Obama : Black Man Only or Multi-Racial Icon?

So like everyone else I watched the Inauguration all day while entertaing the idea of Daniel one day being the first “Asian” president. LOL. So, I found it interesting that everyone keep saying our first “black” president. That people felt that “finally there’s a black man in the white houese” and that “we’re making progress racially as a nation, race will no longer be such an issue, etc, etc, etc”.  But how true is this?  Have we really progressed racially?

President Obama hugged his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, at her December 2003 wedding to Konrad Ng (Chinese) in Hawaii.

First Obama might not be the “first” black president. It’s long been rumored that Abraham Lincoln might have had some black in him . Which could futher be argued that Obama is not out first bi-racial president. Which I’ve noticed was a fact majorly downplayed by the media. The fact that Obama had a white mother, asian stepfather, hapa sister and a diverse cultural background was on no channel I could find. To be fair, maybe I missed something while switching channels but I doubt it.

Obama doing a "shaka", a common greeting in hawii.

Adding to this none of the Inauguration “guest commentors” included these facts either. The most I could find that even hinted at Obamas diversity was a float from Hawii and a photo highlight of his school years in Hawii. Both ridiclously brief and if you were channel surfing you would have missed them. Sadly, they did make a comment about his middle name and his influence within the muslim community and what they might mean *rolling my eyes*. But leave it to Obama to make his history know by doing something that might seem insignificant but made a large statement in my mind. He did a “shaka“, a common greeting in hawii. My man did not forget his roots and culture. I can respect a man like that.

Obama Family's MultiCultural Roots

I can’t help feeling it was a media blackout (pun intended) about his bi-racial background. So while it’s of course great to have a minority president,  the issue that he’s being boxed in as being only “black” shows we’re not as racially progressive as it all might seem. Maybe by the time Daniel is ready to run for president racial issues might be further along on the road of not being racial “issues”.

Later Edit: I found a news article that addressed this issue.

Nation’s Many Faces in Extended First Family
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/us/politics/21family.htm (link opens in new window)

Credit for the photos highlighted in the blog is all theirs, but literal witty writing is all mine

Raising a Baby Black vs Asian

Today Daniel and I went to NJ to visit with Ketty, John and the family. After running around with the kids, having a family meal and bugging John a bit we settled to sleep happily along with another blasian family.

In the morning Ketty and I took the path train into the city.  During the drive we started talking about race issues.  As usual we came across a point we disagreed on. I want to raise Daniel with a strong black sense while she feels I should raise him mixed.  My argument?  Most people don’t see Daniel as “black”. Even Ketty and John said he looks totally asian…that he has nothing for me.  Since people will treat and react to him as he’s NOT black or even mixed, bi-racial, etc, I feel I have to take a strong stand to say he IS black and it’s ok.  Ketty feels I don’t have to do anything, that seeing me everyday will show and teach him about blackness. I think she’s wrong…what Daniel will see is that I’m his mother and by extension that I am a black women.  He will not know he IS a black man and does not have to be ashamed of it.

Back in the city while waiting at BK for breakfast this black women came up to me and of course ask…”Is that your baby? Boy or girl?” These questions have become standard so I can answer on autopilot…meaning not paying attention. Besides Daniel was being cute and I wanted to play with him. Still this woman wasn’t satisfied. She then asked “did you have him or adopted him?” She got my attention quickly and not in a good way…I answered very quick with “I HAD him!!!”

I guess my answer must have had some attitude with it cause she went on the defensive saying…”some people adopt them ya know.”  I wanted to point out how much he looks like me but like most people she can’t see past the skin tone. I just left with a “I had him naturally and he’s mine” comment and walked away with my giggly baby.  That’s the first time I heard that but if this strange women felt the need to ask then I’m figuring it won’t be the last time.