March 23, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
Is Barack Black Enough? That's Not The Point.
The 2008 presidential candidate's background has become a media-manufactured obstacle.
Over the past few months, one question has loomed over Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's head: "Is he black enough?" Any query attributing to Obama's blackness in many ways parallels to the proposition that Bill Clinton is America's closest thing to having a black president. Even if the public doesn't necessarily know what this question means, common sense still makes them aware of its implications. The persistence to which Obama's blackness has been questioned, so early in the 2008 presidential campaign, reflects the white media's relentless interest to define blackness, as much as it unveils an underlying political agenda.
Those who consider themselves spokespeople for the black community have maintained a dignified front by neglecting to provide the media with any type of answer. However, as people of color see through this question's racially divisive nature, media correspondents continue to breathe air into the topic. Nobody is supposed to answer the question, "Is Barack black enough?" with any definitive answer. This question is not really a question at all, but an accusation to which the public is expected to provide a counter question; "Why wouldn't he be black enough?" The counter question contains the meat of the red herring, playing right into the media's hands, and allowing them to present the black community with an already compiled list of insulting, though unsurprising responses.
Why isn't Barack Obama black enough? To the socially conscious, this sounds like an idiotic question because it is. In fact, the question is so absurd it's impossible to approach without considering who is asking it in the first place. As much as the press has feigned the topic's all-inclusive importance, it remains a discussion isolated to whites in the media. Most Caucasian news correspondents relate to Obama as a charismatic, charming and rousing speaker who pronounces his t's and d's with an effortless grace and panache they don't think they've witnessed since the heyday of Sidney Poitier.
Anybody wondering why Obama isn't black enough to quench the media's desire to define his blackness doesn't need to dig too deep before finding the serious insinuations of, say, a Joe Biden, who described Obama as being the "first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Biden's comment actually helped put the political double speak into perspective, as it shed a light on the message political pundits like Chris Matthews and Bill O'Reilly, regardless of their personal perspectives, have long been hinting towards: The National Interpretation of Blackness.
Statements such as these only justify racial stereotyping that keeps America's cultural tensions alive and well. While the topic of Obama's blackness is covered on every news channel from MSNBC to CNN, Americans still owe it to the assurance of their own integrity to ask what being black, or white, or any race for that matter, has to do with being the President of the United States? At some point, Americans are going to have to look beyond the myopia that allows racial generalizations to become fodder for political news stories. Is Barack black enough? Maybe? There's no right answer. When it comes to race, culture, and identity, everybody's got an opinion and we all think ours is more justified than the next. When posing the question of racial identity against a presidential candidacy, it reaches a point where distinguishing who is right from who is wrong is simply no longer relevant.
Perhaps Obama isn't black enough for CNN, and maybe he's too black for CBS Evening News. This may appear to be an inadequate conclusion to the politically correct, but focusing on the mitigating factors around an individual's ethnic identification misses the point. The question America should he asking has nothing to do with who is a black enough candidate to be the first black president of the United States of America. The real question for 2008 is this: Does Barack Obama have the chops to stand up as a competent Commander-in-Chief?
This will be the U.S.'s most important election in nearly two decades, and we American citizens owe it to ourselves to concentrate on finding an answer without any distractions.
Page printed from:
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2007/03/barack_obama_black_enough/
Comments
1.
Jacqueline says:
The article “Are Barack and Michelle Obama Black Enough?” by Mary Mitchell is appalling and utterly ignorant. What is black enough? Mary Mitchell and her co workers have a distorted view of what it means to be black. Maybe this birdbrain zealot reporter should spend less time watching BET for her perception of BLACK and more time getting to know people as individuals.
Grow UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 10, 2007 at 5:19 pm
2.
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April 3, 2007 at 9:17 am
3.
Doo says:
Think about it.....does Joe Biden's comments REALLY shock you? Of course not; and he's supposed be a liberal thinking democrat! You have to "peel back the onion" and look at it for what it is; FEAR. Caucasians in this country have been culturally conditioned to believe they're smarter than ANY African-American; no matter the credentials. Our people need to continue to "stick and move" and live by the credo that "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission". I hope most of them continue to have fear because it's a new day!
March 28, 2007 at 9:27 am
4.
will says:
Who's the DUMMY asking the question about being black enough?? You see this is the sh*& I'm talking about, worried first and foremost about ones COLOR, look and see that this is a human better known as a MAN! Doesn't matter what color the person is, it's their character is what we should be more concerned about!! Is this MAN going to lead this country in the RIGHT DIRECTION or is he someone who's gonna just sit here and let this mess GEORGE BUSH put us in go on. Is this MAN the right choice for the Country. I understand that he would be the FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT and all, but if we first find out about this MAN"s character then we'll find out about his BLACKNESS!! Why is the world so dumb, worried if somebody's black enough, whoever the idiot is that said this sh&! need to come down to the HOOD and ask that same question, is somebody BLACK enough and they'll get there answer immediately!!! How ignorant ARE WE??????????
March 26, 2007 at 7:36 am
5.
Jak says:
I think the major problem is that people do not realise that Africa is a continent and not a country, so when they make references, they do not differentiate the peoples.
March 26, 2007 at 5:03 am
6.
Jaymi says:
Hold up...robert walton: African kings sold "them?" Who is "them?" If you're referring to Africans selling other Africans into the slave system, then you are correct. But all Africans are not the same and they never sold those within their same tribes into slavery. You might think it doesn't make a difference, but it DOES. It's like saying Germans and Parisians are the same just because they are both white Europeans. Living in the same continent does not make you the same people. Africans did not sell their "own" into slavery. Get that straight.
And I think Leticia missed the point of "300 years of slavery black." When people ask if Barack is black enough, it connotes that being black in America only has to do with 300 years of slavery and that's just not true anymore.
March 25, 2007 at 6:20 pm
7.
robert walton says:
Why is it that we as a whole always want to put the blame on everyone else instead of taking a look at our own faults. I understand our ancestors were slaves ,but damn people get over it no one is stoping u from living a good life but you. Also i never here anyone bring up the fact that it was african kings who sold them to the white man in the first place. Quit b**chin and get on with your life.
March 25, 2007 at 4:23 pm
8.
Leticia says:
I think it's more than just white media asking if Barack's black enough. The issue is whether he's black like 300 years of slavery's ancestors black. Which he isn't. But as I am, I don't see his kind of 'black' a barrier to my vote, it's as you say ... is he competent enough to be president!
I believe Stanley Crouch, a columnist at NY Daily News brought the topic up first. Here's linke through Freeruplic site:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1730861/posts
March 24, 2007 at 3:57 pm
9.
Dameon says:
I am waiting for someone on tv to ask who ever is asking that silly question to respond to the question is "Hillary Clinton woman enough?" or is "McCain or any other the white candidates white enough?"
March 24, 2007 at 1:14 pm
10.
katheru says:
Oh, Yes. Obama is Black and he is running for the presidency. I think he is the best of the lot. If he wins , he will make the best president that America and the World has long been waiting for.
March 24, 2007 at 10:27 am
11.
Tanisha says:
I agree. His ethnicity should have nothing to do with his candidacy as president. All that matters is how well he can govern our country and bring all of our troops home. And I think he is more than capable of doing that and so much more.
March 24, 2007 at 8:20 am
12.
Gervis says:
What the hell is wrong wit the white media saying is someone black enough @#$%&*
March 24, 2007 at 12:47 am
13.
Rojo Jenkins says:
I was watching Jay Leno last night and Senator Joe Biden was on there. Jay asked him about Obama and he said my lips are sealed. I just laughed because he couldn't just say you know what I had a white person moment, I couldn't help myself I had to say something dumb. All I know is that he is just as good of a candidate than all of the other people that are running for President including Senator Biden.
March 23, 2007 at 11:51 pm
14.
Yanna Mack Mack says:
You are right on, Allison. Africans are so INCREDIBLY diverse; continue to dispell the 2-dimensional myth that Africans can be catalouged and categorized.
March 23, 2007 at 8:08 pm
15.
MoeB says:
Haaaaaaal-le-lujah!!!
March 23, 2007 at 8:06 pm
16.
Debra says:
Ms. Harvey,
This is excellent. Finally, someone who got to the truth of the matter and put it in the media for all to see. Thank you.
March 23, 2007 at 7:54 pm
17.
Hercules says:
You go girl!!!! I get so sick of hearing white people in the media asking if Barack is Black enough. What the hell do they know about being Black!!!!!
March 23, 2007 at 7:22 pm