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| WHY ARE PEOPLE BOTHERED BY THE RACE ISSUE?
WHY ARE PEOPLE BOTHERED BY THE RACE ISSUE?
I don't understand why so many people have some problems with Obama self-identifying as Black more than as white. Of course all of the people I have seen or heard complaining about this are either pure white citizens or white-washed people of color, especially in fact Asians.
Obama, as all people of mixed racial heritage I know, has been through his period of quest for racial identity, the search for a group he could identify with and belong to. Only if you have been in this situation can you understrand how difficult it is to have this mixed heritage, to be the result of the union between an oppressing majority and an oppressed minority - While he was raised in that majority surrounded by white people, he certainly could observed how people of color, who physically looked like him, were treated differently. He also sure enough experienced what being black meant, as kids sure enough do not make the difference between black and half-black. For kids raised by ignorant parents, such a kid is still just a 'negro'. I know this for a fact, as I was myself treated as a full blown Asian when I was a kid, and other kids used to make fun of my chinky eyes all the time at school, or speak funny to me with a Chinese accent thinking it was hilarious. When I was old enough that my brain could start process these things, I realized what it meant to be a part of an ethnic minority. When I was a bit older and had traveled the world a bit more, I realized how a lot of these minorities were oppressed, and how I had been priviliged to be raised by the 'good' or 'lucky' half of my mixed blood lineage. I started to fight with my own identity as I had never felt that I truly belonged to that white society anyway and I went through a hard time as I could not fit either in the Asian community either, for a variety of reasons which included appearance, inability to speak the language, lack of knowledge of cultural habits etc.
In turn this internal fight and hopeless outcome took a hold on my self-esteem and it took a long time to find some sort of balance. It took a long time to identify as Asian more than white, while at the same time accepting that I would never be fully a part of the Asian community for the aforementioned reasons.
I can see how Obama went through a lot of these processes as well. I can see how he experienced the same feelings, and how he decided to identify as black, in agreement with his general philosophy to fight for the un-privileged and against privileges. Why is this a problem?
It is because he makes difficult decisions and stays true to himself that I admire him. Self identifying as black when you would have a choice not to because you were born in the US and raised by a white family and have half your blood white IS a difficult choice, one that stems from internal strength and courage, conviction and devotion to that people's cause.
So in the end, I see no problem with Obama self-identifying as black more than white, I see no problem with the media calling him the first 'African-American' to possibly become president of the US. Besides, to me 'African-American' reflects in fact what he is: a mixture of an African with an American! So why bother spending so much time about the semantics? Shouldn't we spend our energy in make real Change happen? I will be very proud if an African-American gets elected to lead this country, and I have no problem with him being black, white, asian, male, female, transgender or what not so long as he fights for justice and for the un-privileged and oppressed strata of this complex and unfair society. And I am tired of white-washed Asians who have this self-hatred issue that they use to convey pseudo-racist comments towards people who represent nothing but HOPE.
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