I have been living in the US for about 40 years, and this past week I had the feeling that the US presidential elections - every 4 yrs - feels like the World Cup, or the Olympics! I was extremely happy to see Brack Obama win... This was in today's Gazetaesportiva.net: Pelé cumprimenta e compara Obama a Martin Luther King São Paulo (SP) - A vitória de Barack Obama, primeiro negro a ser eleito presidente dos Estados Unidos, mexeu não somente com o ambiente político no mundo, mas também com a área esportiva. Pelé, o Atleta do Século, comparou o novo 'manda chuva' da Casa Branca a outro personagem ilustre, o reverendo Martin Luther King, líder pioneiro na defesa dos direitos civis e defensor da justiça social nos Estados Unidos. Segundo o 'Rei' Pelé, Martin Luther King 'tinha o sonho de viver em um país onde os cidadãos fossem julgados não pela cor da pele, mas pelas suas qualidades”. Em sua curta declaração dada na noite de quinta-feira, Pelé desejou sorte ao 44º presidente eleito da história dos Estados Unidos e garantiu estar torcendo para o sucesso de seu governo. 'Encorajo-o de todo o coração não por ele ser negro, mas pela esperança de mudança da política norte-americana. Agora que está eleito, vou rezar a Deus para que o ilumine e lhe dê muita inspiração, de forma a que possa satisfazer os desejos do seu povo”, concluiu.
1 - O Pele' sempre que abre a boca fala bobagem. Nao tem nada a ver comparar Obama com MLK. Duas pessoas totalmente diferentes, nada em comum. Dick Cheney tem mais em comum com MLK que o Obama. 2 - O Obama nao e' negro, 50% da sua ascendencia e' branca, de origem europeia e Obama e' ate parente distante de Bush, Cheney e Churchill. Obama e' mulato.
Barack Obama is African American. In virtually any sense. His father was born in Kenya. I honestly don't understand how that can even come into question. While many African Americans are very removed from Africa, his father was African. His mother is caucasian. But she was American. Maybe her distant relatives are European from England, Ireland, etc. and true he is obviously mixed. But she was American, his father was African. Even beyond color, he is "African-American". Maybe it is a lack of understanding of how it is described in the US. African Americans in the US were at one time often referred to as "negroes", or simply as 'blacks'. On standardized forms, at one point the term 'negro' was used, and rest assured that was most likely the box he checked as when he is seen by the majority, of those that see race, I doubt he would be confused as 'white' or referred to as a 'mulatto'. It's pretty easy in the United States - he'll be referred to as "African American" mostly, and "black".
LOL! Nice how you put the fact that he's father is a true African and his mother a true american would make him an African American, if you read the terminology you can say that but, fact is that he doesn't fit with any "real African American". Obama doesn't have any single person on his family that has ever been a slave, he also doesn't have any connection with the so called African American culture (baptist,watermelon, kool aid drinking, screaming in the movies etc etc etc people) since he was raised by his white mother, and after her death he was brought up by his white grandparents. Obama's people never knew what meant to have any rights denied or any kind of oppression. The whole MLK dream, doesn't apply to him. He's father went to America long after that. Obama is a mulatto that in reality is culturally white. He did married a real African American woman, but that the way I see is a mixed marriage. Well, most americans are stupid when it comes to the subject. Fact is Obama is 50% black and 50% white, that makes him a mulatto. By any definitions or standards. Look up mulatto on the dictionary and it's pretty clear. 1 : the first-generation offspring of a black person and a white person 2 : a person of mixed white and black ancestry That's Obama.
"Negro" was actually a real, literal term that was used a long time ago and on occasion today. The racial slur was unfortunately used as well, but that was the insult. "Negro" was actually the wider more general term. At least I think you were talking about the slur, correct me if I'm wrong. Where in the world do you get these horrible stereotypes? Do you think all African-Americans are like this? Is that what you attach to the race and culture? No, not all African Americans enjoy those things or behave in that way. It's not a good idea to generalize such a diverse culture with those negative stereotypes and observations. A little frustrating - it always irks me when people from different countries automatically attach a negative stereotype to a group of people, and it's always done out of ignorance & not knowing any better. But it's still a little grating. Barack Obama's upbringing was different, no-one is denying that. But not all African Americans are alike, not all had the same type of up-bringing and even the culture's different for many people as well. But at the root of it all, is that when the issue of 'race' comes up, he checks off "African-American". Not... "well some of my heritage is from this, or I grew up like that...". No, he checks off "African American". Simple as that. I wouldn't call it stupid. It's simply a culture that is different from the one you may be used to. Like I said, when race is a question, he checks off African-American. And since it is the US, that's all that really matters in that case. Sure, he's mixed. And he's African-American. He won't be referred to as 'mulatto' or 'white'. He'll be referred to as "African-American". As he is in the news, reports, and shows in the United States.
Tem razao. O MLK era um sanguinario neocon que favorecia guerras como a guerra contra o Iraque, as tais "pre-emptive wars."
If he's mixed how can he be African American? You are either coffee or milk, or coffee with milk on it, or milk with coffee on it. If you get a mug half of coffee and half of milk on it you can't call it coffee. Simply as that. He may not be referred as such in America because of their one drop rule thing. But that's what he is, a mulatto. White mother and black father or vice versa is a mulatto, in the States, in Canada, In Japan, In Germany, in Brasil, in South Africa. I didn't got the definition from my dictionary, that was Webster saying not me. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulatto American news, reports and shows?? LOL! At you kidding me? The north american news are something worth wasting any time? Like I said, americans are for the most part idiots when it comes to the subject.
Os caras tem os interesses deles e se vao pra guerra a cada 10/15 desde que viraram nacao nao ia ser agora que iam mudar. Os EUA sao belicosos, sempre foram e sempre serao.
This is the textbook example of how racial classification differs in the US and Brazil. In the US, racist 18th and 19th Century laws defined a Negro as anyone with 1/8 african descent. That model is still loosely adhered to. So, while technically Obama is a mulatto, he is African-American by US (racist) custom and tradition. It is actually sillier when you consider his dad is from Kenya making him an "African-American" like an "Italian-American," and not like a "White american." The line is really blurred when you consider he represented a "real" African-American community in Chicago. At any rate, the problem is with the outdated racial classification system in the US- is Freddy Adu a Ghanian American because he was born in Ghana rather than an "African-American" ? Is Jozy Altidore a "African-American" becuase he was born in the US rather than a "Haitian-American" like his parents?
I wouldn't say that there's a difference in the racial classification. You can call a pig a dog, but that doesn't make it an actual dog. Americans love to "be different", it's not the USxBrasil classification what's being observed here, it's a classic example of how Americans see something and just because they choose to call it different than what in reality is, therefore believing in different. Since it's earliest usage, mulatto has signified the very same thing of Obama's example, as early as Roman times or perhaps before it always meant the same thing. One white parent and one black parent will make you a mulatto. It's a simple rule, but I guess in America it isn't. But then again if you go to America and ask for a cup of coffee they will put milk on it and call it coffe when everybody in the world knows coffe is coffe, black coffe and nothing else, if you put milk on it becomas a macchiato. But not to americans, despite the end result being brown, not dark as coffe and not as white as milk they still call something is not and think they are right. Americans: Next time I'm visiting your country if I ask for coffee give me coffe!!! If I want any milk on it I will let you know!!! It's nice to vent!!
Because his father is African and his mother is American. And I say that not to sound like a jerk. He's "African-American" in the most literal of senses. But also, being African-American doesn't just apply to individuals who's ancestors were slaves in the country. There are plenty of people of African descent that have sense moved to the United States, had children there, etc and the culture's very diverse. Here's one link to him being referred: http://www.africanamericans.com/BarackObama.htm You can call him mulatto if you want. It isn't technically incorrect because that's how it's referred where you're from. But on standardized forms in the US, Barack Obama clicked off "African-American" for himself unless there was an option that more accurately fit him. I understand the definitions. Barack Obama is mixed. But also, look at this one: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/African-American It's pretty vague, right? But he easily fits into the category. Maybe... but Brasil's hardly the most perfect of places either. I've met plenty of people that refer to themselves as "white" from Brasil that are darker than several African-Americans I've met... and they have their birth-certificates to back it up. It's just different there and maybe a little silly, but it is what it is. Maybe this will help as a visual of a form: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OM/HRD/pubform/SFForms/sf0181.pdf Whether Barack Obama's 'African American' isn't the correct question. If you really want a head-ache, here's the question to take up with the US government. that question being, what would you call him if his father was white. Because technically, wouldn't he be African American then as well? And then you'd have to ask... what box on applications, census information do you think he'd check off?
There are millions and millions of African Americans in the USA and they have both father and mother of African ancestry. If one of the parents isn't of that descent the person cannot be called African American. There's people who's parents are one black and one filipino, one black and one japanese etc etc etc Are they African Americans? If one of the parents is from European descent and the other is from African descent than you are mixed, in the case mulatto. You don't seem to know what biracial means. That's how it's reffered anywhere and everywhere where people make the correct use of words. In any country the offspring of mixed races is biracial, you can choose not to see that way in the USA, but you are wrong. Someone is white if both parents are white, someone is black if both parents are black, if one is one or the other than the person is biracial. He's other or biracial, simple as that. If he clicks African American he shows no respect for his mother, grandfather and grandmother and anyone before them. You are right on that one, and there's plenty of mulattos in Brasil that call themselves white. Ronaldo the player being one of them. But they always learn how white they really are when they travel overseas. Well, I've been to New York recently, let me tell you. All kinds of couples walking around the city over there. black and white white and asian white and spanish spanish and black indian (from the east) and black indian and white etc etc Americans better start updating them boxes them because I think in America's future there will be a lot more than simply black and white.
General American definition of African American: African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the term is generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Most African Americans are the descendants of captive Africans who survived the slavery era within the boundaries of the present United States, although some are—or are descended from—voluntary immigrants from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America or elsewhere Of course ... anybody with half a brain (and no political agenda) knows that technically he is Multi-Racial ... or a Mulato. As an example ... Tiger Woods doesn't like to be called African-American, he calls himself a Cablinasian.
Why would Tiger Woods like to be called something he is not? It's like some american people that call Brasilians spanish when in fact they are not.
I'm obviously aware of what the term 'bi-racial' means. I'm also well aware of the term 'multi-racial', which could apply to a great deal of people as well (such as... Tiger Woods!) That's not the argument. But I don't think you understand what it means in the US, or how race is identified there, let alone a great deal about African American history in the US which is through no fault of your own. There are a lot of mixes that consist of "African-Americans". It's not always as simple as "both parents are African-American". Genealogy, for lack of better words, makes the issue a bit more complex than having it simply be a 'black & white" issue. This is a little ridiculous. I highly doubt that he has no respect for his ancestry on either side of his family just because of a box, just like a lot of people. Funny, I was in New York last weekend. And one month before that, I was in Portland, Maine. And the month before that, in Phoenix, Arizona. One thing is very clear - it's a very diverse country. I'm not arguiging about the right/wrong way to classify an individual. To be honest, I could really care less. I'm just saying that in the USA, Barack Obama is referred to as African-American. And being "African-American" isn't a neat package that can be defined by stereotypes and generalizations. I think the standardized forms, etc. are a little silly at times bt then again, there are sevelra reasons why they are the way that they are. Again, maybe you don't care for the news there. But if you are there and watch the news there (as IMO you should if you are there...), you should notice the patterns of the citizens there. Forms aren't really going to change. They have through the years, but... it's up to individual organizations and the Census Bureau.
Some refer to Brazilians in that way for the same reason that some assume that Brazilians speak Spanish - ignorance.
There's a little something in America called the one-drop rule, one drop of African blood makes you black. Actually pretty silly, I've always considered myself black since I was born in the USA, but I would probably be classified as a mulatto in the Middle-East or Brazil. Something that was used for centuries to keep anyone with the slightest amount of African blood down is now used to unify a broad range of different people who actually have very little in common racially. The vast majority of African-Americans have some European ancestry, and a large amount have Native-American ancestry as well. Millions of European-Americans have some African ancestry as well, though I don't know how many would admit it publicly Race in America has always been confusing. Even more confusing is the Hispanic classification system. Which really has nothing to do with race(though it is a racial classification,) and more to do with language and culture.
Well, they might call him African American but they are wrong since he is not AA. As per the changes on their classification. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/cens16.shtml U.S. Census now recognizes multiracial' entries Identify your race: Check all that apply For the first time in U.S. history, the statistics will include people who checked off more than one box to describe their race. Indeed, the release of census statistics next year will forever alter the way Americans look at race, sowing the seeds of what critics fear will be a "colored" class that acts as a buffer between blacks and whites. Though only about 1 percent of Americans are expected to check more than one box initially, that number could grow dramatically if Americans seriously examine their own racial histories. By 2003, federal agencies will be required to use the same racial categories as the census, forcing officials to decide which subgroups are worthy of support in everything from affirmative action to the way federal money is doled out. For many people of multiracial ancestry, the broader definition of race is long overdue recognition of their in-between place in society. Duke Rhoden, a 45-year-old computer consultant, is glad he could finally check off on the census form the races of his parents: Japanese and African American. He doesn't choose one race over the other, though he feels more comfortable with his Japanese side because he said Asians have accepted him, while blacks have ostracized him. "The community didn't accept me. . . . I wasn't black enough," Rhoden said. But still, blacks "have told me, 'You are African American and that's how you should see yourself.' I say, 'I see that part of me, but I also see myself as Japanese.'" Interesting article. Also I can see a little why is that so hard for Americans to accept the concept of multiracial since it wasn't even legal until few years ago. It really shows how great it is to live in Brasil. My family took a one or two generations to get in the game but last time I went to a family gathering I was quite impressed. We got people married or dating people of African ancestry, Native Brasilian, Italian, lot's of Portuguese or mixed and even a Polish is the newest addiction to our family. We need some asian now to complete the UN congregation.
I saw some documentary not long ago where they used DNA to research the origins of several so called African American celebrities and other people and it was very interesting to see the results. I think was called African American lives. Now one thing it noticed is that lot's of the people that were clearly of mixed heritage all said at first they had native ancestry and when the DNA results came back none of them had. They were all 40%, 50% and even 60% of European Ancestry. I was puzzled why they choose to denied it. Or perhaps they choose to think that they were part native so they wouldn't have to face the fact that the then "master" might have helped himself to some of his then "slaves".
You know that in Brazil we use "Mestiço" to describe individuals that are born from a mixture of any ethnicities while the correct definition (from Spanish) is White European + Amerindian. The reason why Americans have adopted this view of half/quarter black being African American is because during slavery time, white people defined that if a person had any black ancestors (one drop rule), they would be considered black. I read somewhere that it was actually 1/8th. This was adopted by the white and black community ... the latter not by choice. So the term African-American is not merely a technical term. It's a term that is part of American history and has political, racial, and social context. Today, some African-Americans seem to use this definition almost as a revenge to claim someone famous with the slightest African ancestry completely as their own. Oh ... and milk in your coffee ? I've never had that happen to me for over 18 years. Might have been specific to the area or place you were.
There is one small problem... the coffee here in the USA is horrible! Nothing like the cafezinho gostoso do Brasil...
Well, I wont' argue the African-American part anymore because we will probably always disagree with it. It just isn't technically incorrect to me (or them), and you're not technically incorrect either. As time continues to go the definitions there and views will probably change. It really is an interesting phenomenon though. For decades, the classification has been particularly rigid in the United States and even now, with some changes, it still is. For example, if you are applying for employment in the United States, some of those options are not available. As for living in the USA - it is great to live there as well IMO if you understand the system and the way the country works. But the culture is very different to Brasil. In Brasil, IMO, it is a connection that everyone is "Brazilian". Not as necessarily "African-Brazilian"...