'Mutts like me' - Obama shows ease discussing race

[marmar]

AP, via Yahoo!:



'Mutts like me' - Obama shows ease discussing race


By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON – It popped out casually, a throwaway line as he talked to reporters about finding the right puppy for his young daughters.

But with just three offhanded words in his first news conference as president-elect, Barack Obama reminded everyone how thoroughly different his administration — and inevitably, this country — will be.

"Mutts like me."

By now, almost everyone knows that Obama's mother was white and father was black, putting him on track to become the nation's first African-American president. But there was something startling, and telling, about hearing his self-description — particularly in how offhandedly he used it.

The message seemed clear — here is a president who will be quite at ease discussing race, a complex issue as unresolved as it is uncomfortable for many to talk about openly. And at a time when whites in the country are not many years from becoming the minority. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081108/ap_on_el_pr/mutts_like_me

[marylanddem]

1. The offhandedness of that line blew my mind

Makes you love him even more...

[glowing]

3. I dated a bi-racial man in college... He always termed himself like that "I'm a mutt".

The reality was, he wasn't black enough because of his white mother (in the south) and he wasn't white enough (but more accepted by some). As long as I've known him, he's always dated white girls.. but I tell him I equate that with that whole freud thing where he's "dating" his mom. AND actually, I was one of the only brunettes he dated too.. His mom was from Holland and had real blonde hair and a cute accent.

[notadmblnd]

6. I've never heard my son refer to himself as a mutt

I don't think it would bother me if he did though. We've often discussed race in our house and I've always made it known that there is no one who is "pure" anything. His father was African American and American Indian. Me, I'm a mix of Pole and Irish. I don't think he feels that he's not white or black enough, as he's always been accepted by all he encounters. When his father was alive, he was a strong influence on him and I do know that he proudly considers himself African American even though you can't tell what his race is by just looking at him. The girls chase him, all colors, all sizes and he doesn't have a preference when it comes to dating. He's a sensitive caring human being and my biggest problem is cautioning him on those that are too needy emotionally.

[marylanddem]

7. Sounds like you've been a terrific mom - congratulations.

[glowing]

11. He said it in a joking manner like Obama did the other day.

He's really quite well-rounded.. but I know he's been subjected to all kinds of shit growing up, being young and black (in college he was stopped by the police and actually had a gun held to his head as they searched is car looking for drugs.. which he didn't have.. which they didn't have any reason to do at all). I know that some people would look at us funny when we went out. But in general, the people who had more of an issue with our dating that were our age were people from up north.. one in particular was from Long Island.. and she said, "my grandfather always says, blue jays don't belong with crows". Me, I'm oblivious to the shit.. I didn't care, but I thought it was really weird that people in this day in age actually thought that stuff was real or could feel that way (this was about 10yrs ago).

I live in FL now, and it seems like its becoming more and more normal. I see mixed couples all the time.. I think its awesome.

[notadmblnd]

15. My husband was from La. me from Michigan

To tell you honestly, no one ever fucked with us. If they did, it was under their breath and we never heard it. Of course we both had facial expressions that said "don't fuck with me." My mother probably had the biggest problem with it. Her concern was "What will people think?" I told her when other people paid my bills, then they could tell me what to do and if it was that big of a problem for her; then I guess we could go our separate ways. We never did part ways and I think my family ended up loving my husband more than me. We didn't get too much hassle from the police. I do remember being pulled over early on for a dirty license plate that I thought was bogus. Another time, my husband woke me up in the middle of the night to take him to get the car. He had been pulled over for drinking and driving and they brought him home. I made him walk with me in the dead of winter to go get the car he'd left parked in a church. He was never brought home by the police again. I have had one incidence with my son and I let the cops have it. He and a friend were riding bikes and had crossed in the middle of the highway when a cruiser passed. He thought he was in trouble and he and his friend took off in opposite directions. Well, the police chased him down and searched him. Thought his bike wrench was a crack pipe and brought him home. I told the cops, there was no way a person with one iota of brain matter could mistake a wrench for a pipe. The cop left muttering something about how my son should take the time to get tot know the cops. I told them that they were the adults and it was their responsibility to get to know the kids in the neighborhood, not the kids.

[glowing]

18. I think that might actually help a lot of neighborhoods.. I think every cop that

is newly put on the street should have an obligation to meet the people they are protecting. Its a lot harder to shoot someone you know.

[glowing]

13. Oh, and I actually married a mutt.. He's Native American and Irish (that's the other descent side)

His grandmother was full-blooded Native American, and he's an enrolled tribe member.. along with his son.. I can't wait to take that little boy to a Pow-Wow.. He'll have a blast. His step-father is Japanese.. so his half brother is Native American and Japanese. His step-father is the funniest thing in the world.. His parents immigrated from Japan to South Carolina. If you heard him on the phone, you'd think "what a redneck". AND then you meet him, and he's this Japanese man in his 50's with a strong southern accent.. AND then he cracks jokes all day long. So.. we've got quite a melting pot at our family reunions, but its a blast and I wouldn't want it any other way.

[notadmblnd]

16. I think it makes for a better world.

[glowing]

17. definately... I've never understood why people would want to censor themselves from

other people.. Its just not as much fun.

[WillieW]

2. we saw the conference and posted on this yesterday-

He is totally at ease with himself and why not? .

[yurbud]

4. that's a generational difference like Tiger Woods saying he was ''Cablanasian" and

older black folks took offense, but younger people of all races got the joke.

[Fuzz]

5. My daughters are mutts and beautiful

German, Scottish, Spanish, Filipino, Hungarian with both sets of Grandparents immigrants and an adopted father, culturally influenced by Asian, German, Russian, Lithuanian from just the family and African American, Indian, Italian, Hispanic, South American from their friends several of whom are also immigrants. New Jersey is a real melting pot.

[blues90]

8. Isn't just about every so called american a mutt ?

Or is it all about color of the skin? Most everyone in america reguardless of skin tone is a mixed bag.

[Ilsa]

12. I have thought this of myself and my kids

and asfar as i know, we have no African American blood, but we could. Years ago Oprah did a show about how mixed Americans really are, which is a wonderful thing!

I love that our president isn't some sort of Blue Blood.

[Nikki Stone1]

14. I'm not. I'm a single ethnicity, both sides. But that's not the norm in this country

The mutt is. And I liked his using that line.

[shireen]

9. mutts rule!

I love the way people with mixed ancestry affectionately refer to themselves and their family as mutts. It shows an embracing and appreciation for their diverse ancestries.

This thread, however, is a great excuse to post some random mutt photos from the internets. :P

A few unbearably cute images from Courteous Canines LLC.

[malaise]

10. I had a beautiful mutt

named Roots. When she died at 12 I wept for a month.

[Bobbie Jo]

19. I absolutely love that mutt!

:loveya: