Obama confronts 'blackness' as issue

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Obama confronts 'blackness' as issue

By Brian DeBose

August 11, 2007


Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (left), Illinois Democrat, answered questions yesterday from members of the National Association of Black Journalists at the 32nd NABJ Convention in Las Vegas. Next to him is moderator Byron Pitts.

LAS VEGAS — Sen. Barack Obama used a speech to black journalists yesterday to try to put to rest criticism that he is "not black enough."


The Illinois Democrat and fundraising leader in the race for his party's presidential nomination said his appearance is black and that his work as a civil rights lawyer, a community organizer in Chicago and a state senator make him much stronger on black issues than any other candidate.


Mr. Obama opened his remarks to the National Association of Black Journalists with a joke that he was intentionally a "little late" to prove his "blackness," in keeping with an age-old stereotype that blacks are not concerned with being punctual.


During a question-and-answer session, Mr. Obama turned the tables on the journalists, asking them why they continue to pepper him with questions about his "blackness."


"This is a troubling question, for it to be perpetrated though our [black] press, and we should ask ourselves why that is," he told a capacity crowd of nearly 1,500 at the group's 32nd annual convention.


Mr. Obama went on to say that blacks don't want to get too excited about his prospects of winning the presidency because they don't want to be disappointed if he loses.


"And my attitude is let's try it," he said. "Why defeat ourselves ahead of time and why say we can't do something before we even attempt to do it?"


Mr. Obama's chief rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, attended the event Thursday and was asked whether she could relate to and represent the issues important to blacks better than a black man.

Mrs. Clinton said she will have to work hard for the black vote, adding that she "didn't deserve" their votes or anyone else's without earning them first.

Mr. Obama also said he is not taking the black vote for granted, but argued he could do more than anyone else to change politics and race relations if he is president.

"The day I'm inaugurated the racial dynamics of this country changes immediately, with Michelle as the first lady and images of me playing with Sasha on the White House lawn," Mr. Obama said, referring to his wife and one of his daughters. "Those images change how America looks; it changes how white children think about black children and it changes how black children think about black children."

Mr. Obama challenged Mrs. Clinton directly on her assertion that her experience alone better qualifies her to be president.

"Being experienced is not enough," he said. "The question is what have you learned from your experiences, because everyone here knows a whole bunch of 50- and 60-year-olds who have a lot of experience but not much judgment."

As examples, he pointed to former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney — both of whom have served in multiple administrations — saying neither could predict that invading Iraq would lead to a war with no end in sight.

He then chastised his Democratic rivals, specifically Mrs. Clinton, Sens. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, saying they have years of political experience among them, but still voted to authorize the war.

Mr. Obama also addressed the issue of illegal aliens, saying he supports tightening the borders in part because the influx of illegals depresses wages for unskilled or low-skilled black workers.

"We make a mistake in pitting immigrant workers and Latino workers trying to raise and support their families with African-American families trying to do the same thing, when what we should be doing is trying to raise the wages for all those people," Mr. Obama said.

He added that immigrant workers should come out of the shadows and be documented, learn English and get in the back of the line for citizenship behind those who came into the country legally.

[source]

[Susi]

Since when has "blackness" been an issue in the USA?

Didn't it stop being an issue when everyone was granted "equal rights" and affirmative action came into play?

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Susi

Since when has "blackness" been an issue in the USA?

Didn't it stop being an issue when everyone was granted "equal rights" and affirmative action came into play?

It seems that it was always an issue there, whether with affirmative action or without it.

[Errigal]

America is likely the most race obsessed country in the world but they lack ability to speak about it clearly. The reason Obama's "Blackness" is in question is that he is not really Black; he is African-American but not really Black. I'll explain.

Obama's mother was a White American academic who met Obama's Kenyan father when they were both studying at the University of Hawaii. Obama was born in Hawaii but his father abandoned the family to return to Kenya when his son was two. Apart from four years in Indonesia where Barak Obama joined his mother and her new Indonesian husband, Obama was raised in Hawaii by his White grandparents. He went to an elite private school which was a geographically and culturally as far from Black America as one could get and still be within the United States.

So I'd say questions about his Blackness are legitimate.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Errigal

Obama's mother was a White American academic who met Obama's Kenyan father when they were both studying at the University of Hawaii. Obama was born in Hawaii but his father abandoned the family to return to Kenya when his son was two. Apart from four years in Indonesia where Barak Obama joined his mother and her new Indonesian husband, Obama was raised in Hawaii by his White grandparents. He went to an elite private school which was a geographically and culturally as far from Black America as one could get and still be within the United States.

Kenya, Hawaii, Indonesia, USA, White, Black, Asian - a typically modern globalized individual without any roots and local or ethnic allegiances, makes him a perfect candidate to run USA, he is the live embodiment of America, not as geographical entity, but as an idea.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Errigal

America is likely the most race obsessed country in the world but they lack ability to speak about it clearly.

These spoke out quite clearly:

August 09, 2007
Black journalists to Hillary Clinton: Are You Black Enough to Serve Black Voters?



LAS VEGAS — It probably wasn’t a question Hillary Clinton expected to face, even at a national convention of black journalists.

But CNN anchor Suzanne Malveaux, acting as moderator during Clinton’s appearance here Thursday at the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual gathering, uncorked it anyway:

“Are you black enough?” asked Malveaux, echoing a question often asked of rival Democratic candidate Barack Obama, who is biracial. “What makes you a better candidate over a black man representing issues confronting African Americans?”

Facing a room packed more than 1,000 journalists, Clinton chuckled a bit before launching into a generalized tribute to campaign diversity.

“I am thrilled to be running at a time when, on the stage, you can see an African American man, a Hispanic man and a woman,” she said, referring to Obama and fellow Democratic candidate Bill Richardson. “Democratic primary voters don’t have to be against anyone. You can be for the person you believe will do the best job as our President.”



That was the tone during much of Clinton’s 30-minute appearance, in which she answered questions from the crowd after a short speech.

Through queries about post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding, picking an ethical attorney general and genocide in Darfur, the candidate offered responses so lengthy and generalized, some audience members wondered if she actually answered the question posed.

The exception: when talk turned to health care reform; particularly after Republican blogger Kiara Ashanti insisted Clinton’s proposals amounted to “socialized medicine.”

“I’ve never advocated socialized medicine, and I hope all the journalists hear that,” said Clinton, who then suggested Ashanti speak to her aides for more facts “if you’re interested in being educated, instead of being rhetorical.”

It was a powerful comeback — the New York Times called it an “artful diss” and “snap! moment” — which galvanized a crowd hoping for some political heat.

Clinton’s appearance capped a busy morning which included awards to CNN for diverse coverage and a critical Thumbs Down award to Black Entertainment Television for fostering negative images of black people.



NABJ also pledged to join with the Investigative Reporters and Editors organization to continue the work of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, who was gunned down last week by a young man reportedly trying to stop negative articles about an area Muslim organization.

This morning, Obama is expected to speak before the convention, which invited the top three candidates of both the Democratic and Republican parties to appear months ago. Republican candidates Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney all declined to appear, while Democratic hopeful John Edwards couldn’t reconcile his schedule with the convention’s plans.

Still, NABJ president Bryan Monroe resisted the idea that the convention’s 3,000 attendees might offer a friendlier platform for Democrats.

“We’re a group of journalists who write credibly about all parties…and can be critical of anyone,” he said. “If some candidates can’t see that, that’s their problem.”when



August 09, 2007

[source]

[Breogan]

Originally Posted by Errigal

...The reason Obama's "Blackness" is in question is that he is not really Black; he is African-American but not really Black. I'll explain.

Obama's mother was a White American academic who met Obama's Kenyan father when they were both studying at the University of Hawaii...

Well, there are no really many pure blacks in USA if any, everyone having visible amount of black admixture is labelled as black; so Obama is black.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Breogan

Well, there are no really many pure blacks in USA if any, everyone having visible amount of black admixture is labelled as black; so Obama is black.

True, those are the rules the Americans live by but Obama is clearly considered a special case. The clumsy and inarticulate debate in the US about his Blackness shows how confused Americans are about race and culture. Clearly Obama is half-African and there are many Black Americans who have the same mixed race look but Blacks are hesitant about him because he does not come from their culture. That's what's meant when they say he's not Black. Colin Powell is considered to be a similar case. His parents were educated lower middle-class immigrants from Jamaica.

[Arthur Gordon Pym]

Originally Posted by Errigal

True, those are the rules the Americans live by but Obama is clearly considered a special case. The clumsy and inarticulate debate in the US about his Blackness shows how confused Americans are about race and culture. Clearly Obama is half-African and there are many Black Americans who have the same mixed race look but Blacks are hesitant about him because he does not come from their culture. That's what's meant when they say he's not Black. Colin Powell is considered to be a similar case. His parents were educated lower middle-class immigrants from Jamaica.

"Black" seems rather to be a sociological issue in America than a racial one stricto sensu.

[Sergius]

Isn't the issue that he isn't of slave descent? That, and that he was raised in a 'white' enviroment, of course.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Plethon

"Black" seems rather to be a sociological issue in America than a racial one stricto sensu.

Yes. Blacks have been in America for more than 300 years and in many ways are a distinct people.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Ljubomir

Isn't the issue that he isn't of slave descent? That, and that he was raised in a 'white' enviroment, of course.

Well it's that he doesn't come from the freed slave culture of the American South and has adopted that culture second-hand through his wife. He puts on an takes off a Black Southern accent quite shamelessly.