I think Frank Skinner might have a point...

[motormania]

Yes this has been posted on the right forum...

I was watching him on TV last night and he made a comment about the new US President, Obama. The comment was about him being the first Black US President when in fact he is mixed-raced. The same goes for Lewis. He was hailed as the first Black F1 Champion but he's not Black!

What have the media done with the 'mixed raced' population?

Does this 'Black' tag offend real Black people, and like-wise, the fact they have not hailed him as the first Mixed race champion, has that effected those who have a mixed raced family!

I know that Frank is a comedian and his material is designed to make you laugh or otherwise, he does have a point.

I'd be interested to know what Black or Mixed Raced individuals think about this...

[MrKipling43]

It's 'of mixed ethnic origin'! Get with this week's politically correct term!

As for the question itself, both Obama and Lewis are the 'blackest' President and F1 WDC, so I think it's a fair claim.

Edited by MrKipling43 on Monday 10th November 12:50

[funkyrobot]

Getting pissed off with this 'first black...' rubbish. The media will not stop saying it. Its as if Lewis and Obama have done everything just to be the 'first black...'.

It started a while ago with a paper saying 'Lewis Hamilton, who wants to be the first black F1 champion...'. Even then it pissed me off, let alone now. How many more times will the media spew this stupid phrase.

Its just plain stupid. Saying that, the media is poison isn't it!!

[Stuismyname]

Isn't the concept of racial equality supposed to mean we shouldn't be worried about which pigeon hole to assign each individual?

Lewis is a great driver and I'm glad he hasn't faced any prejudice that's limited his meteoric rise to the top. Obama has a lot of work to do to live up his promises, and I don't see how him being black or mixed race affects that. But then, I don't see what this has to do with a general motorsport forum either...

[motormania]

funkyrobot said:

Its just plain stupid. Saying that, the media is poison isn't it!!

I couldn't agree more...

People talk about gun crime, knife attacks, drugs...

The media are far more dangerous than anything else in society today.

Stuismyname said:

Isn't the concept of racial equality supposed to mean we shouldn't be worried about which pigeon hole to assign each individual?

Exactly - it pisses me off they always seem to tag him as 'the first black champion' What about 'New British F1 Champion is a sensation'?

Edited by motormania on Monday 10th November 13:03

[Derek Smith]

We are all mixed race.

[kevin ritson]

I don't see the problem, both stories give hope to a section of society that previously felt disenfranchised in either field.

[motormania]

kevin ritson said:

I don't see the problem, both stories give hope to a section of society that previously felt disenfranchised in either field.

Everyone in society has eyes in their head, we can clearly see the ethnic background of the champion. To have it spelt out to us over and over again is treating us with little or no repect, both the the viewer/reader and the individual in question.

But then the media have little respect for society anyway...

[hugoagogo]

Derek Smith said:

We are all mixed race.

even better, there are no races

aside from that though, at the time when Obama was born, in certain parts of the country he is now in charge of, he would have been black enough not to be allowed to use the same public toilets as other people, or sit on a bus wherever he wanted etc etc (i know he would have been a baby, but YKWIM)

shortly before that he would have been counted as 3/5ths of a person in some states for the purposes of elections

all this has nothing to do with Lewis Hamilton though, he's just a British Champion

Edited by hugoagogo on Monday 10th November 13:28

[rude-boy]

When you look at all the different racial groups and different skin colours there are always going to be a few of each sub-set which has a chip the size of a McCain factory sitting on their shoulder.

A lot of them have lost all their arguments in the space of a week.

I couldn’t give a Kimi what colour skin either of them are, just that they continue to do their jobs better than anyone else available will do for me.

[stuttgartmetal]

What is puzzling is that its not meant to be an issue.
Being black should not be commented upon in case it were detrimental.
Now of course Black America wish to comment on it all!
How's that then ?

Not only is Barack not black, he is not white.
Its not an issue, and exactly how it should be.

edited for reason

Edited by stuttgartmetal on Monday 10th November 17:43

[phatgixer]

Derek Smith said:

We are all mixed race.

Yep, a few open wheelers mixing it with saloons and motorbikes in my family tree.

[White-Noise]

Yeah I was wondering these as well - if he had a kid with a white woman, what would we brand them as?

To be honest its not really important, although it does bug me how he is branded black but is from a 50/50 background. Why dont we start referring to him as white and see how that goes down?

[Derek Smith]

hugoagogo said:

Derek Smith said:

We are all mixed race.

even better, there are no races

Indeed.

[bcnrml]

motormania said:

Yes this has been posted on the right forum...

I was watching him on TV last night and he made a comment about the new US President, Obama. The comment was about him being the first Black US President when in fact he is mixed-raced. The same goes for Lewis. He was hailed as the first Black F1 Champion but he's not Black!

What have the media done with the 'mixed raced' population?

Does this 'Black' tag offend real Black people, and like-wise, the fact they have not hailed him as the first Mixed race champion, has that effected those who have a mixed raced family!

I know that Frank is a comedian and his material is designed to make you laugh or otherwise, he does have a point.

I'd be interested to know what Black or Mixed Raced individuals think about this...

As far as I have been told, by those who know (in so far as they might be described accordingly), the descriptions used for Obama and Hamilton were assigned a long time ago to those of their backgrounds. They almost had no choice. They've been labelled as such, and no amount of politially correct "mixed-race this" or "brown" that will change that.

Most people I know with afro and caucasian parents are described as such.

Most people I know with afro and oriental parents are described as such too.

Most people I know with caucasian and oriental parents are not described as such.

The key denominator is afro. Any afro blood is usually enough to have someone described as black, whether they like it or not. Usually, this is what they grow up with, so it is normality.

These opinions are based on insights gleaned from those who know and I have been party to such conversations long before Obama and Hamilton hit the press in the past two years.

Hope this helps.

---

And yes, there is only one race, as at least one musician pointed out to no avail

Edited by bcnrml on Monday 10th November 20:34

[heebeegeetee]

I believe mixed race, or 'dual heritage' get the best of the genes from their parents, which is possibly why they're conquering the world right now...