My understanding is that the "not black enough" thing isn't because his mother is white, it's because he didn't grow up culturally African-American. His father was an African, not an African-American, and he was raised by white people. So it's not quite as unreasonable to feel that way as it might seem on the surface: he simply hasn't shared the same experiences and culture as most African-Americans. He's an American with African heritage but not necessarily an African-American, if you see the distinction.
I don't think it's because he's not a Black Panther.
The other reaction I recall seeing (probably in the same docco) was fear that if he's too successful he'll be assassinated. That one mostly came from older Southern black women. From our (and probably his, too) perspective that seems ridiculous, but their experience of the world leads them to that conclusion.
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Date: 2008-08-29 02:33 pm (UTC)I don't think it's because he's not a Black Panther.
The other reaction I recall seeing (probably in the same docco) was fear that if he's too successful he'll be assassinated. That one mostly came from older Southern black women. From our (and probably his, too) perspective that seems ridiculous, but their experience of the world leads them to that conclusion.