Is Barack Obama a Black American?

8/9/2008

By William Owens

When I look past the impressive salesmanship of Barack Obama, I see a person who does not resonate with our struggle as a people. Although I know I am not alone in this opinion, it is unfortunate few of us Black Americans are willing to step forward and say this publicly. So here it is. Barack Obama does not and cannot relate to our past as Black Americans because in reality he is not a Black American. I am continually dismayed that he insists on portraying himself as being so, and even more deeply troubled that the media, rather than responsibly reporting the facts, helps sustain this perception.

One thing you can say for sure about us as Black Americans — we are Black and we are proud of it.Now consider Barack Obama, who consistently touts his African roots. His heritage is Muslim – not African American. Ask yourself, “Why is Barack Obama not honest about his origin and, more importantly, why is he not proud of it? Why is he leading us to believe he is someone other than who he really is?” Because of our pride in our heritage, one’s origin should be an acid test for us as Black Americans. If you cannot be honest and forthright about something this basic, how can you be trusted to be the leader of the free world?

15 Comments

Danny B link

9/15/2008 11:43:49 am

Hello William,
I was given your card by one of your fellow GOP delegates who resides here in Holly Springs. He speaks highly of you and I decided to look you up. I just wanted to say hello and congratulate you on your book. We are on different ends of the political spectrum (I am unaffiliated but more moderate in my thinking) and where you focus on granular talking points I tend to think in terms of the strategic advantage an Obama/Biden executive branch would have over a Palin/McClain ticket. More intellectual diversity, something tragically missing from the current administration and probably responsible for many of the flawed strategic initiatives of the past 4 years, would create a more creative approach to both domestic and foreign problems. I do however agreed with you on the cult of personality and I think early on Obama may have gotten a little caught up but I also believe he's since checked that little flaw (but you have to admit that Palin/McCain is running with that baton now). I am not really that critical of them because I realize that people have to buy into the leader (personally) before they buy into his or her vision. More power!
~5000

Jason

9/16/2008 12:55:14 pm

Hello and Congratulations, William! I read about the release of your book on Newsmax and was very excited. I admire your courage, intellectual honesty and patriotism. To follow through with such a certain upstream project and stick your neck out in the face of what will likely be tremendous opposition and backlash is truly inspiring. I pray that God grants you continued strength and opportunity and for the personal safety of you and those near and dear to you. You are displaying just the kind of strength of conviction and balance that I'm certain Dr. King would have honored. God bless you.
~ Jason

Pamela Jones

9/21/2008 12:45:32 am

William Owens,

You are an absolute disgrace to the African-American community. Barack Barack H. Obama is an African-American, his mother was born here in America, and his father is from Kenya. Maybe you are not aware of this, but Hawaii has been part of the United States since 1959. Maybe you are color-struck, is it because his mother is white? Or is it because he grew up in a multi-racial environment, and is not had the so-called authentically black experience in America? The more I read about Barack Obama, the more I like him, He could have a been a mixed up mulatto, "a la Tiger Woods, a cablasian" who could have devoted his genius to the evils and greed of wall street (which is now imploding from its own wickedness), but he decided to put his mind into government service, working as a community organizer in the mean streets of inner city Chicago helping people from the ground up, working with Black churches to uplift the community. He married a strong, beautiful Black woman, who is obviously his equal in grace and intellect. His grandfather is a Muslim. Why do you hate muslims? Because some white man told you to? He is a Christian, he has a daily prayer line at his campaign headquarters with numerous ministers both black and white. We as African-Americans are blessed to see Barack Obama, make his historic move in the United States. You know why? Because Obama can trace his roots back to very ancestral village his people come from in Kenya, Africa. He knows his tribe, he knows his language, his indigenous culture. I as an African-Amercan, know where my European and my Native American Ancestors come from. But the African? I don't know. Yet that is the largest part of my genetic and cultural experience.

Your mission statement is a joke. I bet that you won't print this response.

David

9/21/2008 10:53:18 pm

Unbelievable! Mr. Obama is not an African American? Please! I live in the South. As any of my neighbors. Ask any Red Neck. If you don't think that Mr. Obama is PERCEIVED as a black man... then your abilty for self deception is unparelled even by the other members the GOP.

Your apparent intellectualization of this issue is hog wash.

FACTS (something that actually exists; reality; truth: Your fears have no basis in fact. )

1) Mr. Obama is NOT a Muslim. The verdict on that has been established for quite some time. I recommend you do your research before spreading this GOP lie any further.

2) Mr. Obama has consistently shown exceptional ability and intelligence in every stage of his professional life. His meteoric rise in the Democratic party is but one shining example of his intutitive nature as well as an overflowing well of talent and initiative. During the last week when Bush has been absent in the worst economic meltdown since the Depression, Mr. Obama has offered reasoned, thoughtful and specific plans for moving this country forward (and not just lining the fat cats pockets even more.)

3) This could go on forever - Check you facts - stopthesmears.com would be a great place to start. It is undeniable the GOP has run this country into the ground and mis-handled or abused any issue or situation put before them. Merely changing to McSame and his Evangelical Born Again Pin up girl is flirting with total disaster... unless like Donald Trump said last night on Larry King - "I just sold a Palm Beach house for 100 million. I certainly don't want Mr. Obama to win and raise taxes"

Need I say more?

OK... so you are not convinced. Civil Rights. Womens right to vote. Winning world war II. Quashing of Jim Crow laws.... ALL Democratic achievments.

You do a dis-service to yourself by endorsing this GOP bull. Wake up man!

Obama Biden '08 & '12

Richard

9/24/2008 10:49:32 am

Mr. Owens...my hat is off to you. Not that I am against Obama, but because a lot of what you have said publicly, I have thought secretly. And, most of my black friends immediately assume I will vote for Obama simply because I am black. All I want to do is listen, research and then decide on my own. However, I have found that most in the black community look upon a black who doesn't hold up Obama as the "cat's meow" is an Uncle Tom or turncoat. I heard you on the radio Sunday morning, and was impressed with your responses to those few angry callers who wanted to do only one thing...discredit you. I even applauded when you said to one caller that you didn't desire to say what your denomination is. Keep up the good work. I will purchase your book to learn more about what you have to say regarding Obama.

Theresa

9/25/2008 02:54:47 pm

9/25/08
Mr Owens you have a daunting task with regard to all the black Americans who have imbibed the Obama koolaid. Many are young, hip hop generation bred, callous and without any political savy. Most. I believe, feel they are making a statement about race and race pride, so much so, that it impedes their ability to objectify anything about Obama. David Axelrod , Move On.org, and the other "handlers" of Obama of course count on this. I have spoken out against Obama many times, so I know the difficulies you are facing and many others in their own families. I am not a Republican, I am a democrat who will be voting for McCain. We need to help other black Americans, especially, to realize they should examine their gut and feel free to not vote for Obama. It is okay to not vote for Obama.

Robert link

10/4/2008 11:31:45 am

To David:
You said: "OK... so you are not convinced. Civil Rights. Womens right to vote. Winning world war II. Quashing of Jim Crow laws.... ALL Democratic achievments."

I guess you could have credited Democrats with winning World War I as well since Woodrow Wilson was President. But the Democratic Party is ashamed of the fact that Wilson segregated the Federal Government after he took office. So much for Civil Rights.

And as for the Womens right to vote, that was a good thing. Wilson was in office then too. However another significant Democratic achievement was the lynchings of many black men. Republicans in Congress supported federal anti-lynching bills, while Democrats opposed them. Where did Democratic President Wilson stand on that issue? I heard of no complaints from him about it nor any attempts as a Democrat to stop the lynchings.

But why did you not say that the Democrats won the right of blacks to vote in the list of achievements?

Rev. Wayne Perryman, a black minister and author wrote: “Modern-day Democrats must stop preaching that they are the compassionate party of black people and confess that it was their predecessors who started many of the racist practices that we are now trying to eradicate. History clearly shows two things: (1) that the roots of racism grew deep in the hearts and souls of the Democrats and (2) without the past efforts of the Radical Republicans and the Abolitionists, the Civil Rights Legislation of the sixties would not have been possible. Republicans laid the foundation for civil rights by passing legislation and instituting programs that Democrats’ were adamantly opposed to, such as:

1. The Thirteenth Amendment in 1865 to abolish slavery.
2. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 to give Negroes citizenship and protect freedmen from Black Codes and other repressive legislation.
3. The First Reconstruction Act of 1867 to provide more efficient Government of the Rebel- or Democratic-controlled states.
4. The Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 to make all persons born in the United States citizens. Part of this Amendment specifically states “No State shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; or deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
5. The Fifteenth Amendment of 1870 to give the right to vote to every citizen.
6. The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 to stop Klan terrorists to terrorized black voters, Republicans, white teachers who taught blacks, and Abolitionists.
7. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 to protect all citizens in their civil and legal rights and to prohibit racial discrimination in places of public accommodation.
8. Freedmen Bureau was social programs established by Republicans to feed, protect, and educate the former slaves.
9. The 1957 Civil Rights Act and the 1960 Civil Rights Act were signed into law by President Eisenhower who also established the U.S. Civil Rights Commission in 1958, a commission that was rejected by Truman during his administration.
10. The 1964 Civil Rights Act which key Republicans pushed law through while key Southern Democrats like Al Gore Sr. debated against its passage. More Republicans (in percentages) voted for this law than Democrats.”

Republican Presidents have dropped the ball on blacks in the past. However, if you consider the entire history of the Republican and Democratic Parties, which party should apologize to blacks for slavery, Jim Crow, KKK terror, lynchings, etc.? Which party had more to do with civil rights for blacks in all its history?

Russ Magowan

10/6/2008 05:18:15 am

I am a 64 year old white man. I would never vote for Barack Obama! Never!! Simply stated - he is unqualified to be President and he would (among other things) be a danger to our national security and defense. I’m sure I will be tagged a racist (by many) for not voting for Obama even though my wife and I in 1992 gave $150 to the Presidential Campaign of Alan Keyes–a black man. We gave nothing to anyone else! Alan Keyes was our man!! If my wife and I had been given the choice in this election between Alan Keyes or Herman Cain (another black man) vs. John McCain, we would prefer either of them over John McCain by a substantial margin. But none the less I (and my wife) will be tagged (by many) a racist because we are wrapped in white skin and not voting for an unqualified man who happens to be wrapped in black.

Russ Magowan

10/6/2008 05:19:26 am

His child

10/7/2008 07:44:39 am

I belong to Jesus, not to the democrats or the republicans. And I can tell you that it's a shame when a Christian sacrifices his religion on the altar of color. Obama is not only a muslim (he said it in a "slip of the tongue" at an interview") he is being prayed for by witches and warlocks....with chantings and curses and spells. His own grandmother (unproved by me as of yet) supposedly is doing lil witchcraft to get him elected. It's frightening to know that muslims (I saw the sign "Muslims for Obama" myself), witches, and the dark lords of the earth are pushing for this man to be elected. If this is so, then what should that say about the children of God? Muslims are certainly not all terrorists, but guess what? All terrorists are muslim. That tells me something too. If Christians went around shooting everyone that wasn't God's, what would they do to us? If we as Christians all armed ourselves and went over to Pakistan and Iran and those nations that are predominantly muslim and blew everyone up that we possibly could, what would that say about us? What would they do to the churches in the U.S.? Obama stood by a man for 15 years who preached nothing but hate and called it church. Then when the preacher got really too radical for Americans to stay on Obama's side, he said, "I don't agree with him." Then left the church. The man couldn't possibly love America or American. He will not even say the pledge. Come on African-Americans, raise up someone better than this man and mainstream America will vote for him. Let him at least go to a decent true God-fearing church, teach his children about love, vote AGAINST killing babies (something he is NOT doing now), say the pledge of allegiance to our flag that our forefathers bled and died for, you know the basics and have a decent voting record that would agree with God's heart on matters that are important to Him. That would be a man that we could love and admire and vote for no matter his color of his skin. Too many are making this a matter of "well, he's black and I'm black that's all that matters." Buddy, that's NOT all that matters. Everything that glitters is not gold. Look a little deeper please and don't follow shallow folks just cuz everybody else is. The road to Heaven is narrow and few be that find it. The path to hell is wide and broad and many will go down this one.

Detria

10/9/2008 10:32:52 pm

Mr Owens,

You really should be a ashamed of yourself along with your followers. Are you a Black American or someone in with black skin wanting to be in white skin? After eight years of total failure by the Bush administration and people like John McCain voting along with Bush, you can go against someone who is trying to bring positive change. You are a CRAB for sure. As soon as we get someone who is trying to be fair to ALL Americans, here you come with your stupidity. You really need to take a long look at yourself and figure out why you really have issues with being black or seeing someone black come into power because Obama will be your President come November 4, 2008. You are a disgrace to the black race, if you are black. You can broadcast this mess all you like. When God is in control, you or your uncle tom followers can't do a thing about it. How do you think Obama made it this far? It is by God's grace and mercy. If God be for you, He is more than the whole world against you. Go pray Mr Owen, because you need some serious help.

Maria

11/12/2008 10:14:44 pm

Thank you for your book and message...I often asked myself if our country is trying to overcome racism why black Christians would vote for Obama because he is black, whether they agreed with his views or not. Isn't that a racist act voting for someone merely because he has the right color skin, in this case black skin? Next I would like to say I wish everyone would drop the whole african american title! My great great grandparents came from italy and germany and who knows where else 100 years ago am I still italian american? heck, my heritage is such a mix bag as a white person I don't know what I am either...how about just American, now that would be accurate.. Lastly, I want to thank you as an American for thinking for yourself! It seems like black Americans try to force everyone in their community to have one narrow view...Black Americans limit themselves more than others place limits on them...they can't be successful b/c someone in the black community will kill them, they can't be republican b/c they will be a disgrace and an uncle tom, they can't even vote for a more qualified candidate b/c they will called a disgrace...The real enemies in the black community are other blacks...

Thank you again for your message...you are a voice of reason in a sea of chaos!

Sue Ann

12/28/2008 01:55:43 am

I am a 70 year old reitried worker, I am in a state of
of disbelief, after reading your article. Young man every one is entitled
to their opinion. but you are a very un- informed young man.
From a bi-racial family, since 1821, both African American and Ireland, you are extremely biased. How could President Elect Barack do any
worse than George Bush and our Vice-President? I pray you learn to accept the fact that there many, many bi-racil familes in the United
States of America, Who have been an out cast, so to speak.[This
man is no out cast, State Of the Art, To the top of the Class.']
The American Negro. as well as the "White Man" fathered these
Children long before you were born "Thomas Jefferson" Do you
remember reading about him? ALL OVER THE WORLD, People praised this young man for his out- standing orating ability and the message
he has delivered to so many people who have lost "hope.
Young, Old, Black, Brown, Yellow, Red ,and Purple, " He is our 44 TH
President of The United States of America." According
to the New York Times ....."RACICAL BARRIER FALLS as VOTERS
EMBRACE CALL FOR CHANGE" 334/ 155 OBAMA
Now, Sisiter King, Maybe just Maybe "All Men Man Be Free"

PLEASE GIVE HIM A CHANCE. DO NOT ALLOWED THE "old" WAYS to
SURFACE. { divide and concur}
Mr> Willam Owens ,I am truly ashamed of you. Rev Patterson, I have
Written about him Many, many times he is very distrubed Man also.
Self_Hate

John LaValley link

6/14/2009 01:26:34 pm

To All Who Have Posted So Far,

I am a forty-six year old, white man who met Mr. Owens briefly at the Las Vegas Tea Party, at which not only were black people in attendance but one, the eloquent Herman Cain, was a speaker. Mr. Owens engaged our group in conversation and gave us copies of the book Obama: Why Black America Should Have Doubts. After reading it, I must add Mr. Owens name to those black persons who have the mind and heart to be truly free in the full human sense.

Diversity is celebated by the Left in all but its most relevent aspect, that is diversity of opinion. Some of the posts on this string excoriate Mr. Owens, questioning not only his intellect but his very mental health. As an individualist conservative, I have safety in numbers, being white. We're supposed to be like this. But when one of the eight percent of blacks who is not an Obama supporter speaks out on why, he or she is subjected to the most vicious of verbal attacks, and sometimes worse, from people of their own race. Facing that squarely takes courage that not everyone has. Having said that, I note that many of these posts are from blacks who support Mr. Owens in his views, or, at least, the courage to express them.

To Mr. Owens detractors who might suggest that he is, in some way, ashamed of being black, I would answer that he most certainly is not ashamed. But let me ask this. What would some of you say if I said I was proud of being white? Would visions of hoods and burning crosses swim before your eyes? Why? What is the differnce?

I believe that one's skin color or ethnicity is no thing to be proud or ashamed of. It is not something you earned or accomplished, but something you are given by nature or God, if you prefer. As gifts, our different colors served to help us live in the lands of our ancestors. The African needed dark skin to survive the harsh, ultra-violet rays of the tropical sun. The Northern European needed pale skin so his body could use the sparse sunlight to synthesize vitamin-D.

As we travelled and encountered each other, we didn't handle the differences well. But from then to now, especially in these modern times, we have an opportunity to see our very minor racial genetic differences as something other than a threat. They should be a source of fascination, attraction and beauty.

Further, they should be a call to find and defend our common ground. In the admittedly flawed beginning of our republic, blacks and women were denied the essential liberties that our founding established. Is that a reason to destroy those liberties now? Mr. Owens does not believe so. Instead, he believes those liberties to be the rightful posession of all persons, regardless of race, or history of race. He defends humanity's common ground.

Thank you.

Nike Shox Shoes link

11/9/2010 09:07:34 am

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.

Black Americans for Real Change

Is Barack Obama a Black American?

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