In light of all of the interesting analysis that others have done regarding why
President Barack Obama can only get so angry about the
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, I was wondering if any of this analysis makes sense. In fact, most of the controversy began when
Dee Dee Myers, former Press Secretary under President Clinton,
stated that Barack Obama needs to control his anger when responding to the crisis because he doesn't want to appear to be an angry black man. Obama made his threats apparent when he said that he was going to find out
"whose ass to kick," which likely led to cheers from those who've been waiting for him to get tough with BP.
As I watched people analyze Obama's reaction, Obama's response, and the public's analysis of Obama's response, I thought about one thing: Did we forget that our president is also half-white?
I admit that I admire President Obama for quite a few reasons, one of which is that he seems to have gladly accepted the chore of being a black man in America. He marks "African American" on his census form, he attended a black church led by a pastor (
Jeremiah Wright, who I respect tremendously) who almost cost him the election, and he married a black woman (
Michelle Obama) who represents the essence of what black women are supposed to be.
Critics like myself have ridden Obama mercilessly about his obligations as the first black president, and he has responded to the challenges in the best way he could, by ignoring us periodically and sometimes giving us the nod and wink to say that he might help us out a little bit later. My love for Obama is laced with extreme skepticism, but only because I am skeptical of all politicians. But what many of us seem to forget is that Barack Obama has certainly taken the road less easily traveled by simply referring to himself as a black man, and not a "Caublinasian," half-white man, or anything else.
Therefore, when we talk about President Barack Obama being an angry black man, the truth is that by getting angry, he would also be an angry white man. In fact, I wonder why he can't simply be an angry American and leave it at that. All the while, we must ask ourselves whether it was Barack Obama who put himself in a box, or us as Americans who've boxed him in with our limited thinking. We look at him, and we don't see anything half white about him. We see a black man, with black skin and a beautiful black family. White America, which has spent 400 years being subconsciously trained to believe that black people are inferior, have loved Obama in spite of his blackness, rather than because of it. Some white Americans have allowed the black half of Obama to guide them toward a level of hatred not seen in our country for forty years.
The point of all this is to say that Barack Obama's anger, whether he appears to be an angry black man or not, is not as simply analyzed as we might think. With Obama's election, we got our first black president, but we also got our 44th white one. What's most interesting is that America's racial legacy is so tinged and complicated that we hardly even noticed the difference.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
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Comments: (34)
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By: BillSchrier on 6/09/2010 9:47PM
From the CNN article "Why Obama doesn't dare become the 'angry black man'":
"In his 1995 memoir, "Dreams of My Father," Obama explained why he thought such negotiation was necessary when he met white people as a young man growing up in Hawaii.
"People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. Such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry." "
In other words, Obama is what you blacks would call an "Uncle Tom", who has spent his whole life being pleasant to white people!! That's how he managed to get what white votes he did, by appearing non-threatening and polite to whites! Something you all despise! lol!
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/06/08/rage.obama/index.html?hpt=C1
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By: Tanya PK on 6/09/2010 10:21PM
Being an Uncle Tom is not about being "pleasant to white people". It's about NOT being black, not identifying with being black, and doing whatever you need to do to resemble anything BUT black (ie. Michael Steele). Barack Obama's actions are what most black professionals have to do everyday to get ahead in a world where (unfounded) preconceived notions (based on the 6 o'clock news) about blacks dominate the non-black psyche: act in a way that isn't OVERTLY black, but isn't so white that your kids will think you've been replaced by something that was grown in the garden last night.
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By: Pedro on 6/10/2010 4:34AM
BillSchrier, there are many things you wrote that are not pleasant to anyone and have not sense. You seem happy with race separation in your community. Why don't you find the reasons why blacks hate whites (if they do)? From history point of view, you will have many reasons to convince you on that point. I hope you are educated person, and that you can make a proper judgment based on facts. Being Black is nothing wrong; America is tired with this unpleasant argument which drives you to no where. Chinese are going to overtake Americans as the happiest people in the world, and you are there arguing about who is Black who is White, shame on you.
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By: bed5d0e on 6/10/2010 8:56AM
@ Tanya PK Your are so correct!!!!!!!!! But I'll tell you from my heart, I'd rather be the poorest person on earth then to sell-out to "the man"!
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By: smittyt on 6/10/2010 11:06AM
@bed5d0e,I feel the same way.
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By: BillSchrier on 6/09/2010 9:52PM
What do you want Obama to call himself? Do you expect him to be honest and call himself a "mulatto"?
If so, the same honesty should be expected of the vast majority of "blacks" in American, who are also mulattoes. They hate to admit they are mongrels, preferring to say they are "African", but it's true just the same.
Blacks in America are mongrel mutts, nearly all containing some of the white blood they hate so much. This is why blacks are so conflicted about white people, hating them and yet wanting to be just like them, all at the same time.
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By: Willie A on 6/09/2010 10:15PM
@Bill No black person would never want to be like you or any OTHER WHITE PERSON. Ya heard me!
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By: BillSchrier on 6/09/2010 10:40PM
Oh really? Is that why black women where weaves made of the straight hair of other races? Is it why blacks have their own caste system where the light skinned (more white blood) look down upon the darker skinned (less white blood)? Is it why Sammy Sosa and Michael Jackson bleached their skin to be lighter? Is it why skin whitener and hair relaxer are big products for blacks? Is it why black males, who can afford it, prefer to get a white girl?
You are just another conflicted black person, who hasn't come to terms with your own self-hatred and envy of whites.
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By: Willie A on 6/09/2010 10:47PM
First African American, black only describes my outward appearence Second I WILL NEVER WANT A WHITE WOMAN Third as light to brown skinned man myself I DON'T LOOK DOWN ON DARK SKINNED BLACKs, INSTEAD I CHERISH THEM LIKE I CHERISH ALL PEOPLE I JUST DATE AND MARRIED MY OWN!
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By: Tanya PK on 6/09/2010 11:47PM
Bill - you are obviously trying to illicit a certain response by coming to BLACKVOICES and spouting off what you assume to be black self-hatred methods about wearing weaves and bleaching skin. Those same weaves are sold in the same mass quantities to white women and last time I looked, the tan white girl is the one that most white men go for. And why you chose to "hang out" on blogs geared toward African-American's attempting to take cheap shots at 2 people - one who isn't even African-American - who chose to do something as ridiculous as bleach their skin, is just plain...er, what's the word...DUMB. Get a life dude. The vast majority of black folks don't give a damn WHAT you think. People who think like you are off our radar.
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