We took a reprieve from Afronerd Radio today but we will be returning with extra verve this Thursday at 8pm eastern. In the interim, I wanted to serve our readers some food for thought (as well as some interesting links) before the next show. First up-as expected, as Senator Obama gets closer to a national election and possibly the presidency articles of his biracial classification appear to be increasing exponentially. For centuries anyone with questionable to obvious African heritage was deemed Black and yet now that the executive branch is within reach to such an individual, questions of Black authenticity still loom. In 2008, racial classification has in part acquiesced to one's right to self-indentification. Senator Obama has clearly described himself as African-American and it appears extremely disingenuous for certain factions within the media to question otherwise. This phenomenon clearly is a way to assuage White voters and to rattle the purveyors of Black achievement. One can also theorize that matters of phenotype, culture and life played a role in Obama's racial conclusion eons ago. Halle Berry was never questioned in this matter but oh yeah....she's just an actress-Blackness really counts when you're running for a higher office. Here's more on this issue, courtesy of the Huffington Post:
Our managing editor was told by a media colleague that there is dialog taking place between mostly white editors and producers in newsrooms on how to identify Senator Barack Obama now that he is the Democratic nominee. Should he be identified as Black or Biracial? The colleagues added that very few blacks or bi-racial voices in the newsrooms were included in the internal discussions. No surprise, but the outcome of those internal exchanges was that whites chose "biracial" and blacks chose "black" as how they would identify Senator Obama.
These seemingly harmless, behind-the-scene dialogs often lead to a change in course, and in this case a change in language, and racial identification of the first Black man who may very well become the next president of the United States. Two months from now we might read in daily newspapers, or hear news readers identify Barack Obama as the "bi-racial" candidate.
Up to now the media has identified Senator Obama the same way he identifies himself, as a black or African-American man. Should news media now decide how it will identify him?
And click on the link below for more from the Post entry in question:
Barack Obama: "Black" Or "Biracial"?
And as far as more musings, I'm curious as to how our Afronerd listeners/readers are dealing with travel concerns as gas prices are approaching the five dollar mark. Just two months ago I was in a Jaguar dealership perusing a late model XK-8 coupe and now I'm looking at something like this:
This is Japan's answer to purchasing a economy car from a vending machine. Don't worry, only pamphlets are being dispensed-but can you imagine?
And transitioning once again-I want you guys to check out my brief appearance on another BlogTalk show entitled The Remix. The topic dealt with the power of the media and their ability to shape Black perception. I come in on the action at approx. 30 plus minutes into the podcast. What troubled me about the program was not its content but who (or what) I encountered in the chat room portion of the show. When I described myself as a conservative, all hell broke loose. It really is in the minds of some folks of color that to promulgate an alternate political persuasion is tantamount to racial or cultural treason. But when I challenged these individuals to think inwardly and to provide insights into gang violence, pathology and asking Black men to make fatherhood a priority, I was derided for being an Uncle Tom-Wow....I really have no words.
And yet I do have just one more (or is it two?)-R. Kelly. I'm not going to overstate the obvious but after reading this latest Newsweek piece-questioning the motivations for Kelly's female supporters might get me another Tom slur. Again....Wow! Check it out:
Sexism on Trial-Why did so many African-American women support R. Kelly?
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