r/whoathatsinteresting • u/eternviking • 5h ago
Ben Shelton becomes the first Black American to reach the US Open Final since Arthur Ashe in 1972
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u/Amazing-Ad8209 5h ago
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u/PreviousSquash9354 2h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/lFHtqqh6orvAhbiGmy
i do not have an award to give but what a perfect comment
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u/CrankieKong 5h ago
Thats the whitest black man.
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u/b3arz3rg3r4Adun 4h ago
This american quirk to label anyone black who has even a hint of african american blood has always been weird to me.
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u/mil_cord 3h ago
Do americans also keep these silly statistics about white people? Like āthe first white american since the 1968 to reach the national final of 100 metresā?
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u/Fit-Construction3427 3h ago
We keep track of the first white man to play corner back in the NFL since 19whatever (Cooper DeJean), so sometimes.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Ad7606 44m ago
Basically the first 5 years of Eminems career was nothing but "the 1st white guy to"
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u/tiny-2727 1h ago
Hmm. If there was only some kind of reason why achievements of minorities get highlighted... what could it be?
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u/Razatiger 3h ago
I mean, hes both a white man and a black man if you think about it. His father is very much African American.
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u/bobbieibboe 1h ago
The weird bit is the obsession with race (imho). Why keen to constantly label
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u/FishingAlpo 4h ago
Yeah idk why mixed people always have to be one race or the other
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u/Scrank_WimlerJr 3h ago
They're literally always considered black
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u/YoMomAndMeIn69 3h ago
Why??
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u/Unlucky_Suspect_7555 2h ago
It stems from this.
The one-drop rule was a legal principle of racial classification that was prominent in the 20th-century United States. It asserted that any person with even one ancestor of Black African ancestry ("one drop" of "black blood")\1])\2]) is considered black (Negro or colored in historical terms). It is an example of hypodescent, the automatic assignment of children of a mixed union between different socioeconomic or ethnic groups to the group with the lower status, regardless of proportion of ancestry in different groups.\3])
This concept became codified into the law of some U.S. states in the early 20th century.\4]) It was associated with the principle of "invisible blackness"\5]) that developed after the long history of racial interaction in the South, which had included the hardening of slavery as a racial caste system and later segregation. Before the rule was outlawed by the Supreme Court in the Loving v. Virginia decision of 1967, it was used to prevent interracial marriages and in general to deny rights and equal opportunities and uphold white supremacy.
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u/no_cults_no_problem 2h ago
Clout. There are hilarious american reddit ancestry posts by people shocked to discover their DNA is contaminated by white ancestors.
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u/RecycledDinosaurs 2h ago
What until you hear about the first black golfer to win the Masters, which self-identifies as 50% Asian, 25% white, 12.5% Native American, and 12.5% black.
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u/rubber_moon 3h ago
A lot of black Americans seem to also enforce this one drop rule, for whatever reason
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u/drsickboy 5h ago
I'm not familiar with this person, never would've guessed he was Black
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u/FishingAlpo 4h ago
Heās not. Dumb racists always try to lump us mixed folks into one race or the other.
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u/buffaloreaper716 3h ago
I watched the whole match and the speech at the end. There was a black guy who introduced him before he spoke and asked him how it felt to be the first black person since Arthur Ash to make it to the finals at the U.S. Open.
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u/Razatiger 3h ago
I mean hes both, all mixed people are both. I am mixed, I can claim either side of my heritage and theres not a damn thing anyone can say about it.
So yes, hes technically and Black man and White man.
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u/PsychologyFar6555 3h ago
Wait until you find out how mixed you really are. Thereās a good chance youāre black, white, tan, mellow yellow, red dye 40.
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u/doobutterface 2h ago
He is, dumb racists are always trying to erase peopleās heritage based on what people look like.
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u/Historical-Fun-2536 5h ago
Uh, Venus and Serena made it to the us open final 14 times together.
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u/Zenigata 4h ago
But they aren't americans or people, they're women which is apparently a separate catergory.
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u/TrustInRoy 3h ago
u/eternviking is too busy karma farming to get the facts rightĀ
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u/sajkoterrapefft 5h ago
He's black? You americans are tripping now.
Call me a confused European, but that guy looks like he could be from any european country south of Denmark.
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u/Business_Living_9798 5h ago
Americans will do anything to promote inclusivity, even if means labelling a white man as black to have an achievement credited to the 'minorities' š
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u/Khaosbutterfly 4h ago
Lmaoooo we know we've come full circle when the super racist one drop rule is now being rebranded as inclusivity. šššš
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u/Fit-Construction3427 4h ago
He's probably mixed race, but if he's half black he's still black.
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u/Royal_Success3131 4h ago
Hes half black. His dad is an african american dude. Bryan shelton. Look it up.
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u/_D80Buckeye 3h ago
It depends on the narrative of the American media to be honest. Obama is black, his mom is white but that makes him black. George Zimmerman (look him up if you have to) was labeled by the media as a āwhite hispanicā (dad was white, mom was Hispanic) because the media didnāt want you to like him. Tons of examples out there.
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u/FishingAlpo 4h ago
They always try to lump us into one race or the other. Idk why being both is such a foreign concept.
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u/sajkoterrapefft 4h ago
Yeah because people are always trying to figure each other out and the easiest way to do that is to go to old cultural stereotypes.
That's why a lot of people put unnecessary weight on where you're from, or what you are.
Instead of just treating you like a new human that you need to get to know before you understand fully. That's the hard path, the long game, it's too complex for the simple minds of racists.
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u/Responsible-Quote717 5h ago
I'd have guessed maybe Italian
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u/TheSuperContributor 5h ago
Nah, southern Italian is darker than this guy.
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u/Responsible-Quote717 4h ago
He just reminds me of a guy I met in Southern Italy, but he wasn't from Southern Italy, he was from Northern Italy in the alps near Torino.
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u/Shed_Some_Skin 4h ago
His parents, for anyone wondering
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u/Conaz9847 4h ago
I donāt care who he is can we stop with everyone being a broccoli lookin ass mf
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u/Alien_Rocketship 5h ago
Tell me if Iām wrong, but the one drop rule is kinda racist
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u/Legitimate_Window481 4h ago
100% confused. šµāš«
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u/WatchWatcher25 3h ago
Have you never met a mixed race person. My buddy looks like Fogle in the winter and then becomes JayZ after 5 minutes in the sun.
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u/ChemicalLou 4h ago
Itās not confusing. You are just very sheltered and have not met enough people.
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u/Business_Living_9798 5h ago
Racism so bad white people are beating black people at being black š
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u/ultros03 2h ago
Mixed race people erasure. "Pure race" folks on both sides will have to become more comfortable with it, as our numbers grow and we refuse to be put into neat little racial boxes that don't identify who we really are.
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u/PleadInsanity 1h ago
Suddenly Reddit making all these jokes when this kid is mixed race?
Saw someone comment that "he's never saw prejudice because he doesn't look black so he can't be black"
What is this? Just a bunch of losers making jokes because of the color of his skin.
Reddit more and more just seems like a bunch of losers
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u/Teufelsweib666 5h ago
So he's one more human who reached the final. Why this obsession about colour? Has anyone with Mongolian heritage ever won this?
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u/Cakeo 5h ago
Nah its only really news worthy for Americans. They are just obsessed with race.
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u/ReindeerFirm1157 4h ago
The American press is obsessed with race. They always make the headlines "first X to do whatever" and make every single story about race or gender or sexual orientation or whatever.
Trust me, ordinary people do not care so much. When you constantly talk about this and call it an "issue," only then does it becomes a chronic psychological issue.
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u/BAJ-JohnBen 4h ago
Well, when the Federal government and other State level governments are trying to downplay or erase the accomplishments, there's a reason why.
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u/Expert-Insurance6938 5h ago
Luckily there were able to fly in a black commentator to dab him up after the interview.
https://giphy.com/gifs/HlLg2GcPOmOuVvEENM
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u/Different-Storm1914 5h ago
To be fair that is what a Benjamin Shelton would look like. Shelton Benjamin on the other hand...
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u/Fit-Construction3427 4h ago
It should say fist black MAN to reach the final, since Serena and Venus Williams have both reached the US Open final and won it multiple times since 1972.
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u/Equivalent-Moment-78 2h ago
His dad is black, and he identifies as black, this isn't a phenomenon nor is this difficult to understand. He happens to be lighter skinned than other biracial black men. Nobody sweats Jalen Brunson for identifying as black though he's half black and light skinned. The measurement isn't an outsiders opinion of their identity.Ā
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u/FlowerProofYard 1h ago
As a mixed race person these comments areā¦ oof. I donāt know Benās background, but thereās a lot of people making judgements on him because of what he looks like. Your racial background is your racial background, itās not what other people perceive you to be based on your appearance.
I hope people understand this is just racism towards mixed race people. If youāre saying why are people making this about race, and then saying Ben doesnāt look black enough to count as black. Take a step back and look at what youāre saying.
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u/RustedSoul90 1h ago
This comment section is so weird. Black doesnāt just refer to the literal color of your skin. There are light skinned black folks. That doesnāt make them not black.
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u/TheWrexEffect 4h ago
Some people here are showing their ignorance.
I'm bi-racial, like him. Black mom. White dad. You'd be surprised how wide the range of outcomes are in terms of looks for bi-racial people.
You can be half black and still end up incredibly light skinned. Or you might be as dark as a fully black person.
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u/ThePassenger83 3h ago
In Brazil this guy would just be "Brazilian".
You can do it too America!
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u/21MayDay21 5h ago
Even Logic is "blacker" than this guy
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u/KyotoInSummer 4h ago
Actually heās not. Logic is between 1/4th and 1/8th black, Ben Shelton is between 1/2 and 1/4th black.
His dad is Bryan Shelton a black former tennis player.
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u/pumba350 5h ago
That's a Caucasian man from the Mount caucus. A Viking. This guy has a credit score of 730 already.
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u/Quick-Recover-3145 5h ago
Heās prob like 10% black but in this case he counts as full right
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u/Logical-Database4510 3h ago
He's half. Got that vin diesel toss of the genetic dice. It happens sometimes.
Important to remember race doesn't exist in science, so DNA doesn't give a fuck that it makes things confusing for our inbuilt caste system.
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u/Bluejay_Holiday 3h ago
Desperately trying to attract black viewers now that Gauff and Tiafoe are out
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u/Striking_You_8995 3h ago
I hope he doesnāt go around saying the N word. Cause bringing out a picture of his dad aināt gonna help.
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u/doiwantacookie 2h ago
He grew up in a black community so he identifies as black? Why be surprised?
People are defensive of this as if racial categories are natural distinctions. Theyāre just cultural constructs. What are mixed people supposed to say? should we all carry family trees to explain or prove our identity?
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u/No_Cow_4544 2h ago
His dad is black, his coach , and former player. His mom is white . He seems like a very well rounded and mature guy and exceptionally talented athlete. He played a great tournament so far and I hope he can win on Sunday šŗšø
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u/nvmenotfound 2h ago
heās mixed race. heās as much white as he is black. to classify them as one or the other seems dumb.Ā
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u/Xcuseme99 2h ago
Reddit about to find out about inter-black racism and how "light skins" aren't considered black.
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u/K_boring13 1h ago
Did you listen to him speak? That was heartfelt and touching. But no, letās talk about if he is black enough.
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u/Mooselager 1h ago
Remember folks, you have to literally be black as night for reddit to recognize you as African-American.
His dad is African-American thus making him African-American, sit down & shut up.
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u/flawgic 1h ago
As someone who will be having a mixed kid this thread is disappointing.
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u/Complete_Big_9493 1h ago
So many gate keepers in the commentsā¦ This guy is legally the race mentioned in the title and anyone saying otherwise is wrongĀ
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u/Ok-Selection8379 50m ago
donāt you mean first male black American? The Williams sister both won the US open, no?
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u/Life-Oil-7226 5h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/puOukoEvH4uAw