However, Watkins questioned whether Obama's narrative suggested that people of mixed backgrounds must choose only one culture, which seemed at odds with America's diverse nature, writing "[i]f this is indeed true, as Mr. Obama tells it, then the idea of America taking pride in itself as a nation derived of many different races seems strangely mocked."
Watkins also raised doubt about whether Obama's account implied that people with mixed backgrounds must adhere to only one culture, a stance that conflicted with America's diverse character. He wrote, "[i]f Mr. Obama is correct in his narrative, then the idea of America being proud of its multiracial heritage seems paradoxically undermined."