Negro is an acceptable description for a dark skinned person with African ancestry. United Negro College fund has no problem with the word "negro", why should you?
What Reid said was in fact racist, he implied that dark-skinned negroes with a "negro dialect" would not be as viable as a candidate than a negro with light skin and no negro dialect.
And in a Country with now around 10% of the people being "African-American," it is NOT like they ALONE can field and elect a candidate, it is what white voters think, and decide that matters. So, it would kinda follow that their preferences, and PREJUDICES would rule and the truth of the matter is that the STANDARD in this country is what they decide is the standard.
BLONDES with straight hair are the BEAUTY standard, for women, in spite of the fact that they are a distinct minority, oh so many are "bottled," but it does not change the reality! Miss America: 27 winners have been blonde, 12 were brown-haired, 9 were black-haired, and 3 were red-haired. Seven are African-American out of 80 years...
2004 Ericka Dunlap (FL)
2003 Erika Harold (IL)
1994 Kimberly Aiken (SC)
1991 Marjorie Vincent (IL)
1990 Debbye Turner (MO)
1984(B) Suzette Charles (NJ),
1984 Vanessa Williams (NY)
and Vincent, of Haitian heritage, is the closest to actually having African features and there were few pictures, and she has very little mention on the web, so there is your "beauty standard" and it is mostly very light-skinned, and guaranteed, none speak in "dialect" at least in public..... And none look like Alek Wek, who is stunning, and looks African!
Black and beautiful: African-American women haven't had an easy time in the fashion world
Here is Senator Edward Brook with an African featured woman:
And Secretary of State Colin Powell:
And then there is PRESIDENT OBAMA with a White guy:
and then with First Lady Michelle:
and she is not as dark as the young man on the right of the photo, so the what is what on what WHITE people find either attractive or electable is right out there.....
HARRY REID, althought inadvertantly, certainly told the truth!