Why does Barak Obama call himself African American?

Question

He is portrayed as African American when in reality he is HALF Black. He doesnt even look Black. He wont be the first African American to become President if elected.

And its debatable just how "American" he is. He grew up many years of his life in Indonesia. Theres white people that are born in South Africa, If they became American citizens would you laugh if they CORRECTLY called themselves "African Americans" also?

Tricky subject....

Answer 1

in the US if you are even marginaly of black parentage, traditionally you are called black

anyways, he looks way blacker than all the white people i know

for that matter, anyone has the right to identify with whatever group or heritiage they feel closest too

btw, i dont think ive actually heard him say "African American" before, thats mostly a "white" expression that they use to make blacks sound less American than whites

most blacks say "black" and are quite proud of it





plus like he said, try to be him and get a cab in NYC

my black RN/MBA girlfriend cant get one either, and shes about the same color

Answer 2

It is not a tricky subject. It is time to leave the race issues out of all issues in American and all countries. What does it matter, we were all raised here as Americans. What is white anyway, What a way to lump so many cultures together into nothing. My heritage is not white but Irish, French, and German. I am proud of that and resent the word white as taken away from my heritage, how unfair.
Isn't it high time we all just became Americans and let it go at that. Have we not evolved any further here then this.

Answer 3

No. Shirley Chisholm became the 1st African-American to run for president, and a woman besides! This became in 1972. for the reason that then there have been a number of each and every election cycle. particularly Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and alan Keyes. those are merely the extreme profile black applicants however. i'm valuable there are hundreds of others.

Answer 4

capnbill where do you come from? The blacks in my community, on TV and everywhere they call themselves "African American" and get very upset if you call them black. Maybe you need to come back to the real world. Race shouldn't be an issue. As far as experience and what hes done, I've yet to see it. I work quiet often in Southern Il and have yet heard anyone who is pleased with what he hasn't done. Why what he hasn't done? Because he hasn't done anything!

Answer 5

The real question is: why does this matter to you? Either you like him as a candidate or not. Have you ever worried before about someone's precise ethinicity or childhood educational history or place of birth before you voted for him? If so, why? Isn't it more important to study the issues and pick the candidate you most agree with?

Please be aware that these are simply propaganda items that are being thrown out by the right to discredit Barack as a candidate. Don't fall for this; make up your own mind.

Answer 6

No doubt, He's not an African American... He's an American.

Answer 7

He is half black African, and in the USA, that qualifies him to call himself African-American. Since he supports amnesty for all the illegal aliens in our country, he is betraying both his white and black halves! I don't care what race he is, I will not vote for any candidate who supports amnesty for all the illegal alien invaders in our country.

Answer 8

So, I can't call myself a Polish-American because only my mom was Polish? Will they not let me in the Slovak Club because only one of my parents was Slovak?

Answer 9

His race should not be an issue. Period. Neither he nor anyone else should make it an issue.

Focus on the real issues like his vision for our country, his experience, his voting record.

Answer 10

If you look black, you are black. That's the rule.