GALLERY: Mutts Like Us, Famous Biracial People
In his first press conference as President-Elect, Barack Obama famously referred to himself as a mutt comparing himself to dog of impure breed. Many people thought he was disrespecting his own mixed race heritage, but I thought it was brilliant self-deprecating humor acknowledging his mixed race background and also acknowledging that people of biracial background have previously been seen as impure. The irony of the statement was that the mutt was about to be in the White House. Now when biracial children are teased
and called mutts, zebras or mulattos, they can say, “So is the President.”
Being of mixed race when one parent is black and the other is white can be complicated to categorize. Because of the old “one-drop” rule, most Euro-African biracials have been categorized as Black. I agree with this generalization somewhat but it does not tell the whole story. I believe that being biracial is a category within being black or African-American. Historically, biracials have been given the same legal treatment as blacks.
Biracials have always been part of the struggle for African-American freedom. Through the struggle against slavery, the Civil Rights movement, and the global struggle for African rights.
That said, here’s a list of several Euro-African Americans who have contributed to the struggle for freedom, rights, and acceptance of African-Americans.
It’s expected nearly 75 million Americans will identify with more than one
race by 2050. It’s a powerful new force that cannot be ignored.
Famous Gay African-Americans
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theone20311-22-2008 9:30 am
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foxy_brown02011-20-2008 5:59 pm
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ok people we really need to look at the big picture, which is not about race that is why he takes light of the word “MUTT”. my mom is biracial and people around her never made it a issue. we need to start looking beyond race like he does. yes people do make still acted stupid, but i feel its all about how you were raised. my parents are from the jamaica they have every different color and race in jamaica, but they are not like “look at that asian or white dude” no its look at that dude he is crazy. they are all jamaican period. life is to short to live this way people i have my issues but i dont blame all of one race i blame that person for their short comings and i pity them.
GOD BLESS OBAMA AND HIS NEW CABINET AND ALL PEOPLE WHO WANT CHANGE. FOR THE OTHER I WILL PRAY THAT YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHT ONE DAY.
Why should it be considered self-deprecating by acknowledging his mix heritage? He is what he is, why try to make it seems as if he is not a “Mutt”. People use the word “Mutt” to highlight the fact that someone is of mix races, not to make them feel less of a person. Sometimes we just make things seem what they not.
Why is it that when comparing bi-racial African Americans, we mostly compare those who are half Caucasian and half African American? I don’t know about other bi-racial peoples, but I ain’t no mutt!
I want to share the word, or should words that I use to describe my son who is half black half me……..me his mother being half spanish half cherokee……… I like to refer to him/me as cultural collaborations….it brings so much to the table in form of culture and what we have to offer in form of culture, character and integrity…. we bring SO MUCH to share with the world being able to adapt and feel compassion for all our fellowman……. we are gifted cultural collaborations and blessed the Barack Obama is like us… God bless him in his new journey and mission…
Darlena and Noah
calling yourself a mutt is not bad, even calling yourself the N word isn’t necessarily bad… it’s all in the context. Meanings of words change drastically over time.
Foxy has issues. I would suspect that her issues come from her own experiences of being called names. Whether the president is indeed a “mutt” or “not a mutt”. It’s not important to you. What’s important is How He Sees Himself. Now, look at what you people are here discussing. This man has done Several Different Acts of Good. Instead of having an intellectual conversation about the good he’s done, you people decide to find the one negative thing to have a conversation about. I’m sorry I entertained Foxy’s opinion. However, I had to venture that route in order to make my point. The phrase we often speak, “Black People Need To Learn How To Get Along” doesn’t start with a large group, it starts with a small group of people, and eventually, it’ll affect the masses. So, I urge Black People, to find the good in other black people and have an intelligent conversation about the good points of ourselves as a people. However, for some reason, we find more enjoyment and entertainment when we converse about the negative. All in all, it’s just a bunch of lousy gossip.
People in general have a name for everybody so it shouldn’t matter what no one say I joke and call myself names allthe time so what. Leave my lovely president alone and fine yourself something better to do. Was you f**kin with Bush when he was killing all our soldiers.
Can we not tear down each other and take a look and see some of the greatest people to have lived have been biracial! Let’s be proud!
You all are rediculous, I also think it was a good sense of humor that remarked that comment. You guys are taking it way out of context as usuall. Don’t you think he knows race will always be an issue? Im pretty sure he also knew how many people would react stupidily to that comment as well. He is not downgrading himself or people of mixed races. He was not only showing us what we can become, but letting us know how the same he is compared with us just being a human being aside from racial mixture.
I am a “mutt” and I laughed when he said that. Thought it was cute and obviously showed that he has no issues marketing that he is of mixed race…..who ever said that the word was being glorified now….it is amazing how something gets taken a little too far now a days.
i think that being biracial is awesome
Sometimes I think we take ourselves too seriously. My God, it was a joke (and one directed to himself). It wasn’t that deep and he wasn’t referring to the entire biracial community, but himself. If we look hard enough and are committed to finding it, we can find a “poor me” conversation in everything.
Sometime…we need to bypass our ignorance and project great idea to help one another. I don’t think the President mean no harm and sorrow. He was just making a statement.
Well I guess it took the 44th President to give the word “mutt” such empowerment lol.”Cause I get called skittles,rainbow chick,mutt…you know once you heard one you heard them all,lol.But everyone is mixed with something so why not embrace it! MIXED POWER OBAMA!!! From one fellow mutt to another! haha.
I’m mixed, but I can’t STAND the term “mutt” as applied to mixed/biracial people.
On another note, DAMN we are HOT.
i agree with foxy_brown020 u can ask the pope to call a cat a cactus there is no better word for ppl. in this millenia still at this day an age still finding problems or even find the need to acknowledge how many cultures ur mixed with for what?… “an i say at this day an age because we all are mixed at this point” thanksgiving is coming up but we did not jus settle here ? so stop pointing ,stop teasing stop self bashing we are all one in the same.peace:D
Highly inappropriate BP…you should be ashamed of yourself…I will punch someone in the face who calls me a mutt on the street.
This is too stupid to talk about. It really was not that big of a deal.
well said oneika12. in addition, u can’t compare the N word to a mutt. it was not inappropriate, it was a joke.
Biracial people need not be ashamed of who they are and what they are.When it comes to Black America,we all have some white in our family line,no matter how deep it runs.And dig this,We all are a member of the Human Race.
well, it got my attention and i think that its better than the other word that we use to refer to ourselves so therefore it is what it is !!! but far from in appropriate….. its much worse out there
Oh get over it foxy_brown ot was cute….not inappropriate at all…geeze
I guess if he calls himself the N word, we should celebrate that as well.
SO let me get this straight… because President Elect referred to himself as a “mutt” the word should now be glorified? There was nothing brilliant about what he said. It was a bad joke said at an inappropriate time. And for any biracial children who are being teased and called these names… warn the ones teasing you 3 times not to speak to you that way and if they don’t listen KNOCK EM OUT. Okay okay maybe fighting isn’t the best solution but don’t justify the words by saying “so is the president” Race will always be an issue, you just have to let people know you won’t stand for anyone trying to make you seem like you’re any less of a human being becuase of your heritage. More doors are opening for us, we don’t have to insult ourselves to be accepted and we sure as hell don’t have to listen to people insulting us. Don’t condone it.