THE COLOR OF COLOR

NEWSWEEK (2008) 6/2

FORD 28-30

Around the world, Africans are the smallest population and Asians are the largest.

As this is being written, a bi-racial candidate is running for office. He is brown and is a mix of black and white.

The ideal in this country is probably something like this. A female is naturally blonde, blue-eyed, and during the sunny season has a light tan. The male is something like that too. This “ideal” permeates the culture and thus children of other colors and races feel a distance from this ideal position. This premise is based only in the states although it could apply to some other countries.

A black, blue black male and especially female have a lower ranking in the racial continuum. They can change with cosmetics. Further, through cosmetic surgery, they can narrow their lips and nose.

We have 2 features here color and facial qualities On a black white spectrum the further one moves in color and facial characteristics toward the blonde/blue eyed thin lips and nose, the higher the ranking of a black person. Lighter, whiter girls get more dates.

If you are black stay back!

If you are brown stick around. . .

Thus colorism is a subset of racism, and light almost white Africans have an easier time interacting with white populations. White folks still dominate the nation, so color counts.

There are also people who get up in the morning do not use cosmetics of any kind and they appear white. They can pass. They maybe bi-racial, quadroon, or octoroon, but they can pass.

These white Africans intermingle with white folks and may hear some of the foulest racist stories without the other white person knowing the true color of the White African. White Africans are the largest and larger than the entire “black/brown/tan” folks.

Obama is tan. He is bi-racial and is likely to be able to interact with all kinds of folks of various colors. He is Kansas and Kenya.

However, he is still has a long, long, way to the white house. He must finish the primaries and win the national election. The impact of the Electoral College means that geographically, almost the entire country will not vote for him. So it will be a hard climb and his color is both a detriment and an asset.

Color counts. How much that last sentence applies is known only to the future.