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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I think people also see Obama as more of a 'black man' because physically he leans towards his African side. His father looked VERY African. Someone who leaned more white would be seen as more white.
I think people also see Obama as more of a 'black man' because physically he leans towards his African side. His father looked VERY African. Someone who leaned more white would be seen as more white.
I have to disagree with your theory. The one drop rule was instituted because slave masters were raping and impregnating their Black female slaves. The one drop rule served to distinguish their illegitimate Black children from their White offspring. Their Black children were not even acknowledged as human beings and considered nothing more than chattel and an addition to the number of slaves that they owned.
Obama (like all Black Americans) identifying himself as a Black man has nothing to do with leaning towards his African side. I am a decendant of slaves and my complexion is the same as Obama's. Whenever we fill out applications with racial identifiers we check the box for Black or African American. In America the one drop rule has always been the racial identifier.
Last edited by PurpleRain_1; 05-29-2012 at 08:17 AM..
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,150,245 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by PurpleRain_1
I have to disagree with your theory. The one drop rule was instituted because slave masters were raping and impregnating their Black female slaves. The one drop rule served to distinguish their illegitimate Black children from their White offspring. Their Black children were not even acknowledged as human beings and considered nothing more than chattel and an addition to the number of slaves that they owned.
Obama (like all Black Americans) identifying himself as a Black man has nothing to do with leaning towards his African side. In America the one drop rule has always been the racial identifier.
Oh I definitely agree and know about the history of the 'one-drop rule.' I'm just saying, in the common perception, looks play a part too.
But the undeniable fact of the matter is that the social structure of America was built on racial separation and it still affects how Americans relate to each other today. That is NOT going to change anytime soon.
I agree that the number of bi-racial Americans is rising but they are still a small percentage of the American population
However, they won't be considered White. Remember the title of the thread is "Is the one drop rule still valid". As long as hypodescent is the criteria to exclude people from a racial group then the one-drop rule is going to remain in effect.
Especially with attitudes such as you espouse and comments that you make on this forum they will remain in effect, at least to you.
Oh I definitely agree and know about the history of the 'one-drop rule.' I'm just saying, in the common perception, looks play a part too.
You are absolutely correct. I grew up in the era where being a "light skinned" black person opened the doors quicker to employment and acceptability by white employers. I usually had no problem getting a job in some of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. My dark skinned counterparts often complained about the injustice to me and some actually resented me because I am "light skinned". While we have come a long way in terms of race in America, we still have a very long way to go.
Freedom has nothing to do with genetics. We cannot change our genetics or claim to be something we are not. Genetics are inherited. Obama is a Mullato both black and white.
Sorry CN, I have to disagree with you on this one. The one drop rule is and continues to be alive and well in America. The majority of black Americans are mullato. There is no box for mullato on any application you fill out in America. If you ask Obama what box he has checked on job applications, etc all of his life it would be the one with:
Race or ethnicity: BLACK.
His becoming POTUS does not change who he is and has lived as his entire life: a Black man.
Sorry CN, I have to disagree with you on this one. The one drop rule is and continues to be alive and well in America. The majority of black Americans are mullato. There is no box for mullato on any application you fill out in America. If you ask Obama what box he has checked on job applications, etc all of his life it would be the one with:
Race or ethnicity: BLACK.
His becoming POTUS does not change who he is and has lived as his entire life: a Black man.
I didn't say that the one drop rule isn't alive and well in America. What is wrong with it? As I said, you are all of what your genetics are and if you are a mix of races then that is what you are. There should be a racial box to check on the census of mullato or mestizo. "Other" can mean anything. I am not opposed to removing all race catagories on the census. What do we need it for? But if our government is insistant on having them then at least make it complete.
Actually, Obama grew up with his white mother. Doesn't matter though he seems to think of himself as only black but he isn't genetically.
You are absolutely correct. I grew up in the era where being a "light skinned" black person opened the doors quicker to employment and acceptability by white employers. I usually had no problem getting a job in some of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. My dark skinned counterparts often complained about the injustice to me and some actually resented me because I am "light skinned". While we have come a long way in terms of race in America, we still have a very long way to go.
Well now non-hispanic whites and blacks are being discriminated against in employment practices. Now mono-lingual English speakers are being discriminated against if they don't speak Spanish. This is directly due to the illegal invasion from south of our border and other non-asssimilating Hispanics. You can't get a job in Miami either because of non-assimilating Cubans. Where is the outrage over that?
But the undeniable fact of the matter is that the social structure of America was built on racial separation and it still affects how Americans relate to each other today. That is NOT going to change anytime soon.
Id rep you, but I already did earlier. If the countries of North Afrca are a good example we may have a thousand years to go. On the other hand we may have gone through more change in the last 50 years than they have gone though in one thousand.
In the end were all turning to dust in the end so it's kind of all for not
Every black person in America is prolly at least 25% white.
Southern boys were willing to dip in the chocolate back in the day.
You ignore where slavery started and thrived for more than 200 years..... and I'm sure those boys in Boston (the original slave holders) "dipped in the chocolate back in the day".
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