I'm not discussing political opinions in this thread. This thread isn't about discussing whether or not you like Obama, whether or not you feel he was the right choice.

I'm discussing this fuss over his ethnicity.

His father is black, yes. Kenyan.

His mother, however, is Cherokee, English and Irish (and the Cherokee is a very, very minute part of his heritage, and an unproven part at that). This effectively makes him half black. Half.

It also makes him half white. If he went to a predominately black country and won an election there, they might call him their first white President. If that's at all a possibility, that kind-of proves he's not black.

Thus said, he is not African-American. And he is not black. He's half that. He's mixed.

So, he will be the first non-white President, not the first black president.

*steps down from soapbox.*

Sorry, this has been getting on my nerves. I've no problem with him being elected, but I'm sick of people calling him black.

Edit: I can't find enough information about his father, but apparently I've been informed that his father is 1/2 white as well. If true, that makes President-elect Obama 3/4 white.

Considering 97% of American blacks voted for him, sounds like quite a few people care. Thanks.

To racists, half-black is all black, so he has had the same struggles and the same need to prove himself as a full-black person.

^that

Well it's the same thing with Halle Berry who was the first black woman to win an Oscar for Best Leading Role. She is also half-white, half-black but I heard her say in an interview that her mother always told her something like "You may be mixed but to everyone you'll always be black" basically saying that as soon as you're colored the world sees you as a black person.

In all practical sense he's black. He's seen black in the United States therefore he's black. Trust me before he's every half-white, he's black. I would say technically you're right. Let's pretend for a moment that 'race' is actually about heritage of ethnicity, which I doubt as it's most likely skin color based on all the inaccuracies in groupings, then yes he's hafl black/cherokee etc. For all census intensive purposes he's black.

I don't think its just racists who would seem him as black, I think it's also the majority of America mainly because we tend to place people in races by their Skin color, shape of eyes, noses etc. Really trivial ways. It's sad but I would argue that he is still the first African American to win.

i agree he is not black...more of a brown really

Too true Lol. Bill Clinton always had a somewhat Pink tint to him, first pink faced president anyone?

Chris Rock said it best, something along the lines of "half black, that's like being a little bit pregnant. I mean, that's how it is in America."

And that is how it is in America. Something did change last night just by the simple fact that the old orthodoxy was disproven. But somethings did not change and will not for many generations. I blame Barack Obama.