Bi Racial questions thread- Obama related

[ljs]

I'm curious to hear opinions of people who are bi-racial, specifically white/black. Do you feel torn to identify w/ one race or the other? Do you correct people who may think both of your parents are of the same race? I know how I would feel If it were me, but since it's not, I wanted to hear from someone who actually lives it.

I'm getting the feeling that some people forget Obama's mother is a white woman from Kansas. He was raised by his white grandparents in Hawaii, yet I heard absolutely nothing about that yesterday, or many times during this whole process. I blame a lot of this on the media. I watched the news a lot last night, and I counted on one hand how many white people they showed. Everything was about Obama being black. Why can't it be about all of us as Americans?

Now, I applaud that we celebrate this occasion, but at the same time, if I were Obama's mother, I would be offended. It's like they forgot she raised her son. I feel like the media portrays him to be "a poor black man from the streets of Harlem and now has risen to the top." Seriously, even I as a conservative give this man more credit than most of the media does.

I thought a lot about writing this, and am expecting some negative backlash..I hope I'm wrong. Please know I have no ill intentions by bringing this up.

[BigMike619]

love where your head is at today.

[spjunkies]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm starting to think ES should make a separate race board or something LOL.

[jbooma]

I know how I would feel If it were me, but since it's not, I wanted to hear from someone who actually lives it.

.

Exactly how do you know that, since first of all you would have had a complete different experience growing up then you did. It is not that simple :doh:

[Major Harris]

Exactly how do you know that, since first of all you would have had a complete different experience growing up then you did. It is not that simple :doh:

do you have anything of substance to add, or is that soapbox still pretty comfy?

i've often wondered this. i have never really heard an answer.

my only guess is that bi-racial children are a minority, and probably suffer some of what blacks go through. so they identify with that. maybe i'm wrong, it's really just a theory i have.

[Dictator]

My wife and I are raising our niece who is bi-racial. for all intents and purposes we consider her to be black. Her physical features, skin tone and hair, are more towards that end of her genetic spectrum. I can't really put into to words what it means that we "consider" her black. At first, it was odd when we would take her places with us. Odd for me I mean. I would wonder what people would think. Would they wonder if I was her real father and my wife wasn't her real mother or vice versa?

Maybe this says something bad about me I don't know. But I love her as if she were my own child, and I got over my own "issues" pretty quick.

[Burgold]

Traditionally, if you were half black you were treated as all black. I've actually never heard anyone talked about as "half-black" in a non academic setting. I've certainly never heard anyone identified as "half-white" and all those forms I've filled out my whole life never gave a fractional option. You were one or the other.

It's probably a positive that this is in your head, but in practical terms I've just never really seen that play out. Someone who is bi-racial has been in almost all ways treated as being black. Now, sometimes in some places in America that means that they were treated exactly the same way as whites, but as far as the Census or American consciousness... I don't think that half-black and half-white are real descriptors.

In fact, the only time I can remember something like that being used is as a racial insult as in "half-breed" or mulato.

[jbooma]

do you have anything of substance to add, or is that soapbox still pretty comfy?

i've often wondered this. i have never really heard an answer.

my only guess is that bi-racial children are a minority, and probably suffer some of what blacks go through. so they identify with that. maybe i'm wrong, it's really just a theory i have.

My point is how can you understand what someone else goes through when you have not lived a day in their shoes. Living with some friends of mine in the past I saw on a daily basis the issues they had.

Many people feel it is just easy to understand what many go through, but in reality it isn't. Plus Obama my guess was labled as "black" when he went to school so grew up that way. If he grew up in hawaii then he would be a huge minority even there.

The question I have for everyone is why are you so fixated on the mixed part when it comes to Obama. How many people have come up to you and wondered about your parents?? The fact people keep bringing it up shows some are still not ok with a black president, or why else would you even mention it?? The same goes with going by as an itailian-american, african-american, why does it bother so many that people do that???

If it upsets you that much then there is more behind the actual thought.

[Old Bay]

This is an interesting question. I have a friend I grew up with who had a white mother and a black father, but him and his sister looked hispanic. People wouldn't believe them when they told them about their parents. I'm not sure what race he considered himself, though Burgold's discription is basically how I thought it would be in general terms.

[ljs]

Exactly how do you know that, since first of all you would have had a complete different experience growing up then you did. It is not that simple :doh:

That is the EXACT reason for this thread. I want to hear from someone who has lived it, who is living it. Cause I can guess all day long at what I think, but until I'm in those shoes, I don't know.

[sacase]

I am mixed. My mother is white my father (never met him) was black. I grew up in Kansas (that is where the simularity ends). I identify with being black. Why? I am precieved as a black male, I am still precieved as a threat. When I get on the elevator, I still see women grab their bags even though I am dress better than they are. When I was growing up I heard racial slurs yelled at me. I have been profiled while driving. The fact of the matter is, when I step into the room, I am precieved as a black male, not mixed. We go through the exact same things that people whose parents are both black.

On a lighter note, there are several funny things about being mixed. Put two mixed people in the room together and watch them argue about who is darker.

[Mickalino]

I am mixed also.

My mother is 100% Italian.

My father is part Irish and part German.

But everybody calls me a WOP, or a meatball.

I hate that.

So I know what you're talkin about.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

I'm getting the feeling that some people forget Obama's mother is a white woman from Kansas. He was raised by his white grandparents in Hawaii, yet I heard absolutely nothing about that yesterday, or many times during this whole process.

No one has forgotten that Obama's mother was white.

In fact, he talks about her and his white grandparents (who raised him) constantly.

[ljs]

love where your head is at today.

:DI finally have a light workload today, so I can finally spend some time on here.

And, since my sister is in Ethiopia right now adopting my new niece, after going there in Oct to get my youngest niece...I think that this is a subject that will come up for awhile in our family. My sister has already run into some interesting "looks" when she takes Imani in public. My sister is white, the boys are half Mexican (and dark), and now she will have two black kids...

Because of that, I will not respond to the one who thinks I have a problem with Obama as our president cause he's black.

[ljs]

No one has forgotten that Obama's mother was white.

In fact, he talks about her and his white grandparents (who raised him) constantly.

Yes he does....I'm not talking about Obama, I'm talking about the media/tv and such.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Yes he does....I'm not talking about Obama, I'm talking about the media/tv and such.

The media constantly talked about his mother and grandparents as well. :2cents:

[Califan007 The Constipated]

My daughter is bi-racial (half black/half white)...but if you didn't know that you'd swear she was white. Here's a photo I took of her a few years ago:

Regardless of her physical appearance, she pretty much identifies with being black. My assumption is because she may want to compensate for not looking "blacker", so to speak...as well as for dealing with the comments and such that she hears concerning blacks (since she doesn't "look black" she might hear more of those types of comments than if she did). By reminding her peers that she is black, even if just half, it's her way of responding to some stupid, juvenile remark she may have overheard. It also makes her a bit more proud of that part of her heritage. And some of her peers think she's even cooler being bi-racial lol...

But mostly I think she just sees herself as wholely both. I think she sees herself as Black, and she also sees herself as White. If someone dared tell her she wasn't black, she'd correct them. And if someone dared tell her she wasn't white, she'd correct them with just as much intensity.

[ljs]

The media constantly talk about his mother and grandparents as well. :2cents:

Really? I watched NBC national news last night, they didn't say a word...only thing was about being black.

I watched MSNBC & Rachel Maddow last night, same thing. So you can't blame it on "republican" media such as fox news. I'm a news junkie, I watch local, national (ABC/NBC/CBS), MSNBC and Fox on a regular basis. I can honestly say that in the last 3 months, I have NEVER heard his mother or the "white side" of him brought up. EVERYthing I have heard is about the Kenyan side of his heritage.

[Zhouse]

:DI finally have a light workload today, so I can finally spend some time on here.

And, since my sister is in Ethiopia right now adopting my new niece, after going there in Oct to get my youngest niece...I think that this is a subject that will come up for awhile in our family. My sister has already run into some interesting "looks" when she takes Imani in public. My sister is white, the boys are half Mexican (and dark), and now she will have two black kids...

Because of that, I will not respond to the one who thinks I have a problem with Obama as our president cause he's black.

I'm not mixed so I can't really add anything to this thread.

But I read 2 posts from you today that talk about your sister adopting from Ethiopia. Just wanted to say good for her and for anyone else that is adopting kids in need.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Really? I watched NBC national news last night, they didn't say a word...only thing was about being black.

I watched MSNBC & Rachel Maddow last night, same thing. So you can't blame it on "republican" media such as fox news. I'm a news junkie, I watch local, national (ABC/NBC/CBS), MSNBC and Fox on a regular basis. I can honestly say that in the last 3 months, I have NEVER heard his mother or the "white side" of him brought up. EVERYthing I have heard is about the Kenyan side of his heritage.

Perhaps you haven't been following the coverage of Obama that closely because all the media's been talking about is how he's the son of a Kenyan man and a white mom from Kansas.

[jbooma]

Yes he does....I'm not talking about Obama, I'm talking about the media/tv and such.

what do you expect them to do exactly, exactly what good would the media get from saying he is half white and half black all the time??

my point is why is this such a big deal for some?

Do you think it is possible Obama might have expressed something with the media to not be covered in a certain way??

The only people that talk about race when it comes to Obama is the public and media. You notice that in most of Obama's speaches he never mentions the word when talking about himself. When he does discuss he does it at a very high level. I think there are reasons for this, and those reasons none of us know.

One of the key reasons why he beat Hill is because he never played the race card himself, this was huge. This is also the reason why I think a lot of Hill voters jumped on the bandwagon.

Good luck with the adoption!!

[nonniey]

My daughter is bi-racial. Most people assume she is white unless they meet her mother (and know it is her mother). We always choose multi-racial for her on census type questions or don't answer if there is no correct choice, and if they force a choice my wife puts down white (This actually tends to piss off the people forcing the issue - which I suspect is why my wife does that). I believe that my daughter will always point out she is multi-racial when the situation arises.

[ljs]

what do you expect them to do exactly, exactly what good would the media get from saying he is half white and half black all the time??

my point is why is this such a big deal for some?

Do you think it is possible Obama might have expressed something with the media to not be covered in a certain way??

The only people that talk about race when it comes to Obama is the public and media. You notice that in most of Obama's speaches he never mentions the word when talking about himself. When he does discuss he does it at a very high level. I think there are reasons for this, and those reasons none of us know.

One of the key reasons why he beat Hill is because he never played the race card himself, this was huge. This is also the reason why I think a lot of Hill voters jumped on the bandwagon.

Good luck with the adoption!!

I tend to think you aren't really reading all of my posts, I'm not adopting, my sister is.

And I think that neither his African background or his white background should come to play, but I'm not in the media. I also do not put any "blame" of this on Obama himself. I think he has actually done a great job of steering away from it.

The ONLY reason I brought this up, is that all day/night and today, everything is about him being black. So instead of you assuming that I have a problem with his race, why don't people stand up and say, "Give this man credit for success based on his work ethic, his education, his desire, NOT based on his race." But NO, Tom Brokaw and the like had nothing to say about it except how cool it was cause he's black.

[ljs]

My daughter is bi-racial. Most people assume she is white unless they meet her mother (and know it is her mother). We always choose multi-racial for her on census type questions or don't answer if there is no correct choice, and if they force a choice my wife puts down white (This actually tends to piss off the people forcing the issue - which I suspect is why my wife does that). I believe that my daughter will always point out she is multi-racial when the situation arises.

My best friend is white w/ blonde hair and about 5'5. Her brother- 6'5 and black. It's so hilarious when she introduces him as her brother, no one believes it. Obviously he is her half brother (his dad is black, they have dif dads)...

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I'm married to a woman from a different country and who is bi-racial herself (black and Brazilian white.) My stepmother is Peruvian. My adopted little brother is Peruvian. I honestly don't even think about it really. I mean race is race. But people are people. Whatever. The only thing we ever really talk about is cultural differences and other people's ideas about race. That's it.

Now I've gotten dirty looks before while with my wife. Or my wife has. I'm not sure who they were mad at, me or her. Almost always from older white women. I don't know why. It's whatever. Their loss.

As far as Obama goes, I don't think people forget he's half-white or raised by white people for the most part. But if you saw him walking down the street, you would say he is black. So he's black.

Racism wasn't about what culture is better. Slavery wasn't about "Well the white man is culturally superior." Same with Jim Crow and all of that. No it was about blacks being GENETICALLY inferior. That's where we were not that long ago. And now a black man has been elected to the highest office in the world. So that's thoroughly debunked and puts a real damper on the entire idea of white supremacy.

I think by them making it about him being black does, in the end, make it about America. It shows that America has grown, shrugged off the bull**** of the past, and has now gotten it right. That this country, this great country of ours, might make mistakes, but we want the right things and in the end we'll get it right. No matter how long it takes. Anything is possible here.

There is still racism. I worry that people will say (and actually have already said) well a black man was elected president so racism is dead! Hooray! But there will always be racism.

I think in large part racism has moved on to culturalism (I don't know if this is the right word for it.) Well my culture is the **** and your culture sucks so you suck. We need to ignore the ignorant *******s and nutjobs, from all cultures (i.e. the KKK here, al Qaeda over there, drug smugglers down there, etc) and focus on the big picture. People are people. Everyone wants the same thing. To be happy, to be able to take care of their families and those they love.

I'm not really sure of what you're asking so I kinda just ranted. Sorry about that.