by Sati Malik

Created on: November 23, 2008

On an unusually warm November election night, "Blue America" was trans-fixed to the streaming video coming out of Chicago's Grant Park: 125,000 starry-eyed Americans of all races blanketed the grassy expanse to celebrate the election of our first "African-American" President. Barack Obama's supposed kinsmen were positioned prominently in the front rows: notably Oprah Winfrey, sighing, hugging, splashed out in red; and Jesse Jackson, weeping, towering in his presence. Obama appeared and began his victory speech:

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,""

The crowd roared with approval.

Halfway around the globe, well beyond the shadow of skyscrapers, in the placid town of Nyangoma-Kogelo on the shores of Lake Victoria, the President-Elect's half brother, surrounded by beaming clansmen, slaughtered a bull in celebration.

"We are going to the White House," they sang

Later, the crowd placed a reef at the tombstone of Barack Obama Senior; it said "you have birthed a king."

Two continents, two realities, two assertions of ownership existing side by side - yet seemingly oblivious to each other.

Throughout his brilliant campaign there was not much question in the mainstream media that Obama was an authentic "black" American. After all, he played basketball, fist pounded, spoke elegant ebonics, graced the covers of "Ebony Jet" and "Vibe" and lived on the South Side of Chicago. Kenyans were those awkward, serious people who won marathons. The nature of his "foreignness" was never fully considered, as evidenced by the impotence of claims (or accusations) on Fox News and elsewhere that Obama was a "Muslim"or an "Arab" The right wing nuts were asking a valid question this time, but there seemed to be a disconnect with the American people. And the Left lampooned them, as seen in the controversial cover of "The New Yorker" of Mr. and Mrs. Obama in "terrorist" garb.

Truth be told, in both his heritage and upbringing Obama is more distant from the "black experience" in America than most white Americans. He can make no claim to have inherited the legacy of slavery. His father was a Luo tribesman, a Kenyan, an East African, and - yes -a Muslim. Obama grew up post-segregation in Kansas, Indonesia and Hawaii in non-black communities. In young adulthood, he coasted off to the Ivy League: Columbia

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