Obama: Black Enough?

Is Obama "Black enough?" I missed the debate on Hardball on this question, but in my opinion, it's a silly question. What does it even mean? Is there some scale that measures "Blackness?" Is it the opposite of the fabled paper bag test where only those lighter than the bag were eligible for membership in certain fraternities and sororities? Here, must you be darker than the bag to be considered "Black enough?" Someone explain this to me.

Interestingly enough, when the question is raised in the white community, i.e. is someone "White enough," it's likely to be posed by a skinhead or klansman, givng more proof to how wrong-headed the question truly is.

Nonetheless in the Black community, that criticism of not being "Black enough" is often raised when the subject of the inquiry is well-educated, well-spoken, well-off financially, or well-connected with friends across the racial spectrum, but not considered adequately committed to Black issues. This may or may not be why Obama's Blackness is questioned.

I suspect that former Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts is not "Black enough" in the opinion of some, notwithstanding his mahogany complection. After all, he is a Republican and a professed conservative. He's Black enough for me. I just happen to disagree with most of what he stands for. To state it more pointedly, the appropriate and only appropriate questions are:

What does an individual believe?
Do I agree?
Why or why not?

These are relevant questions that are more likely to lead to meaningful discussion than some vague question about "Blackness."

But whatever you do, I beg you to avoid even dignifying the question of whether some individual is "Black enough" with a response. When we respond to such a question as though there is a legitimate or correct answer, we contribute to the belief that African-Americans are a monolith--all of one mind and subject to excommunication should we deviate too much from conventional Black wisdom. Only a weak people are threatened by differences within the community.

Let us not distract from the strength of our people by suggesting that we can brook no dissension. Nor should we permit anyone else to shackle us with such a burden by asking such an inane question as to whether someone is "Black enough."

Is Obama Black enough? Next question, please.