by KD Zuppinger

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 28, 2008

As I sit and ponder the recent meteoric rise of Barack Hussein Obama II to the presidency of the United States of America, many thoughts go through my mind. Most of them reflect upon all of the things that needed to take place in order for this to happen, then my mind settles on one thing in particular. What if Michelle Obama were white?

A lot of people-many of whom only saw Barack's identity as a black or African American while he was running now wished to chime in about his biracial identity. After all they assert his mother was "white". And indeed that is true. What is also true is that a lot of men, it is said, "marry their mothers". They look for qualities and features-consciously or unconsciously- that remind them of the most important woman in their lives. But Barack did not marry his mother, or at least not one that matched her in physical characteristics.

Personality wise from all that has been said about Obama's late mother is that she was a woman of strong character who had a genuine interest in the world, and who was also determined to give her son the best life possible. From all that we can tell about Michelle Obama she fits this mold as well-strong, intelligent, curious and dedicated to her two young daughters. But that is where the similarities end and my question again begins. What if Barack Obama had chosen a white woman to be his wife? Would his bid to become the 44th president of the United States of America have been as smooth or even possible?

For all of the joy that we share as a country, Black, White, Latino, Asian etc., are we really as color blind and advanced as we think that we are. If Barack Obama were parading a white woman at his side, and two lighter skinned "black" children, would the African-American community have embraced him so quickly as one of its own? Would the white community and media have known what to make of him? Or would it have been so quick to identify him as African-American? Does biracial play as well in the media? Or sound as epic and historic as black when discussing how "we've overcome"?

I don't profess to have the answer but I do grapple with the question. As do many children of openly biracial parents each and every day. And perhaps even more-so since Barack Obama has come into the lime light. I use the term "openly biracial" intentionally because I with my light skin-even lighter than that of Barack's, have often been asked if one of my parents is white. Technically the answer is no. The answer in a historically race conscious and racist society where even one drop of "Negro" blood makes one black, has always been no.

Still there is no denying that my light skin is not nor ever has been a product of some weird black genetic evolution or because my parents spent little time in the sun. My skin gets its color from years and decades of white men having their way with black women until little by little over time you get someone that looks like me. A descendant of Africans with Caucasian blood, decidedly in this country forever and always "black".

So as I sat and watched Michelle Obama stroll out onto the stage on November 4, 2008 with her husband and their two beautiful young children, I celebrated, I pausedand I knew like Barack must have come to know all those years ago. That if he had any great aspiration in this country, even those as lofty as becoming President, then the woman at his side could have the strength and character of his beloved mother on the inside-but ultimately (to avoid confusion) must look more like him on the outside.

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