I just heard a story on "Weekend Edition" about Clinton's concession speech and the response of her supporters. Women, unashamed to say their name, said that they were not going to support the Democratic Presidential nominee, and might even vote for McCain. I went out with a group of white women yesterday, and they echoed this sentiment, saying things like "Hilary DID get the popular vote," and "Obama supporters could have voted Undecided for the Michigan primary." These Harvard-educated women were saying this with a straight face!
I had so many questions, but we let the conversation fall away to keep the jovial mood. Would they have complained that it wasn't a "clear-cut win" if Hilary had actually won? Would they be hesitant, even obstinate, in not supporting Obama if he were White? Are people so incredibly ignorant that they would rather vote for a Republican...after EVERYTHING we've been through for the past eight years...than see a Black man in the Oval Office? I would hate to believe educated, White women could still be so blatantly racist...so please, can someone provide me with another explanation?
On another note, it became very clear to me during the conversation with my friends yesterday that as my status as a Black woman in the society, I am a Black person first. The feminist dialogue does not speak to me at all, mainly because it is written by White people.
1 comment:
vaslav:
vote for McCain? And they say they are feminists...this is stupidity. As a (white female) Obama supporter, I don't get it. However, this is my best guess: try either in a sentence
I am (a woman/African American).
A (woman/African American) has never been President.
I want this to happen in my life time, because as a (woman/black person) I have experienced limitations, discrimination and self-doubt.
I want my (daughter/African American children) to see that my candidate can be elected.
The race was very close. If Obama lost by this amount, I'd be very bitter and disappointed. I don;t know if I'd feel like supporting Hillary if she won, at least not for many months.
But i can't believe that feminism is just for white women...after all, isn't one of the reasons we don't want McCain is because he could nominate anti-Roe v. Wade justices?
It will be interesting to see if they get over their disappointment and start using their well-educated brain cells. After all, is it smart to vote for any old white woman (Margaret Thatcher)? Any old African American (Clarence Thomas)? Or anyone from that strange group that doesn;t seem to exist in the mind of most pundits...African american & woman (Condi Rice)?
Obama favors reproductive rights, gay rights, and not randomly invading countries. Ask them if they no longer agree with that....
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