By ORLANDO PATTERSON ( <--- :star: :star: :star: )

To the surprise of many whites and dismay of his supporters, Barack Obama trailed Hillary Clinton among black Americans by a 40-point margin in a recent Washington Post-ABC poll. It is possible to read this as a positive development: black Americans have transcended racial politics and may now vote for the person they consider the better candidate, regardless of race. The sad truth, however, is that Obama is being rejected because many black Americans don't consider him one of their own and may even feel threatened by what he embodies.

So just what is the nature of black American identity today? ...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1587276-1,00.html

...In recent years, however, this tradition has been eroded by a thickened form of black identity that, sadly, mirrors some of the worst aspects of American white identity and racism. A streak of nativism rears its ugly head. To be black American, in this view, one's ancestors must have been not simply slaves but American slaves. Furthermore, directly mirroring the traditional definition of whiteness as not being black is the growing tendency to define blackness in negative terms--it is to be not white in upbringing, kinship or manner, to be too not at ease in the intimate ways of white Americans.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1587276-2,00.html

do black people have the right to define for themselves who is black?:em3200:

I find it to be an "oxymoron" for blacks to consider Obama NOT to be one of their own.

A large percentage of the afro-american popular aren't purebreed right off the boat african anymore.

And besides, Obama wouldn't have gotten this far if he would have came with a platform of "black power" because he realizes the white vote would make/break him.

<Edited> I just realized I created a typo, I meant to say that its an oxymoron for Blacks to NOT consider Obama one of their own.

Not an oxymoron. Obama comes from the same pedigree that created the American Negro (Black person), an individual, for the most part, that is not 100% African descent. How many of us can say with a strong degree of certainity that all of our ancestors have been Black, regardless of the circumstances? I am definitely about Black people and African Unity, but I know I can not say it. My wife is African and she thought my mom was Mexican. My family on both sides are what I term a Mestee subset of the Black people in America. Do we have more than African ancestry? Yes. Does that make us any less Black? Hell n'all. My father's mother is of Haitian parentage when the Haitian people came to Southern Louisiana in the 1800's and is as far as we know of virtually exclusive Black African ancestry, but my dad's pops was Native. So my dad is "mixed", but don't tell him that.

Blackbird

that's what this article is about.. the 'change'.. it used to be black was black.. but now black folk have adopted all this extra criteria.. (white mans thinking).. on trying SO hard to define what makes black Black. hrmph! Nationalism, demography, econonomics, who's your momma! Once again white folk have proven the rule that 'divide and conquer' works.. smh..

Most of these polls are unreliable,and slanted views. Statistics can be made to say what ever you want them to .

The actual votes counted in Mississipi were 92% for Obama amongst blacks. In VA was 90%, that says it all.

If you wish to vote for a caucasian over a black man your a fool imho.

If you vote for billary,then MLK being murdered,Malcom X murdered,people having dogs sicked on them,fire hoses turned on them was all for nothing?

It does take a village,and "I am going to do what pleases me" is a european attitude. The problem to me is evryone wants do what "they wish" and not show a united front like jews,Italians,and other groups.

do black people have the right to define themselves?

Sure they do, james. Break it down as fine as you like (and we know, you like!) :lol: really 'fine-tune' the definition - the more 'race' accurate the better, right?

(eta: 23h13)

Sure they do, james. Break it down as fine as you like (and we know, you like!) :lol: really 'fine-tune' the definition - the more 'race' accurate the better, right?

why is it that every attempt of a black man to define himself is met with all kinds of resistance where as the white man 's definition (one drop) is generally accepted?

is there something deeper going on here?

is there an issue with a black man presuming to take that measure of control over his own existence? if we are to reject white supremacy then we are going to have to decide and define for ourselves what certain standards are going to be. that is what independent people do.

it is beginning to seem to me that there is a campaign to ridicule and fight any attempt for a black man to set his own standard.
you say, how dare he? i say, how dare he not!

yes, i am a black man and i have enough vinegar in me to stand up and define my own. i claim that right.