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(s)Elections See other (s)Elections Articles Title: Not One Or The Other On the night Barack Obama accepted the nomination for president from the Democratic Party, though I have a strict aversion to television news in general, I sat in my parents' living room absorbing the overwhelming emotion, excitement and patriotism of the convention. My father flipped from station to station, taking in as much political commentary as possible. My son danced along to Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." My mother shushed me when I dared speak over Al Gore. It was a truly American scene. I could not help but cringe, however, each time a news anchor welcomed the audience back to the program, informing us once again what we would soon witness: Obama was about to become the "first black Democratic nominee for president of the United States." And, they said it a lot. I was shocked that all of these programs were so blatantly and unapologetically inaccurate. Barack Obama is not black. He is not white. He is biracial. The daughter of a black father (he would not want me to use the term "African American") and white mother, I have consistently felt the societal pressure to choose sides. As a child I recall the lonely feeling of my yellow No.2 pencil filling in the box next to "Other" on a standardized test, long before choosing multiple races was allowed. I persevered through years of mixed-race nicknames, the feeling of never looking quite like my friends and knowing when someone I had just met was studying my face for some sort of explanation. I have become a seasoned pro at brushing off the always inappropriate question, "What are you?" But I have never, not once, identified with one race over the other, nor have I ever described myself in that way. To the contrary, to me, I am neither. I am biracial, a group entirely unto itself, a completely separate entity. The world may see my background as two colors combined but still individual of each other, marbleized. To me I am a wholly new hue, the product of blending of those colors into one that no longer specifically resembles either. Referring to Sen. Obama as black not only completely ignores his maternal heritage, but is also simply an incomplete and incorrect description. Customers would certainly be unsatisfied if, when purchasing sandpaper, they asked only for sand, or just paper. Neither of these products would solve customers' needs, because they had not described the product in its entirety. Those same customers (hungry after a clearly frustrating shopping experience) should not order a peanut butter sandwich and then, upon its arrival, question its lack of jelly. As a consumer it is counterproductive to describe something by only half of what it is. As a journalist, it is reporting only half of the story. On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famed speech, and on the brink of one of the most historically significant events of the decade, I don't begrudge the media its right to use the most sensational terms in its reporting. It isn't surprising that much of the focus of Sen. Obama's nomination is on the racial boundaries he is breaking. But as I watched the event unfold, I wished only that broadcasters had given the senator the most respectful, proper and accurate introduction. Barack Obama is the first biracial nominee for president. As a biracial American, I could not be more proud. Rachel F. Gary, 24, of Middletown is associate director of events at Wesleyan University, where she is also a graduate student in humanities. The Courant invites writers younger than 30 to write essays of 600 words or less containing strong views. Please e-mail your submission to freshtalk@courant.com, with your full name, hometown, daytime phone number, age and occupation. You can also fax op-eds to 860-520-6941. Copyright © 2008, The Hartford Courant
Poster Comment: This is the same college that offered a class in pornography. Wesleyan imports students from around the world. Academics doesn't matter. Are you "different?" Your difference could be that you play a nose flute. My friend went to Wesleyan on scholarship due to his math abilities; he left after 2 years. He ran for office as a Green, lost, then 2 years latter ran as a Republican. He lost and challanged the vote. The Secretary of State (a Democrat) said in court that it would be "too expensive" to do another election. Was overruled. It was proved that one of the machines was broken and miscounted the vote. On a new vote he won. Ok, I'm rambling. Sorry.
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