How black do ya gotta be?

Okay, so I'm seeing reports in the press that Black voters don't think Barack Obama is black enough to earn their support. Apparently some feel that he doesn't represent their experiences since his father was African and his mother is white and he wasn't raised under the banner of American racism. However, many of those same voters do back Hillary Clinton. Really? Seriously? How in hell's name is it possible to be prepared to support a WHITE woman over a BLACK man if you're Black? I'm sooooo confused.

I asked a white friend of mine if white people complain that a politician isn't white enough to represent them. She said not really, unless they're Neo-Nazis. So why do Black people think that's important? I can understand looking at their politics and deciding to go with one over the other. THAT makes sense, but when asked to consider race as the sole basis of their voting decision, I just don't get how any Black voter can honestly choose the White candidate over the Black one. Call me racist but I don't care. Being Black myself, I tend to get testy when people expect me to choose black over white in anything, HOWEVER, we (the Black community) have been complaining for years about the lack of a viable Black candidate for the presidency but as soon as one shows up, it's all about what he's lacking. That's total b-s. You can't have it both ways, people!

What makes this whole thing worse is the stupid idea that you need to have something in common with a Black candidate to vote for him. Why? What in hell's name could they possibly have in common with Sen. Clinton or Biden? Most Black Americans have nothing in common with those two since they're rich, white, and powerful. In my opinion, any Black voter who thinks either Biden or Clinton cares about the issues that are important to them is delusional. Obama might not care either, but at least I'd feel a little more optimistic that he might.

It's a total crock that Obama lacks experience with American racism. Trust me, he's met it and dealt with it at some point. It would have been difficult for him to avoid it, because in America the color of his skin is still important, regardless of who he is. Hell, the fact that it's making national newspaper helplines and I'm writing about it in this blog, tells you everything you need to know about "Black in America."

So to those Black voters who think he's not Black enough, congratulations, you've just thrust him solidly onto the color line. Does that make him Black enough now? Or does he need a cross burned on his front lawn to get the Black vote?