Barack Obama and Ethnicity in the Democratic presidential campaign

This was written by my friend, Marian Douglas-Ungaro. You can read more of her work here: Marian's Blog.

This is my message to Warren Olney, radio host, KCRW FM, concerning To the Point interview, Friday, 4 January 2008; with guests Dante Scala and Robert Dallek:

Dear Mr. Olney:

Greetings from Wash, DC. Thank you very much for raising the issue of Mr. Obama's ethnicity - and what he is not - in your interview with Dante Scala and Robert Dallek.

As a Black American woman I am offended by and appalled at the willingness of many to ignore and devalue Black American identity and ethnicity, in order to anoint Barack Obama president. Barely a week after the NON-observance of the 200th anniversary of the U.S.
abolition of the slave trade in 1808 (which did NOT stop the smuggling and human trafficking of Africans into slavery in the U.S./Americas), the course of this primary season takes on even more importance.

I have been insulted by some and condescended to others for raising this matter, yet some whites and others as well as more than a few Black Americans fully understand the fallacy of what's going on. But few of them are as willling as I am to speak about this publicly. This needs to be discussed intelligently.

Finally, if he is the Democratic candidate I shall not vote for Barack Obama. It would be an unacceptable compromise and yet another renunciation of my people, our authentic history, and the truth about our country.

Thanks very much.

Marian Douglas-Ungaro,
Washington, DC and Rome, Italia