Maybe he got his large ears from his WHITE MOTHER !
I think his ears are kind of small. They’re just really sticky-outy.
Interesting thread. Some random thoughts:
When the campaign started (pre-primary, pre-Iowa win), I heard from several black nurses and aides at work that they didn’t think Obama was “black enough”. That changed, but it was there. I know that Tavis Smiley has been lukewarm on him, but I don’t have a cite. The New Yorker profile on Smiley (and the one on Obama) alluded to this.
I voted for Obama for many reasons, not all of the logical or rational. I agree with many of his statements re the future of this country. I admire his intelligence and his articulateness and have strong faith in his diplomacy skills (Angela Merkel will not get a shoulder rub from this man!), among other things. But those were not the only reasons I voted for him.
I have felt, more and more, that America (and I refuse to call it anything else–you picayune people can go away) needed a “reboot” or an abrupt 180 degree change of course. No other candidate (and I supported Hillary, wanting a woman to have a first–we are still a ways from that milestone) met that criteria. Hillary did and didn’t–too much Bill Baggage and we would have Ken Lay et al all over again. No, thanks.
So, when Obama got the nod, I mourned for a few days, but got behind him. I am very glad I did so–he has impressed me immeasurably over the last months. But that isn’t why I voted for him, either. (and he had impressed me with his 2004 speech as well–very proud to have him a my senator).
I voted for him because to me, he embodies an important group of uniquely American symbols. Taken in the abstract, this man is a bridge between past hurts and grievances and future possibilities and healing.
He is my age–which is young enough to understand and navigate the new age of technology and communication, but he is also old enough to remember the not so nice past. The energy crisis colored his childhood, as did racial tensions and Washington corruption. He has perspective on this, but he is also not caught in the Baby Boomer Wars: hippies vs squares. How stale that seems now. He straddles two different eras: pre-computer/internet and post.
He is black, yes, and I celebrate with the black community and smile with them in their joy. How good it must feel–I will feel the same way when we have a woman President (whom I hope we don’t have to call “a woman President”).
But there is a part of me that is glad that Obama had a white parent; that he has lived inside a white home and knows up close the fears, concerns and point of view of at least one white middle class family*.
Call me naive and crazy (or insensitive) but it seems to me that whites sometimes are as tarred by the same brush as blacks sometimes. Not all of us hate based on color or neighborhood or use of the English language. I can understand and sympathize with the impulse to demonize those who seem to represent the ones who treat you badly, but I am glad Obama does not suffer from that particular ill. I would no more dream of pumping up his whiteness when things go well and then playing up his blackness when he makes a mistake than I would well, I don’t know what, exactly! I just know I wouldn’t. Tiger Woods is black to me–win or lose. But he’s not attempting to bring a country together–he just wants to win golf games.
There is no denying Obama’s family–he is half black and he is half white. I think this background has given him unique tools and advantages and we risk letting them waste if he is denied that background. I think he sees many facets to this issue because of his heritage and because of that, I think he can help us all heal and move forward (at least I hope so. I’d settle for him just being a good President). So many expectations bear down on him now–he’s expected to heal the racial breach, fix the country, and in doing so the world, and look cool doing it. He’s one man. It’s a lot to ask.
*That is NOT to say that a different black man without Obama’s heritage could not empathize with a white family. I don’t mean that. Race has been such a polarizing issue, though, that it would be hard to have that trust. I am sorry for that, but I think it’s true: if Obama did not have his unique heritage, I doubt he’d be where he is now. Don’t read that wrong–we SHOULD be able to elect a black person to the Presidency (or a Jew or a woman or a fill in the blank). But I’m a realist, too, and the shit I see spewed on the web from the losing side sickens me…
This is something that has started to irritate me (not much, but it’s there): He was not elected on the black vote alone–many, many whites, Hispanics, Asians etc saw his worth and wanted him as their leader. Yes, absolutely, it is a black victory. But I think of it as a progressive victory–America chose the right person, who happens to be black. Not America chose a man to be President because he is black.
It just feels good that Obama is both black and white. He has seen both “sides” of living in America and I feel he is the best of both sides as well. I find it moving that Obama will now live in the WH. I worry for his family (and him) more than I ever have for anyone else. There is too much hate in the world and he is a lightning rod. 
Oh, yes. For certain. There is a part in his book where he talks about Toot being afraid to go to the bus stop alone anymore because a black wino had gotten too aggressive with her while asking for money. While at first he bristled at his granddad admitting to him that Toot was scared because the man was black (white beggars had gotten aggressive before, without her getting scared), Obama almost immediately pushed aside his own hurt feelings to look out for his grandma and insist that his granddad give her a ride from now on. I thought that spoke volumes about how his upbringing could really be a benefit to how he dealt with race relations.
And I can’t wait to vote for the first woman president, Eleonor. May we not have to refer to her as ‘a woman president.’ (while celebrating the moment together, as women.)
I certainly wouldn’t represent myself as an authority on the “typical” black experience. It is not my impression that being raised by a single white mother without much participation in a typical black community; attending Ivy League schools; having an adult income measured in the hundreds of thousands; living in a million-dollar plus home; having the ear of and influencing people of great power, and being listened to on a national scale are part of the typical black experience. My own observation has been that many of these things are more typically ascribed to (and inaccurately even then) the opportunities of being white.
This is not to say that they shouldn’t be part of the black experience, or can’t be, or anything else–just defending the remark that they aren’t typical. If they were, I don’t think there’d be nearly as much hullaballoo and delight at Mr Obama’s icon-ship, so to speak.
What would be really, really cool is if we could elect an Asian, Buddhist woman or some such… and then, in my grandkids’ time: the first gay president. (it may take that long, more’s the pity). Hell, I think a Muslim President would be a great boon to the country, but that’s not going to happen in my lifetime!
I am ready for all things new. But I fear that in Obama’s “different-ness” we place too much expectation. He is not a miracle worker. And people are people, no matter their skin/religion/gender etc. I think he will both prudent and shrewd, but at bottom, pragmatic. I just hope that does not irk those who wanted more–either liberal or conservative, or black or white.
All that said, it is good to see a truly loving family going to the White House. There will be no sex scandal, no alcoholic nonsense, no entitled WH family members underage drinking etc. It’s a relief. (and may I say here that Malia is gorgeous–I mean top model gorgeous. Her beauty is bone deep. I think Obama is good looking–not stunning–but she looks just like him. Somehow in her, it is stunning).
Irrelevant aside:
I mean this in the nicest possible way, but when I see the Obamas together, I am reminded of the Petrie family from the Dick van Dyke Show. Good looking, lanky guy with his beautiful wife–both well read, intelligent, cosmopolitan etc*. I don’t see the Huxtables, though (for what that’s worth).
*ok, without the ditziness of Laura and the slapstick of Rob, but still… You think I’m crazy now, don’t you? 
Not really part of the typical white experience either. Anybody who has a million dollar home and runs for President can’t be “typical.”
I’m a light-skinned black woman, and much lighter than Obama. I have 2 black parents, 4 black grandparents, 8 black great-grandparents. But I’m as light as a tanned white person. The black people who meet me have no problem whatsoever identifying me as black, because I have unmistakable black features. But they also have no problem rejecting me because I don’t look black enough. Black people often bristle at the sight of me, because I’m so light. They often assume that one of my parents is white. The fact that so many blacks don’t accept me is why I partially understand what mixed race blacks are going through when they are rejected by blacks, or when they are regarded with distrust by blacks for not being black enough. And I know firsthand that it’s indeed a significant issue for “the light-skinned black woman who drives the schoolbus,” and that’s why I also know without a doubt they will have the same issues with Obama.
Still, even with all these negative stirrings, I’m overjoyed that he will be our next president. I think this moves all of us forward, all races. And I’m also proud of everyone who voted for him, no matter what their reasons, because I couldn’t have imagined that I’d ever see anything like this my lifetime.
I bet she’ll be sorely tempted to ask for one from him, however. 
Oh, come on, all you had to do was take out a really big sub-prime mortgage! Its not like they were doing any kind of credit or income checks with those things!
Dead wrong. None of that has anything to do with the fact that he is black, anyways. Like you said, those things are not typical of a person either. In fact, this whole thread is starting to baffle me. Light skinned people are not 'black enough now? (I realize this was another poster, not you, Chief Pedant). Not to discount anyone’s experiences, but the idea of lightskinned people not being black enough is foreign to me. I mean, I suspect mixed people must have issues that I haven’t noticed, but my family is riddled with high yella folk, and I can attest that they are indeed ‘black enough’. My green eyed sister, my blue eyed neices, they are just ‘regular black folk’ to us. Likewise for my godbrother who graduated at the top of his class and is now a very successful lawyer. He still comes on home at the family reunion for barbecue and good times. No one is telling him he isn’t black enough. He is just one of us… one that has made us very proud.
But for the record, the quoted part is dead wrong. Just in the interest of accuracy, I had to point that out.
Well, I respect you for making the choice you did and thank you for taking the time to vote. I am well aware that many people voted for Obama because of his race. It’s no different than people who voted for Hillary because she is a woman, or people who voted for JFK because he was Catholic. You felt that that trait was an asset in a candidate.
On the other hand, a lot of white people voted for Obama for reasons other than race, or even despite his race. He clearly is able to reach across that divide and regardless of why anyone voted for him I view that as one of his strongest assets. We need someone who can united people instead of dividing them. I don’t care if that talent comes from his mixed racial background, personal soul-searching, or an invisible sky pixie - it’s what this country needs right now. And that’s just one of the reasons I voted for him.
Really? I was always under the impression that this was a common thing- people always tend to be in groups, even in races. So I’ve heard plenty of stories of someone being a light-skinned black person vs. being extremely dark skinned, and the biases go both ways, where people at either end of the spectrum have been made fun of or had an outsider status. So the idea of a light skinned black person being mocked by other black people is something I thought was commonly known. Not that it was done alot- but that this was something that people knew happened.
I used to get these sorts of comments all the time, as I’m a really light skinned brown guy, so those comments I’ve heard as well from my community about being half and half and that sorta thing. Surprised that you hadn’t heard or known about that sort of thing as I took it for granted as something that was commonly known.
by CP:
"It is not my impression that being raised by a single white mother without much participation in a typical black community; … "
My apologies. I did not realize that Mr Obama’s upbringing in Indonesia with his Mom and then at Punahou in Hawaii with his white grandparents would be considered “participation in a typical black community.”
Wait…what? I took exception to the part where you indicated that he didn’t have much participation in the black community, not that he spent time in Indonesia. So that was weird that you misunderstood that, somehow. He had very much participation in the black community, but I have to scratch my frizzy fro once more and wonder how being raised in Hawaii would make him not black?
Ah…a slow smile dawns on my face as I finally start to make sense of something.
Listen. It is going to take some getting used to. I know often, when a black man has been told, “Look. You are not black like they are! You are different! We offer you a 'Get-Out-Of-Black-Like-Them card. You may choose one of our daughters for you wife, and we will excuse how you look, because you have made some serious accomplishments here!”…that black man would often say, “Deal!”
It will take some getting used to for everyone to accept that the man said, “Nah. I’m black. Thanks.”
But, the upside is, now that he has done this thing that has brought pride to so many black men, more and more men will decide they don’t have to take the ‘get out of black card’ when they are offered it.
Like I mentioned in the thread linked in the OP, the internal racism of blacks is tied to the times of slavery. It is as much a part of our country’s history as is the racism of whites towards blacks, and is similarly just as persistent. It is now rearing its head in regard to Obama because it was always here in our society. Obama’s election just brings up something that has always been a sub-part of black culture. It certainly didn’t suddenly and magically spring from out of nowhere. I’d say you’re fortunate if you’ve never encountered it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real. And if you’re having a difficult time grasping it, or if you find it annoying or offensive, that also doesn’t mean it’s not real.
Anyone interested in getting a better understanding of the whole dynamics of the internal racism of blacks, how it started, why it continues, should check out the book,The Color Complex by co-authors Kathy Russell, Midge Wilson, & Ronald Hall.
And so did a lot of black people. I’m overwhelmingly pleased we’ve elected a black president, but I certainly didn’t vote for him because he was black. I voted for him because of “the content of his character,” and because he’s devoted toward unity instead of divisiveness, and because of all those other noble ideals he has regarding the future direction of our country, and because he’s obviously a brilliant strategist, and because he has a cool and steady and focused temperament … and also for the “audacity of hope.”
Yep. That’s it right there.
But as you say, other than the part about being raised by a white mother, the way you describe his life isn’t typical of white people, either…I don’t know too many people of any color who went to Ivy League schools, have income measuring in the hundreds of thousands, live in million-dollar homes, have the ear of and influence people of great power, or be listened to on a national scale. It describes George Bush, but it sure doesn’t describe me, and I’m pretty much a typical white person. Let’s face it, people who become president pretty much aren’t “typical” people no matter what color they are…it doesn’t make them any less that color.
Oh, we had light skinned / dark skinnned drama all over the place!
That is very different than what we are discussing here.
When I was young (and still, but to a lesser degree), light skinned people were considered better. You know? I mean, the girls were considered prettier, the boys were cuter, people wanted their baby to be light skinned, calling someone ‘black’ was a very big insult.
That favored the lightskinned…it didn’t tell them they weren’t black enough, it told them they were the acceptable version of black.
So yeah, this is not what we are discussing here at all. Although, for the record, Obama probably wasn’t as light as some of the ‘high yella’, small featured, ‘hazel eyed’ ‘redbones’ that would have enjoyed some of that ‘lightskinned’ status.
A lot of stuff in the black community is complicated, like every other culture. We are all gonna have to learn to understand eachother a bit better, I guess.
Like when Michelle and Mr. President Elect give ‘pound’, we all are gonna have to learn that is not a terrorist fist jab. It’s just the way black folks show some mild affection sometimes. We all got to learn eachother.
True. But that is also what triggered the backlash, the harsh rejection of lighter-skinned blacks. In my experience any special attention imagined to be my fortune also caused resentment and unpleasant repercussions, even from people who didn’t know anything about me. And the same is true for those slaves who were fathered by the slave masters and given better treatment. Blacks who were obviously mixed were treated differently. And the darker blacks who were still getting the worst treatment understandably resented those who seemed preferred and privileged. It was all put in motion during slavery, by white racism, and continues to this day internally within the black race.
Also true is that light-skin privileges is not what we’ve been discussing, but it’s absolutely tied directly to the root of it. More interesting info can be found in this wiki link on Colorism
Fourty year old white IT guys bump knuckles too. In the office, even.
People are saying that there is no African American community in Jakarta and that Hawaii isn’t Detroit or East St. Louis, which probably made a huge difference in Obama’s character, as he didn’t grow up with the same prejudices, suspicions and obstacles as blacks who grow in Washington D.C. or Compton. Obama himself credits his grandparents for raising him well. And no, it’s not because they’re white or whatever color his grandparents happen to be. Just because he’s not Fifty Cent doesn’t mean Obama’s not black. Most people who voted for Bush wouldn’t have voted for Larry the Cable Guy.
And count me as one who voted for Obama based on what he says and does, not the color of his skin or where his ancestors came from.
I can’t read Chief Pedant’s mind so I can’t swear this is what he meant, but given the way he phrased and punctuated things “without much participation in a typical black community” certainly seemed to be linked to “being raised by a single white mother”. That is, when Obama was being raised by his white single mother, he did not have much participation in the black community. When you “took exception” to that, CP questioned how a kid living in Indonesia or even Hawaii would have had much opportunity to participate in the black community.
By the time Obama was in college he certainly did participate in the black community, but I’m pretty sure CP was referring only to his childhood. Young Barack would not have had much opportunity to even SEE other black people while living in Indonesia, and he was one of only a few black students at his school in Hawaii.
Obama’s childhood was unusual in several ways, and I don’t see anything controversial in stating that it wasn’t typical of African-Americans as long as one also realizes that it wasn’t typical of any Americans. The percentage of American children who attend elementary school in Indonesia must be very small. I think it’s great that our next president had this overseas experience as a child*, but it’s certainly not typical.
*I’d have voted for almost anyone as long as they were the Democratic nominee, but for me it was definitely a point in Obama’s favor that he lived outside the US and was friends with children of many ethnicities and religions. I found the fear over rumors that Obama’s school in Indonesia was some kind of madrassa very strange, because surely what this country needs now is a president who knows something about Islam and has experience interacting with Muslims! Even if it was just elementary school, at least Obama knows firsthand that most Muslims are regular people and not evil lunatic terrorists.