Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?

I come from Canada and here there is almost never any talk of race in elections. But I notice in the US that people talk about the "race card" and that Obama considers himself black and so do the media. But if Obama is half white does this mean that white counts for nothing in racial mixes in the US? At what ratio of black to white blood does a person become white? These questions are difficult for me because I come originally from Polynesia where these sorts of distinctions just don't come up.Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?It is a little like the tree falling in the forest thing.



Until white Americans say, "you are black", you can have an identity beyond your skin color. But mainland blacks are just as guilty for allowing this.



Obama is a terrific example of this. Black voters initially supported Hillary because, "Obama wasn't black ENOUGH" --- that is he acted like a white politician --- no axe to grind with White America -- and did not speak with any African American slang. Frankly the totally white state of Iowa was totally open minded and very supportive of his message.



Then once the mostly white TV announcers started talking about "can this black candidate win?" Black America decided if he was black enough for the media to talk about like he was Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton, he was in fact..."Black enough" and Black Americans went (IMO) overboard to support him.



From there (with some help from Wright), race became more and more of an issue with white racists coming out of the woodwork against the Black candidate who Black Americans "are racistly supporting".



It is a damning condemnation on both sides of the discussion.



I think we are finally stabilizing.



I am from hawaii too and I don't get the hang up that mainlanders have about race.Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?
In America, if you are anything other than 'white' whether you are mixed or not then you are considered a minority. It doesn't matter if you are half black and half white, if you are mixed you are considered of the minority. My mother is Filipino and my father is black American. Because of my 'skin tone' -I am considered black. Generally, no one knows that I am biracial aside from occasional recognition from other people who are biracial and other minorities. But, to a white American I am black. Interesting enough, I grew up overseas, and overseas I never encountered these types of distinctions either -if you were biracial you were considered BOTH not one or the other.Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?Historically, in America, going all the way back to slavery, anyone with a single drop of "Slave" blood was considered to be Black. Now, it is not uncommon to be mixed race without having to claim to be "SOMETHING". It is a new sensation of the new century. Thank goodness for progress.
Ask the retarded politically correct imbeciles. Its because people are so excited that theres a chance a non-white male could possibly be president, they dont want to mention that hes only have black. People dont realzie how much reverse racism there is. its okay to be "proud to be black" but if your "proud to be white" your demonized, hated, and threatened with charges of hate speech. BAH!Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?Obama is considered black because of the color of his skin and in many cases this also has to do with the people he or other 'mixed' associates themselves with. People are very touchy over this election and pull out any punches they can to try to get the upper hand and win. Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?
Because many Americans are ignorant and all they care about is what is on the outside. I truly liked Obama at the beginning until he started saying crap like "My grandmother is a TYPICAL white woman." What the hell does that mean? And when he went to a church whose pastor said "God F*ck America' That pisses me off.
We are a visually driven society. If someone looks black, then the true diversity of that person's heritage doesn't matter. They are labeled black. As an American Asian, I've dealt with this my entire life. You should see some of the shocked looks I've gotten from ignorant people when I open my mouth and speak perfect English. Often better than they do. Why is Obama considered to be black given that his mother is white and his father black?
Obama is an Arab American.



His Father 's birth certificate said his father was 97% arab 3% african black.



So the offspring of an arab and a white american, makes him Arab American.
Historically in the US, you are considered black based on your skin color, not your pedigree. Obama is black because he has dark skin.
Because he gets better treatment in the media if he calls himself "black". What he is afraid to say is the proper word "American".
I've never considered him anything other than a socialist that wants to take money that my husband and i worked hard for and give to someone else, and believe me we are not rich by any stretch.
He is considered black because he is 1/2 black and he appears black. Same goes for Tiger Woods. You are what you look like.
He is a Black Muslim

If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it is a duck.
"But if Obama is half white does this mean that white counts for nothing in racial mixes in the US? "



The short answer is yes.
White parent + Black parent = Biracial
As long as he keeps calling himself black, then if you say anything negative about him, you're a racist...it's the race card...plain and simple.
Why does it matter? I don't care about his race, I care about the dangers of socialism in the USA.
Obama has made his own choice on what he is. he married a black women, has two black daughters, lives in a black community, attends a black church, I guess this makes him black.



In the US, if you look black, and claim to be black, you are black. Some black people claim to be Hispanic, or Jamacian, or from another cultures other than African-American. Sometimes, these people are treated differently and are given opportunities that normal black Americans don't get.



Why? It's hard to put a finger on that, other than if they wish to distance themselves from the black community, people will help them to do so. Let's face it, a lot of people would leave the hood if given a chance. Especially people with small families. They fret everyday for the safety of their children, as more and more small black kids become practice fodder for gangs, in the hood.



Life is hard for poor black families in the US, and the streets are dangerous. The segregation of these neighborhoods is what makes life harder and harder for blacks, yet they aren't seeing the welcome wagon in areas where home restoration is happening. If anything, as neighborhoods are improved, housing becomes less and less affordable unless subsidized housing becomes available.



The next big question is; as neighborhoods are restored and blacks do stay, will the races meld into harmonious neighborhoods, absent of gangs, or will that scurge stay, and follow the boys in the hood ?
Normal people do not consider Obama to be black. Only Fascist-Neocons and racists do.