Too Black?

At the beginning of this election cycle, the question was raised as to whether Sen. Barack Obama was black enough. His win of ninety percent of the black vote in Mississippi speaks for itself, but it got me thinking about the reverse of that question. Is there such thing as being too black?

Well, South Africa thinks so. In 2004, Shaun Mhaule, who was 14 at the time, was detained and almost deported to Mozambique because he was considered “too dark.”

According to a South African Newspaper, police insisted Mhaule was “too dark to be a South African” and locked him up for 30 hours with 24 other men. Mhaule told police that he did not know anyone in Mozambique. Police would also not take his identity document into consideration, the newspaper reported.

“We had to do it,” said one officer. “He was just too damn black! Could you imagine walking down a darkened street and his black [expletive] sneaks up on you?”

According to Mhaule, he’s been dealing with his “blackness” his whole life.”

“I noticed my complexion was a major problem when I had to work during the day, so I enrolled in night school. It was great at first, till I noticed my teacher kept on marking me absent,” said Mhaule.

Complexion in South Africa plays a large role in how individuals are treated. I think the same thing goes for people in the United States. In slave times, slave duties were distributed according to each slave’s skin tone. Usually the blackies were in the fields pickin’, while the “high yellows” were inside the mansion eating chicken. I don’t know why, but black instills fear in white and black Americans alike.

Obama’s color makes him a safe choice. If there were to be a first black president, he would be the one. Could you imagine America choosing Wesley Snipes as their president? Some might say its not Snipes’ black skin that would hinder his electability, rather his black lips.

I think America is ready for a black president, but unfortunately, not “that black.” I can’t wait for the day when this all changes, and Flavor Flav announces his candidacy in 2012. It can happen, things can change. Don’t believe me?

Mhaule, now an 18 year-old man, was eventually freed. A judge ruled that it was clear that his arrest and subsequent detention was unlawful and granted him R90,000 in damages. The damages would be paid out by the Minister of Safety and Security. Mhaule said that from then on he would keep away from dark shadows, and announce himself when he walks into a dark room.

|  Print