​What can ​Gil Scott-Heron ​teach Rupert Murdoch about blackness​?​

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/09/murdoch-obama-real-black-president

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There is no immediate reason to assume that Rupert Murdoch is a fan of the legendary Gil Scott-Heron, but if he can find an old compilation CD – and he should – he might enjoy Gil’s 1970 track, Brother.

“There are,” noted Gil, “a lot of comments about who’s blacker than you are, and who’s blacker than she is, blacker than thou. In other words, it’s a sort of trend.” A malign trend that made it all the way to Rupert’s Twitter account almost half a century later.

Related: Gil Scott-Heron obituary

As we know, Rupert last week entered the realms of race, culture and shadiology with his now-infamous tweet about President Obama, who is of mixed heritage, and the Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson, who is not. “Ben and Candy Carson terrific,” tweeted the media mogul. “What about a real black president who can properly address the racial divide? And much else.”

Related: Rupert Murdoch implies Obama is not 'real black president' in tweet praising Ben Carson

One furore and two hours later, the magnate returned to clear up the mess, tweeting: “Apologies! No offence meant. Personally find both men charming.” Appearing before the Leveson inquiry in 2011, Murdoch said that was his most humbling day. Can this have been far behind?

Worth saying that he isn’t the only luminary to stray into this contested territory. Three years ago, Morgan Freeman, who – unlike Murdoch – has some regard for Obama, said: “America’s first black president hasn’t arisen yet. He’s not America’s first black president – he’s America’s first mixed-race president.”

What to do? This is simple in many ways, and I say there is precedent. In the matter of racial attacks, which can be investigated in a particular way when so classified, and which can carry heavier sentences if proven, the police long ago resolved that if the subject of that attack says there was a racial motivation, we work on that basis. We accept their perception, until there is reason to do otherwise.

The president is similarly free to describe himself as he will and offer his perception with expectation that we will respect it. There are a variety of terms that have emerged and evolved over time. He can choose any one of them. And he has done so, on numerous occasions, but for the avoidance of doubt, turn to YouTube and watch him self-describe quite unequivocally. “I am a black man who grew up without a father,” he says.

That’s his right, Brother Rupert. He can be as real black as he wants to be.