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Morgan Freeman has one of the best, most recognizable voices in Hollywood. The words that come out of his mouth always sound amazing — even if what he says is totally from another planet. In an interview with NPR, Freeman expressed his opinion about Barack Obama's heritage, saying that he's not black enough to be America's first black president. "Barack had a mama and she was white, very white American, Kansas, middle of America," Freeman said. He later added, "America's first black president hasn't arisen yet ... [Obama] is America's first mixed-race president." Freeman also criticized the Republican Party for "purposely [thwarting]" Obama. Morgan, how 'bout sticking to words that other people write for you?

From here.

Edit:

http://now.msn.com/entertainment/0706-morgan-freeman-president.aspx

I don't understand. Technically, he's correct. Obama is mixed-race. (arguably even a larger step forward than if both his parents were African-American).

technically most people in the US are some glavor of Heinz57. Mayhaps a nice reminder that there is no "white" and there is no "black." Just people, and their proper masters the wiener dog legions.

Dachshundskrieg: when all your ankles are belong to us!

For all practical purposes the ethnicity of a person is isn't nearly as important as what a person is perceived to be. I'd be willing to bet that if you showed his picture to a bunch of people that didn't know his background and asked his ethnicity every one of them would say black. Part of it goes back to the lingering effects of the One Drop Rule mentality, and the other to the fact that on the surface he just appears to be another black man. There is no marker to denote parents of different ancestry.

I get what he's saying, and MSN's being a tad doucy in their response to it (as well as sucking at their responsibility as news reporters). What he said must have been in response to something, not just an out of the blue comment, and MSN's taken it in completely the wrong way. I mean you've got to respect the guy's views really, his thinking towards Black History Month is spot on in terms of how to handle racism, but I guess people can just be a little (....) stupid at times and interpret what he's saying fr their own benefit. =/

It's important to realize that, as a general rule, the lower down the heirarchy of a society you are, the more aware of the gradiations you become.

Most White people see the world as "white/not white." Now, white people might make a big deal about what kind of white a person is, but black people are seen as pretty homogenous

Black people see tremendous differences between black people. There is a difference, both percieved and tangible, between light skinned and dark skinned black people in the community. Mixed race individuals are even more different. I knew a guy in law school that had been a firefighter. he was mixed race, and in the West side (mostly white) firehouses, he was "the black guy." In East side (mostly black) firehouses, he was "the white guy."

there's also the underlying issue of the fact that Obama isn't a slave descendent. He's the son of a Kenyan citizen. While racially he's black (or mixed race), his ancestry has virtually nothing in common with most black americans.

I called this months ago

Very common situation.

d-usa wrote:Very common situation.

Half-black American presidents?

Polonius wrote:It's important to realize that, as a general rule, the lower down the heirarchy of a society you are, the more aware of the gradiations you become.

Most White people see the world as "white/not white." Now, white people might make a big deal about what kind of white a person is, but black people are seen as pretty homogenous

What white people have you been around? That was a really uncalled for comment implying that whites are both racist and ignorant.

If you can't look at Obama and tell that he is mixed you need your eyes or head checked.

azazel the cat wrote:

d-usa wrote:Very common situation.

Half-black American presidents?

Mixed race people being judged by both races that they represent and sometimes not being accepted as either.

(Generalization following, so take this with a grain of salt)

For many whites, if you even look party black then you are black. Got a black parent, then you are black. Got a black grandparent, then you are most likely still black. Different states will give you different mileage in this regard, but if you look slightly black then you are considered black. That doesn't have to be a racist thing at all, and doesn't mean that people judge them as any less of a person. But the disconnect between "Caucasian and non-Caucasian" is a lot more clear cut.

For African-Americans there is a lot of judging between the different shades of black. If you are partly white then you are "not really" black, or less black, and are therefore less representative of the black community as a whole. There is still a lot of judging going on that goes all the way back to the difference between "house slaves" and "outside slaves". The shade of your skin still makes a difference and there is still talk of "good hair" and "bad hair".

The difficulties faced by persons with mixed race from both parent races is still a very common situation.

I remember my Proffesor saying
"A drop of black blood in america makes you black" He was Hispanic saying that they dont see mixed race, just a race.
And i cant help but think of my nieces and nephews who are half-black half white. They arent going to get any of the advantages white people get(admit it, there is a bias) only disadvantages.

My wife has a black father and a white mother, and people are always trying to figure out what race she is.

We also still get a lot of looks when we are out and about and holding hands. There are still quite a few folks who think the races shouldn't mix and just see a black woman and a white man together when they see us. Used to bother me a lot, now I just snuggle up even closer to her if somebody gives us a dirty look.

One of the most annoying things for me is when we walk into a restaurant holding hands, then sit at the same table, matching wedding bands clearly visible, and the waiter still wants to know "is this separate?"

We have another married couple that we have known since college, my wife and her have been best friends since high school. She is half-Hispanic and her husband is white. So when we hang out together you got the black woman, the Hispanic woman, and the white guys. It's crazy how many people are visibly put off by that. Sometimes I really want to get the hell out of this state...

I bet seven people had their cancer cured when he said that.

d-usa wrote:My wife has a black father and a white mother, and people are always trying to figure out what race she is.

We also still get a lot of looks when we are out and about and holding hands. There are still quite a few folks who think the races shouldn't mix and just see a black woman and a white man together when they see us. Used to bother me a lot, now I just snuggle up even closer to her if somebody gives us a dirty look.

One of the most annoying things for me is when we walk into a restaurant holding hands, then sit at the same table, matching wedding bands clearly visible, and the waiter still wants to know "is this separate?"

We have another married couple that we have known since college, my wife and her have been best friends since high school. She is half-Hispanic and her husband is white. So when we hang out together you got the black woman, the Hispanic woman, and the white guys. It's crazy how many people are visibly put off by that. Sometimes I really want to get the hell out of this state...

Just wow, it's appalling how some people act.

hotsauceman1 wrote:I remember my Proffesor saying
"A drop of black blood in america makes you black" He was Hispanic saying that they dont see mixed race, just a race.
And i cant help but think of my nieces and nephews who are half-black half white. They arent going to get any of the advantages white people get(admit it, there is a bias) only disadvantages.

How about we leave that sort of gak at the door?

Didn't some black organization say he wasn't black enough during the 2008 primaries?

hotsauceman1 wrote:I remember my Proffesor saying
"A drop of black blood in america makes you black" He was Hispanic saying that they dont see mixed race, just a race.
And i cant help but think of my nieces and nephews who are half-black half white. They arent going to get any of the advantages white people get(admit it, there is a bias) only disadvantages.

Time out bro, what sort of advantages do you get for being white? I'm a shade away from glow in the dark and I've gotten the shaft my whole life. There's no "Caucasian American College Fund" I don't get scholarships for being German and Russian. I never got a job because I'm white. I've even had the race card pulled on me in situations. "Aww, its cause hes white isn't it?" I got through life by busting my arse, as it should be.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Might as well throw this out here before I get flamed. I am not racist. I hate pretty much everyone regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.

Wait, now we're pretending there isn't any advantage to being white?

feeder wrote:Wait, now we're pretending there isn't any advantage to being white?

I have yet to experience any life changing advantages...just sunburn and stares when I walk around northeast Philadelphia.

I didn't think about time travel. You win this time....

One always wins when one has Louis CK in his corner.

Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:

feeder wrote:Wait, now we're pretending there isn't any advantage to being white?

I have yet to experience any life changing advantages...just sunburn and stares when I walk around northeast Philadelphia.

Oh gak, let's see.

White people get, on average...
1. Into college more.
2. Hired more.
3. Paid more.
4. Into jail less.
5. Into political offices more.
6. Beaten less.
7. Killed less.

Yeah, white people have no fething advantages at all.

Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:

feeder wrote:Wait, now we're pretending there isn't any advantage to being white?

I have yet to experience any life changing advantages...just sunburn and stares when I walk around northeast Philadelphia.

That is a very common reaction.

It's because being part of the white majority you swim unconsciously in a pool which you can't perceive because it constantly surrounded you from birth. You don't experience the discrimination that minorities groups get on a daily basis, and life seems normal. In fact it is normal for you, and that normality is what everyone would feel without discrimination.

When you see anything being done to alleviate the problems of the minorities, it can seem like a special privilege extended to them and not you.

If you want to experience being part of a minority group you could live in a wheelchair for a day, and see how difficult life is when everything has been organised without taking your needs into account.

d-usa wrote:

azazel the cat wrote:

d-usa wrote:Very common situation.

Half-black American presidents?

Mixed race people being judged by both races that they represent and sometimes not being accepted as either.

(Generalization following, so take this with a grain of salt)

For many whites, if you even look party black then you are black. Got a black parent, then you are black. Got a black grandparent, then you are most likely still black. Different states will give you different mileage in this regard, but if you look slightly black then you are considered black. That doesn't have to be a racist thing at all, and doesn't mean that people judge them as any less of a person. But the disconnect between "Caucasian and non-Caucasian" is a lot more clear cut.

For African-Americans there is a lot of judging between the different shades of black. If you are partly white then you are "not really" black, or less black, and are therefore less representative of the black community as a whole. There is still a lot of judging going on that goes all the way back to the difference between "house slaves" and "outside slaves". The shade of your skin still makes a difference and there is still talk of "good hair" and "bad hair".

The difficulties faced by persons with mixed race from both parent races is still a very common situation.

That sucks. My wife is Asian, but we don't ever seem to get any dirty looks. I don't know if it's because White-Asian are generally more accepted by the populace as a whole or not.

I have never understood why the media, and most people call him "The first black president"

1) He really is not black, he is mixed.

But the more important point:
2) It does not matter what he is as long as he is the right person for the job.

Sasori wrote:That sucks. My wife is Asian, but we don't ever seem to get any dirty looks. I don't know if it's because White-Asian are generally more accepted by the populace as a whole or not.

It is a lot more complex, but generally that is correct. There was a study done ages ago, but it showed that most white people generally feel that Asians share the same values as them whereas Latinos and Blacks were seen as having very different values and culture. To put it more succinctly, they said that they would be uncomfortable with Blacks or Latinos moving in next door, but not Asians.

3 words (1 hyphenated)

LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE!

/jk

He's not 'that' black, but it was something that was played up to get votes.

Amaya wrote:

Polonius wrote:It's important to realize that, as a general rule, the lower down the heirarchy of a society you are, the more aware of the gradiations you become.

Most White people see the world as "white/not white." Now, white people might make a big deal about what kind of white a person is, but black people are seen as pretty homogenous

What white people have you been around? That was a really uncalled for comment implying that whites are both racist and ignorant.

If you can't look at Obama and tell that he is mixed you need your eyes or head checked.

Yeah what Polonius means is "some Americans"

In the UK nobody ever refers to someone who is mixed as black, I have never ever heard it or seen it occur. People always say mixed, when I was at school there were a few kids who were mixed race and they were always referred to as mixed. I mean, you can tell by looking at someone if they are mixed almost all of the time, and I've never once seen a mixed guy get called "black".

My missus said that in the US its alot different than here, and some people there do refer to mixed people as black, but she would concur on this, its a US thing, not a "white" thing, it hardly ever happens in the UK anyway and she has remarked as such several times, usually at social gatherings because people regularly say to her "why do Americans call Obama a black man?!"

feth knows why.. maybe because there are more black people in the states?