For a long time in America, if any black heritage could be discerned you were considered black. President Obama is black first, because he himself identifies as a black man, second traditionally whites in America would never see someone like him as white. If he attempted to say he was white he would be laughed at and people would think he had some mental disorder. Finally, there would be no doubt as to Obama's race if he worked at a gas station or a departmentstore. The vast majority of white people would view him as black, and wouldn't even think to ask if he had a white parent. The only reason white people are intent on on stressing that Obama is 50% white is because he is the President of the United States. It bothers alot of them on some level. They feel surrounded

Many whites have now opened this debate on race to be devisive. Biracial and multiracial people are growing by leaps and bounds in the U.S. and traditionally those mixed with Black are considered Black. Whites want to turn this country into another Brazil, where the vast majority of people have some African ancestory, but do everything they can to distance themselves from it. For instance if you're light skinned with light eyes there is a name for your group. You can remove yourself from the "Negro" group. If you're dark skinned with straight hair and certain facial features you can count yourself as another group and remove yourself from being "Negro". Some say here are over 150 different sub groupings of people with degrees of African ancestry in Brazil.

Because the people of African ancestry in Brazil allow White people to divide them in this way the Blacks of Brazil have almost no political power. Black elected officials are almost non-existent, and that's sad seeing how Brazil is second ONLY to the CONTINENT of AFRICA, in the number of Blacks that live there. Did you know that for the longest time Blacks could not migrate to Brazil and get citizenship. ONLY WHITE COULD DO THAT. The hope was that in 70 years they could breed out Black people. THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON MAKING BLACK PEOPLE DISAPPEAR!!! THE only way a black person can get citizenship in Brazil is through and act of CONGRESS, Literally, THIS IS NO JOKE.

Whereas white immigrants in Brazil are welcomed in with open arms. As recently as 1988 an advisor to the Sao Paulo governor,Paulo Maluf, proposed a national birth control campaign aimed at Blacks, people of mixed blood (mulattoes and the vast majority of the 150 sub groupings of people of African ancestry) and Indians to prevent them from becoming a majority. This plan was not being discussed in the 1800's, but in 1988. There are claims that 20 million Black Brazilian women have been sterilized. This should show the mixed peoples of Brazil that compliance with the white man's racial categorizations DOES NOT bring them any closer to the white man's good graces. These people should identify and Black and gain some political power which will at some point translate into economic power.

Recently, Brazilians are starting up movements that encourage people with ANY African ancestry to register as black, so they can have more polititcal power. But there are still people of AFRICAN ancestry that hate to be labeled as "negro" so they cling to their subdivision of race hoping to distance themselves from their African ancestry and eventually be deemed "white." It's really sad.

Blacks in the U.S only make up 13% of the population and yet they have achieved far more than their majority black neighbors in the Brazil. And they have done that through unity. There is strength in numbers. Black Brazilians could very well take over Brazil if they would classify themselves as "negro", but they won't because they are playing the white man's game to their detriment. I will admit that the one drop rule was a way for whites to add numbers to their slave holdings, but it backfired on them. Black Americans now hold fast to the rule because of the political power it affords them.

Now white Americans have started up this discussion of " 50% Black means you're not Black." Some Biracials are being tempted by it. But the truth is they will never be FULLY accepted by whites. This carrot being dangled under their nose to identify as "other" is a trick. They want to turn America into another Brazil. Who knows, maybe someday in the near future Africans will have to petition the American Congress for entrance into the U.S.? I wonder what the answer will be? (sarcasm) I hope this anwers your question.

And who says racism is over?!