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**alex_loudermilk** · 07-06-2011, 02:39 PM

I certainly am not in the position to speak for everyone - nor am I British - but a few things I noticed right off the bat...

I would say there is an overall social awareness of racism but I would argue it takes a while for individuals to be convinced of whether racism is really in play or not when analyzing particular scenarios.

Profiling by authorities has been a long open secret and I can confirm that plenty of people are rounded up or questioned simply because they fit a phenotypical profile. A lot of sociopolitical upheaval following major disasters and events tends to fan the flames of xenophobia and this can result in more prejudice. We tend to see a lot of problematic stereotypes emerge in the wake of these tense exchanges of perceptions and assumptions. I have witnessed increasing discrimination against those of Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry and those who appear to have such ancestry.

At the airport, I notice a general color trigger: Anyone with a bit of tint or maybe an unusual surname will probably be given extra review. It's practically a covert prejudicial event that many are aware of in their hearts. People usually just click their heels and pray to get through any form of security without delay.

As for Obama's position within the black/mixed race circle, I would say public response varies. Many in the Black American community railed around him as a sign of black hope, and ODR identification really helped mobilize that coalition, but I would be lying if I said there was a universal affirmative response. Plenty of people did not view him as genuinely African American - not only on account of his white mother but also the fact that he does not descend from American slaves through his Kenyan father. They thought he was not "authentic." In the wake of these varying responses, I believe a lot of people viewed him as both black and biracial - I think this viewpoint is the most common casual one. Obama himself put the issue to rest, however. In his many media appearances, Obama indicated he identified as a black man. So he is generally referred to as black in the media, regardless of his mixed background.

07-06-2011, 02:39 PM	#2
alex_loudermilk Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 469 Senior Member	I certainly am not in the position to speak for everyone - nor am I British - but a few things I noticed right off the bat... I would say there is an overall social awareness of racism but I would argue it takes a while for individuals to be convinced of whether racism is really in play or not when analyzing particular scenarios. Profiling by authorities has been a long open secret and I can confirm that plenty of people are rounded up or questioned simply because they fit a phenotypical profile. A lot of sociopolitical upheaval following major disasters and events tends to fan the flames of xenophobia and this can result in more prejudice. We tend to see a lot of problematic stereotypes emerge in the wake of these tense exchanges of perceptions and assumptions. I have witnessed increasing discrimination against those of Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry and those who appear to have such ancestry. At the airport, I notice a general color trigger: Anyone with a bit of tint or maybe an unusual surname will probably be given extra review. It's practically a covert prejudicial event that many are aware of in their hearts. People usually just click their heels and pray to get through any form of security without delay. As for Obama's position within the black/mixed race circle, I would say public response varies. Many in the Black American community railed around him as a sign of black hope, and ODR identification really helped mobilize that coalition, but I would be lying if I said there was a universal affirmative response. Plenty of people did not view him as genuinely African American - not only on account of his white mother but also the fact that he does not descend from American slaves through his Kenyan father. They thought he was not "authentic." In the wake of these varying responses, I believe a lot of people viewed him as both black and biracial - I think this viewpoint is the most common casual one. Obama himself put the issue to rest, however. In his many media appearances, Obama indicated he identified as a black man. So he is generally referred to as black in the media, regardless of his mixed background.
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