A penguin president

By Ashok Argent-Katwala

There's been some chatter recently about how Barack Obama isn't really black. The claim is that he's basically a privileged white guy.

I've a proper problem with that, and my basic difficulty is with a classification that is so damn crude.

Why try and jam Obama into one of the pigeon-holes of being exclusively white or black, but never both? I'm sure a large part rests with the media, in wanting a story that is simple to tell; I fear that a greater part is playing on America's more fragmented, near segregated culture when it comes to colour. Growing up as a kid with a mixed background made me feel no less British. I have a great love of Irish and Indian culture, but they aren't quite home to me. I'm not sure America, or perhaps just public identity there, allows such a tick-all-that-apply approach to cultural identity. I'm pretty sure living in London makes that much easier, which is why it is home now.

I hope people start the more nuanced conversation about Obama. He is black and white. He could be their first penguin president.