Bi-racial bitterness...

I was reading an article about Barack Obama, which calls him "the first black (bi-racial) President..." I was glad to see that the author inserted a very important fact (even if it was in parenthesis): Barack Obama, like me, is BI-RACIAL. He really is NOT the first black President. He is the first Bi-Racial President.

What does that mean? I have more in common with him than black Americans do. I know what it's like to simultaneously be living in two worlds. I know what it's like to be able to fully understand two different cultures. I know what it's like to not to be accepted fully by either of those cultures.

I wonder if it bothers him that, like me and so many other bi-racial folks I've talked to, growing up people probably constantly reminded him that he wasn't fully black or fully white.

Now, all of a sudden, when it's important, the black community wants to embrace him as black. And he seems to be okay with that, even going so far as to practically reject his white side (which is evidenced in the way he, in his biography, portrays his white grandmotheras subconsciously racist--like she just couldn't help herself).

I grew up hearing (mostly from the Mexican side) that I was not fully Mexican or white. People would ask me what race I was (because honestly most people can't tell by looking at me... lol). I would reply that I was Mexican American, because that was what I embraced as my culture at the time, to which they would reply, "but aren't you half white?" Basically, they were implying that I was not a real Mexican. I didn't belong 100% to their group. I could never relate to them.

Talk about rejection.

I can tell you right now that I would be royally ticked off if I were to run for and be elected as president right now and then magically have the Mexican American community embrace me as the postergirl for all Mexicans, when in the past I barely was accepted as one. If I were to see little brown kids walking around wearing T-shirts with my face next to Cesar Chavez' face, talking about "the hope for the future," I would feel compelled to turn around and say, "Oh, now I'm one of you, huh?"

I can't believe that Barack didn't do that, because I would put money on the fact that his blackness was questioned growing up by at least a few blacks (and maybe whites) along the way (unless he was able to conceal his bi-raciality [isn't that a word? lol] growing up, which I doubt). If I were him, I would be mad.

BUT, then again, I'm not a politician like he is. And it seems to me that politicians will let you think whatever you want, as long as they get your vote. Who cares that--I guarantee you--these were the same people that at one point just couldn't help reminding him that he wasn't fully one of them. Now they are embracing him as their long lost son, here to save the day for all blacks in this country, and around the world for that matter.

Hmm... I could be wrong. Maybe nobody questioned who he was along the way, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Race is always a topic, ESPECIALLY when you are bi-racial. Maybe I can find someone who has a copy of The Audacity of Hope that I can borrow to prove myself right, because you know Obama wasn't going to leave out the part where people were questioning his blackness, that might take away from his sympathy vote and hero status.