Being "black" in America is more about looks and the experiences that follow looks more than it is about actual ethnicity.  Certainly Obama doesn't look white, and, for better and for worse (as we saw in the campaign), he's not treated as white.  He looks black, identifies as a black American, has surely had many of the experiences of a black American, thus he is black.  But your point is well taken.

I do so wish the press here would stop the flag-waving about us electing someone from a minority group, as though we're the only country to ever do it.  Certainly I took great pride in seeing the reaction from all over the country and many corners of the world, but it's not a great historical first from a global perspective.  It's a great historical first for us, especially given our truly ugly history on race relations.  But just a little less ignorance from the Villagers would be appreciated.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin