How about this one from a different thread...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ray-Allah.html


Sorry, I realise its the Daily Mail...feel free to wash your hands after clicking on the link

As another poster likes to say..."Discuss"

Hi Butch just got back to reading this - why would you want me to answer the question about Obama specifically

Why would you need to point out someones ethnic background - the guy is Obama Barack politician, famous for what he does not what colour he is - the same as you say Albert Einstein scientist, or Mandymoochops BE member!!???

I HEAR YA! Does my head in all this, all I try and do is not cause offence, and still manage to by accident.

Mrs M x

You think?

What exactly has he done anyway, other than become the first "black" candidate to be nominated to run for president?

Sure, he makes good speeches, but he's only been in the senate one term, so it's hard to say what he has actually acheived. He is, like it or not, going to be notable because of his ethnicity, just as Hillary would have been notable for her gender, to ignore that is to pretend the elephant isnt standing in the room.

Yes I hear what you're saying and not trying to avoid the "elephant" as it were - but my point is as Barack is a black guy and Hilary a white woman - why discuss the ethnic background of either one, they both had to come from somewhere???

I don't give a monkeys about what their political standpoint is thats not up for discussion, all I know is that he was running against Hilary and yes he is black.

You are a bit behind there He's beaten Hillary, and is running against John McCain (an old white man, if that matters)

Surely its the political standpoint thats should be the only important thing...not that it will be of course...

Because ethnic voting blocks are important in Presidential elections. Obama's blackness or lack thereof is a factor is relevant to his job. If he was a dentist that'd be another thing.

Oh my!!!!!!!!!

Im sorry if I upset anyone, but I would have been furious if my child had been given detention for this reason!! and I'm not surprised they went to the press.

I myself am not of Christian Faith, so it has nothing to do with me or my kids being of this background ( kids are christian) but i would not allow myself to be forced to pray to any other God and I wouldnt expect my children to either. Again no offense, but I can imagine there being a much bigger upraor if a Muslim child had been forced to pray to God. ( Christian God)

My kids learn about all faiths at school, my daughter is currently looking at Hinduism and as part of this they look at Indian culture, background, Country and even have an Indian 'food tasting' day - i think this has been brilliantly put together and greatly encourages acceptance and understanding of other cultures and religions. Forcing children to partake in religious practices that are not their own, does not. It creates anger and resistance which is exactly what has happened here.

What I am trying to point in (in a VERY convoluted way I admit) is that we ALL judge and classify people initially by the colour of their skin and facial features. EG ALL but a few people from the West Indies are considered 'Black' where as in reality the majority would (like Obama) be of mixed race. Obama, however, IS playing the race card (as did Clinton) as will McCain.
I would NEVER claim I wasnt racist\sexist\agist in so much as I do make judgements based on all these factors. HOWEVER, i do not and would not discriminate based on these factors.

Thanks Mandy, just proved my point. Barack is as much white as he is black ('white' mother\'black' father). You made a judgement of his heritage and labeled him based on his skin colour and facial features. Way to go girl, how NON-racist of you.

Obama identifies himself as a black candidate. It's not racist or un-PC to go along with people's self-identification.

Which takes us back to him playing the race card. I could claim to be a member of the Dutch Royal family. It makes me neither Dutch nor 'Royal'.

am with you on this one - so worried about offending people - was at school telling one of the mums that they needed to speek to Carol, another mum . . .oh which one is Carol she says - me being v politically correct says - you know - larger lady, 3 girls, twins in yr 6 etc. . . No dont know says lady..

you know - lives in xxxx road , , , , older daughter at so and so school

OH she says - you mean the black lady!!

why didnt you just say the black lady in yr 6 she said!

doh doh doh !

He's not "playing the race card" by standing around being black. Would you have the candidates campaign in hoods so as to eliminate race as a factor?

That might not be political correctness. It used to annoy me that my kids would send me to pick up their friends from crowded places describing them only as "the tall girl" or similar rather than "the tall black girl" but eventually I came to realise that they've always been surrounded by people of various colours and they just don't notice it. Colour is not an identifying feature to them.