Obama and the Secrete Service

Stephanie blogs:

The darker the candidate’s skin and the more serious his candidacy, the earlier he seems to need protecting.All of which adds a telling dimension to the ongoing debate about Obama and blackness that has percolated for months beneath the surface of his candidacy.On the one side, you have earnest white people insisting that, because his mother was white, Obama is not really black, but “biracial.”On the other side, you have earnest black people insisting that, because his heritage does not trace to slavery, Obama is not really black enough — that is, not black in a cultural sense.Apparently, however, he is both black and black enough for whatever individual or individuals unnerved his handlers enough to seek Secret Service protection.

Exotic

Frances M. writes:

This weekend I had a customer at work come up to me and say “you’re so exotic looking, what are you.” Granted she was smiling & I suppose trying to compliment. But it got me thinking about what the term exotic to the mainstream American mind.

…

It’s hard to know how to react when people say “you’re so beautiful…exotic…what are you?” I know they’re in part trying to compliment so I don’t want to be all bitchy about it but on the other hand ignorance is not my shade of bliss & if I can prevent another person going though the silliness of such questions, I’d perhaps want to try. Well I’m off to have pizza with my beautiful & just plum pretty girlfriend. Thank goddess she she’s my soul & not just my skin!

Health Care System and Race

Teraza, of the White Anti-Racist Parent, blogs about the health care system and discrimination:

The disparities in healthcare are due to “direct discrimination by government policies” and health care providers. Sound familiar? The study states that “an overwhelming majority (95 percent) of the Roma women who had experienced gender discrimination also believed that health care professionals discriminate against Roma.”