African American: What a Meaningless Term

As I watch the presidential inauguration with mounting interest I just have to ask, what is the point in man’s obsession with labels? I mean I doubt Barack Obama would feel anywhere comfortable living here in Africa.. not that he should, but the point being that he is way more American than he’ll ever be African.

Now, take me for example.. I’m white and African (and damn proud of it too).. hmm, but nobody calls me European African now do they? It just sounds too bloody absurd. Now I was born and bred in Africa and I can tell you that after having travelled extensively in Europe for the last 3 years that I am way more African then I will ever be European. But you see that might all depend on a specific viewpoint because as some viewpoints go the label applied depends on your origins so that if you’re black you have to be African; white – European; yellow (who knows if that is an appropriate term anyway) – Asian and so on.

This kind of thinking is obviously flawed for one simple reason: exactly how far back do you go to determine origin? 100 years, 200, 500? Where’s the rule book on this kind of thing coz I sure as hell would like a read! Furthermore, we might as well go off on a tangent and re-open the proverbial can of worms as to the evolution or creation of man. Actually I think the answer lies in both but that’s a rant for another post.

The point here is that stupid labels like these stink of separatist idealism such as those for which my country is famous for. I am all for a black president.. it is exactly what America and the world needs but let’s be absolutely clear on this: he is an American president, NOT an African American one. I just hope that one day we will drop even the labels describing skin colour because a deeper respect for your human brothers and sisters would lead to an understanding of the unity that prevails in the greater scheme of things.

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