but it's still true).

desease is too strong and to negative

but what you want to say is that "black gene" are dominant (are view as dominant)

so if you have a little piece of black in you ... you are black and not white anymore

Same happen in europe, and it is basically true for any white country

Maybe you should stop making general statements that you don't know whether they're true or not.

In Portugal a mixed race person is a mixed race person...

 

yeah, sure ... that is why he will always be called "black" by most of the people that describe him ?

whatever, you are right, let's say I dont know, let's say portugal is "less" racist than America ...

 



Time to Work !

libellule on 11 May 2010
NJ5 said:
Khuutra said:

The way you identify yourself has a lot to do with how people identify you

That goes both ways too... and I wouldn't be surprised if he identifies himself as black because most people with he grew up with did that before him.

 


like, let's say, a bunch of white people (whether their skin is a little tanned or not) ?

it may make him feel black even if he is "only" mixed ?



Time to Work !