If Obama was White

[marleyisalegend]

I don't think that Race has had any impact whatsoever on Obama's campaign..

That is 100% illogical, it would ONLY be plausible in one of the following situations, if:

1. Racism didn't exist
2. If the only people who are racist are under the age of 18 and can't vote.

If, by some odd chance, there are racist people over the age of 18 then racism DIRECTLY affects his campaign because he doesn't have a fair chance at a racists' vote. Seriously, did you not pay attention in Civics?

It won't affect his campaign too much but to say that racism doesn't affect Obama's campaign wins the Ignorant Statement of the Year award. If racism exists, how would it NOT affect his campaign? Do racists say "You know what, let's give him a fair chance."?

God I wish people would think before they speak (or post) and is it too much to ask someone to post with common sense and not their (paper-thin) emotions?

I may have to leave the country

You probably won't.

He's probably going to win.. White people, black people, yellow people, all kinds of people are voting for him.. so i'm saying get over it. He's probably going to get elected.

First of all Mccain shouldn't be counted out, second of all, are you saying that if he does win, it excuses racism because it wasn't enough to keep him from winning the presidency?

 

[D_Ivana Dickenside]

double post.

 

[D_Marazion Analdouche]

If Obama was white, I would look at him as another white politician that is full of empty promises and has not real "plan" for any of the major issues that confront us today.

And no, I'm not voting for McCain either.

 

[mindseye]

according to wikipedia,

"Barack Obama was born at the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black Kenyan from Nyang’oma Kogelo, Siaya District, Kenya, and Ann Dunham, a white American from Wichita, Kansas."

there. techincal enough?

You've missed my point (admittedly, it's late and I didn't make it well...).

Have you ever described someone as a "half-brunette" when one parent was blond? If you knew a person with one blond parent who claimed to be a brunette, would you contradict that person? If you're comfortable identifying hair or eye color by phenotype, why fractionalize skin color?

Obama doesn't refer to himself as "half"-anything: he's a black man with a white mother.

 

[marleyisalegend]

Obama doesn't refer to himself as "half"-anything: he's a black man with a white mother.

Saying "half-white" or "biracial" will save you a breath or two.:wink:

Besides, the whole 1-drop/paperbag test/etc... all come from an era where there was an ulterior motive for identifying blacks.

 

[green26]

How many people really look at him as being "half white", stop the bullshit people, or maybe I should rephrase it , "what if Obama was totally White"

 

[marleyisalegend]

How many people really look at him as being "half white", stop the bullshit people

It's not bullshit. To me, there's a bit of an irony here. Obama is the product of two ethnicities, the one that disappeared and showed up once or twice is the one he's associated with because of physicl features. The one that worked hard to support him and put him through lawschool is being discredited and swept under the rug, again, because of physical traits. If I was Obama's mother I'd be pissed.

or maybe I should rephrase it , "what if Obama was totally White"

Guess we'll never know, will we?:redface:

 

[JP0724]

It's not bullshit. To me, there's a bit of an irony here. Obama is the product of two ethnicities, the one that disappeared and showed up once or twice is the one he's associated with because of physicl features. The one that worked hard to support him and put him through lawschool is being discredited and swept under the rug, again, because of physical traits. If I was Obama's mother I'd be pissed.



Guess we'll never know, will we?:redface:

Lets make this explicitly clear, it is Mr. Obama who characterizes himself as African American, not the American People. So if anyone is sweeping the white under the rug, it's Mr. Obama.

I know that was hard to swallow, take another drink of the Obama juice and you'll forget all about it. I think the other sheep are waiting for you, you should go.

 

[D_Davy_Downspout]

Lets make this explicitly clear, it is Mr. Obama who characterizes himself as African American, not the American People. So if anyone is sweeping the white under the rug, it's Mr. Obama.

I know that was hard to swallow, take another drink of the Obama juice and you'll forget all about it. I think the other sheep are waiting for you, you should go.

Interestingly, I don't think he has ever called himself that. An American of African decent, yes but that's entirely true. African American is probably true as well.

 

[green26]

So many people here are full of shit because they know what the hell this election is going to come down too, let it fly if it doesn't apply

 

[dreamer20]

Lets make this explicitly clear, it is Mr. Obama who characterizes himself as African American, not the American People. So if anyone is sweeping the white under the rug, it's Mr. Obama.

He has not swept his maternal heritage under the rug as you well know. He is American via his mother and of African descent via his father. Hence he's classified as African American.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

So many people here are full of shit because they know what the hell this election is going to come down too, let it fly if it doesn't apply

The fact is, America allowed it to become that. Everyone knows Obama is biracial. He even referred to that himself, explaining how his father was black and his mom was white. What the media, and every individual wanted to pay attention to is a different story. These are the same people who may look at a caucasion/latino mixed person and call him or her a white person just to try and "simplify" things.

 

[ManlyBanisters]

It's not bullshit. To me, there's a bit of an irony here. Obama is the product of two ethnicities, the one that disappeared and showed up once or twice is the one he's associated with because of physicl features. The one that worked hard to support him and put him through lawschool is being discredited and swept under the rug, again, because of physical traits. If I was Obama's mother I'd be pissed.

Guess we'll never know, will we?:redface:

If I were Obama's mother I think I'd just be damn proud of my son.

I do get what you mean, marley, but, like dreamer said, he has not denied his white heritage at all - he chooses the term 'black' because, I'm guessing, it applies both to people of 100% African ethnicity and to people of much lower percents of African ethnicity. I think you'll find there are very few people of African ethnicity in the USA, of American nationality anyway, who are 100% African. The term 'black' does not exclude white ancestry in the way the term 'white' excludes black ancestry. Which says a hell of a lot more on the positive side for blacks than it does for whites.

And to the OP - What if Obama was white? What if, what if, what if? He isn't - he is black. If he was white he wouldn't be Obama, any more than McCain would be McCain if he were black. It is a pointless and naive question.

 

[naughty]

Correct me if I am wrong but isnt "pulling the race card" when you use the subject of race to allegedly obscure an issue according to certain camps? If so then no race cards have been pulled here. It is mere conjecture. Like it or not race is probably going to play a significant part in this election, but then so will gender.
As for his calling himself black, he is not denying his mother . He is living within the framework of America's racial discussion. Let's be real here. The "acceptance" of biracial status is a relatively new concept here. In some states it wasnt even legal for blacks and white to marry less that fifty years ago. So even though people in this country have been bi-racial and multiracial for centuries, the politics of power have made it so that it was denied in the case of black and white mixtures up until very recently. Unfortunately people are often judged by what people see and not the real percentages. He feels culturally like a black man, he has been treated like a black man, so he lives as a black man. Regardless of the racial percentages of his heritage.

Though the removal of race would remove one element in this election we must not forget the real issues here. The economy is in the toilet, we are a country at war, a rising unemployment rate, immigration challenges, and the fact the many people have lost all confidence in the Republican party's ability to deliver us from these problems. Will anyone be able to deliver us? It remains to be seen.

 

[sparky11point5]

First of all, peeps embrace the subjunctive mood:

Subjunctive mood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"If Obama were white ..."

Secondly, race is a bogus concept. Skin color is about as indicative of genetic similarity or difference as hair color.

I think it is ironic how Obama has alternately been labeled "too black" or "not black enough". An African American friend of mine put it best - "Obama is black enough to be stopped by a cop for driving a nice car."

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE FOR CHANGE AND HOPE!

 

[JP0724]

I just think that if you get back to the essential question, if Obama were White would things be any different, and NO I don't think so.

He's incredibly driven and intelligent, he would probably be in the exact same spot that he is in right now. I don't think race has held him back one bit.

I do however think that while he is ahead in all the polls and will probably win, if he does not win, I think that the issue will turn to race within seconds. Everyone likes to blame race, it's an easy issue to point the finger at.

Black man didn't get a job, it's because of racism.. of coarse no one thinks that maybe it's because he has no skills applicable to the job, or any relevant experience, it has to be because the big bad white man is trying to hold down the black man. Such an old and tired story. If Obama has proved anything it's that a Black person can do anything that I white person can do.

 

[sparky11point5]

Hm. I agree to some extent. I think ultimately, race was a "wash" in this election. Some people will refuse to vote for Obama due to race, and some (of all races) will vote for him precisely because he is black/mixed.

However, as a Caucasian, I am *extraordinarily* careful about claiming that we live in a color blind society. I just think that is dangerous ground, since first-hand experience is really all that counts there. Many conservatives and liberals want to project this about our society, but I think most people understand that it is still a problem.

 

[1BiGG1]

I really wonder if the upcoming election would be as close as it is if Obama was White, any thoughts on this?

With Obama being clueless compared with say Al Gore he would not have a chance. This isn’t really about color anyway = its about the even-more-clueless following the clueless.

 

[Pitbull]

I really wonder if the upcoming election would be as close as it is if Obama was White, any thoughts on this?

If Obama were white, he would not have become the democratic nominee.
He might not have even won the Illinois senate seat 2 years ago.

 

[B_starinvestor]

Hm. I agree to some extent. I think ultimately, race was a "wash" in this election. Some people will refuse to vote for Obama due to race, and some (of all races) will vote for him precisely because he is black/mixed.

However, as a Caucasian, I am *extraordinarily* careful about claiming that we live in a color blind society. I just think that is dangerous ground, since first-hand experience is really all that counts there. Many conservatives and liberals want to project this about our society, but I think most people understand that it is still a problem.

I still believe that some minority heritage for Obama is more helpful than harmful. If a stigma does exist, he is doing a lot to eradicate it.

That being said, I think if he doesn't win on November 4th there will be some destructive activity occuring.