Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A Blended President

No, I'm not talking about some new smoothie concoction. I'm referring to Barack Obama. And I'm not really comfortable with the way the media (and just about everyone else) has chosen to label him: black, african-american, etc.

Isn't he also white? Wasn't the mother who raised him white? And her parents who also helped raise him--both white (caucasian). He spent a couple months with his dad in Kenya--that's it! So, biologically, he's half white and half black. I will argue, however, that because he was RAISED by his white mother and grandparents, that makes him about 75% white.

Ok, take Tiger Woods. Dad is black, mom is Asian. So, he is equally 50-50. But isn't it true that whenever you hear someone describe his background, he is almost always referred to as black or African American? Wonder how that makes Mom feel? Wonder what Tiger feels about it . . . .

Now, does the media lean towards that half of one's DNA because it is the father's side in both cases? If so, that's pretty sexist, no? In any case, America is becoming more and more "blended", and we certainly need to start coming up with some more accurate terms to describe "what" people are. Because to call Barack or Tiger "black" simply does not tell the whole story.

No comments: