# Obama is a Negro **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 27, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923 "2011-04-27T18:05:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/81 "2011-04-28T23:46:54Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > What will happen when we get the first hispanic into the Oval Office as President? The Presidential limo gets low-rider hydraulics. They can leave in Obama’s 10KW subwoofer system and spinner rims, though. ---
**Author:** ![pinguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac8455/32.png) [@pinguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinguin)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/82 "2011-04-29T00:44:25Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > However, “African” is just as good a name for a race as “Negro”. If you don’t know, there are more “races” in Africa than Niger-Congo peoples. Khoisans, Pigmeys, Berbers, Ethiopians, Malgaches, Arabs, Europeans, East Asians, to name a few native and settled peoples that live there. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/83 "2011-04-29T01:14:40Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > . I wish all of the news channels had something similar. Yeah, but FOX’s random quote generator is still more entertaining… ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/84 "2011-04-29T04:12:50Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > If you don’t know, there are more “races” in Africa than Niger-Congo peoples. Khoisans, Pigmeys, Berbers, Ethiopians, Malgaches, Arabs, Europeans, East Asians, to name a few native and settled peoples that live there. I suspect Giles’ point was that the whole concept of race is pretty woolley anyway, so saying your race is “African” is about as rigorous as saying “Negro” or for that matter “Football supporter” or indeed “Person who does crossword puzzles”. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/85 "2011-04-29T04:24:13Z")
> [@pinguin](#): > > If you don’t know, there are more “races” in Africa than Niger-Congo peoples. Khoisans, Pigmeys, Berbers, Ethiopians, Malgaches, Arabs, Europeans, East Asians, to name a few native and settled peoples that live there. In American English (at least), ‘Negro’ is an old and offensive term for _anyone_ of (real, suspected, or greatly diluted) sub-Saharan African ancestry. It was primarily used before the Jim Crow laws were repealed as a way to identify those who were discriminated against under those laws. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/86 "2011-04-29T04:27:52Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Plastic Jesus on the dashboard of Air Force One? And a bouncy suspension on the tires! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/87 "2011-04-29T05:20:30Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > Or announcing a troop withdrawal: “I’m sick of all these motherfuckin’ soldiers in this motherfuckin’ Afghanistan.” Hand me my dossier on the strategic arms limitation treaty as ratified by the coalition of North Atlantic allied nations. It’s the one that says “Bad Motherfucker” on it. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/88 "2011-04-29T15:22:59Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Are those those nice people the Morlocks liked to snack on? Teletubies? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/89 "2011-04-29T17:20:12Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Hand me my dossier on the strategic arms limitation treaty as ratified by the coalition of North Atlantic allied nations. It’s the one that says “Bad Motherfucker” on it. Nicely done. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/90 "2011-04-29T17:37:44Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > In American English (at least), ‘Negro’ is an old and offensive term for _anyone_ of (real, suspected, or greatly diluted) sub-Saharan African ancestry. It was primarily used before the Jim Crow laws were repealed as a way to identify those who were discriminated against under those laws. You might want to give the United Negro College Fund a heads up on this issue. I bet they feel a bit silly right now. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/91 "2011-04-29T17:39:37Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > You might want to give the United Negro College Fund a heads up on this issue. I bet they feel a bit silly right now. Holy crap, I can’t believe no one has ever noticed that! Those guys are so racist! ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/92 "2011-04-29T17:42:36Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Holy crap, I can’t believe no one has ever noticed that! Those guys are so racist! Don’t even get him started on the NAACP. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/93 "2011-04-29T18:00:41Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Don’t even get him started on the NAACP. Now, lets not drag the Crab People into this. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/94 "2011-04-29T18:13:42Z")
> [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](#): > > The idiot Taitz was on the Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell last night. **He asked her if she would apologize** now that Obama’s birth certificate was released. She went on about his selective service documents, showing that the craziness continues. For reasons I have laid out elsewhere, I don’t watch any news programming on television. Thus I don’t know if Mr. O’Donnell has ever given Ms Taitz a forum on his show in the past. If he has, I wonder if _he_ has any plans to apologize. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/95 "2011-04-29T18:16:06Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > In American English (at least), ‘Negro’ is an old and offensive term for _anyone_ of (real, suspected, or greatly diluted) sub-Saharan African ancestry. It was primarily used before the Jim Crow laws were repealed as a way to identify those who were discriminated against under those laws. I’ve got a copy of the front page of the New York Times from my birthdate, in 1967. It uses the term Negro all over the place, to refer to people we’d currently call African American. It certainly wasn’t offensive at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/96 "2011-04-29T18:29:02Z")
_The New Yorker_ had a writer accompany an Obama staffer out in the field in West Virginia. The staffer asked the redneck woman who came to the door of a mobile home who she supported in the election. She hollered back over her shoulder, “Honey, who we votin’ for?” A male voice came from within. “We’re votin’ for the nigger!” The woman turned back to the staffer and very kindly said, “We’re votin’ for the nigger.” ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/97 "2011-04-29T18:51:57Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I’ve got a copy of the front page of the New York Times from my birthdate, in 1967. It uses the term Negro all over the place, to refer to people we’d currently call African American. It certainly wasn’t offensive at the time. Yeah, that was my point regarding the UNCF. The term Negro, while often used in a bad fashion, certainly also has a history of being a word that was intended to be used in a fairly neutral, if not respectful fashion as well. If the word was, is, and has always been an evil word used for evil purposes, I kinda doubt the UNCF would have chosen to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/98 "2011-04-29T18:54:35Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _The New Yorker_ had a writer accompany an Obama staffer out in the field in West Virginia. The staffer asked the redneck woman who came to the door of a mobile home who she supported in the election. She hollered back over her shoulder, “Honey, who we votin’ for?” > > A male voice came from within. “We’re votin’ for the nigger!” > > The woman turned back to the staffer and very kindly said, “We’re votin’ for the nigger.” OK, that’s funny. They’ve progressed enough to vote for Obama, but not enough to avoid use of that word. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/99 "2011-04-29T18:59:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > OK, that’s funny. They’ve progressed enough to vote for Obama, but not enough to avoid use of that word. Maybe they are a biracial couple. Didn’t think of that did ya smarty pants 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923/100 "2011-04-29T19:31:15Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > I’ve got a copy of the front page of the New York Times from my birthdate, in 1967. It uses the term Negro all over the place, to refer to people we’d currently call African American. It certainly wasn’t offensive at the time. But and educated African man might not want to be lumped into a category that makes people think he’s a 2nd class citizen (in much of the country) who is likely not well educated and who is the descendant of slaves. It’s subtle, but I can see why he might have wanted that. Impossible to know, of course, but I don’t find it hard to believe at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-a-negro/579923.md?page=6)