Posted by Unknown | Posted in | Posted on 6:47 PM
"We're squandering an opportunity to be seen as a voting bloc that turns elections," Feldt said. "Unless we are working together, in a strategically thought-out effort to vote in our own best interests, we are in danger of never having another election where people will say women can determine the outcome." - Gloria Felt, Clinton Supporter (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080510/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_feminists)
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not your grandmothers Presidential Race.
The contest for the Democratic nomination has taken on more the appearance of a full fledged Primary, than a bid to be on the ballot. At heart it has become a matter of do we want a White Woman or a Black Man. The bitter intra-party sparring taking place has revealed several levels of prejudice, angst, fear and conversely, hope. And most of us didnt even know they were there. Unfortunately the media's love for spectacle have taken these emotions and used them to meld this race into one of novelty.
At a time when what we need most in a leader is sound judgement and flexible, evolved thinking, we have reduced two of our best candidates to limited edition political action figures. Let's get this straight first and foremost: To vote for a person simply because they are Black, White or a Woman, is counterproductive and just plain stupid. Race and gender has nothing to do with competence. Unfortunately as a people we are taught the silly notion that those who look like us, will empathize with us and serve our own greatest purpose. This cannot be further from the truth, as we all can think of several instances where we were "betrayed by one of our own." With that thought in mind, why can we not see past the exterior to the mind behind the meat? A feminist should not feel obligated to vote for a woman, whom she does not truly feel is the best candidate. A white man should not believe that its better to vote for another candidate just because, "he's the only one of us running." And a black man should not have to vote for another black man, just because "shiiiit, if we don't do it now, we aint never gonna get the chance."
The novelty of the candidates makes this a very historic election. But there is so much more at stake than that. This election stands to break or embolden prejudice. It can very well play out that, it took a woman to fix the workplace policy problems of this country. It is very plausible that a Black man can fix the credit crunch that is squeezing the lifeblood out of the average consumer. It is also very possible that neither of these can happen, and that people who thrive on racism and sexism can use that fact to reason that neither group is suitable to run this country.
This race goes deeper than ethicity and gender. It is about social evolution. On one side we have two cells competing for a chance to change our social DNA and on the other we have the old guard who is looking to stave off this mutation. As the body of this country, we have to decide, which strand will make us stronger, will bring us longer life and will allow us to evolve with the world around us. This would be an inopportune time to fall into the trap of "its time for a woman president" or "its time for a black president". That is archaic thought. Let the best (wo)man win. Our government has no place for whimsy of novelty.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not your grandmothers Presidential Race.
The contest for the Democratic nomination has taken on more the appearance of a full fledged Primary, than a bid to be on the ballot. At heart it has become a matter of do we want a White Woman or a Black Man. The bitter intra-party sparring taking place has revealed several levels of prejudice, angst, fear and conversely, hope. And most of us didnt even know they were there. Unfortunately the media's love for spectacle have taken these emotions and used them to meld this race into one of novelty.
At a time when what we need most in a leader is sound judgement and flexible, evolved thinking, we have reduced two of our best candidates to limited edition political action figures. Let's get this straight first and foremost: To vote for a person simply because they are Black, White or a Woman, is counterproductive and just plain stupid. Race and gender has nothing to do with competence. Unfortunately as a people we are taught the silly notion that those who look like us, will empathize with us and serve our own greatest purpose. This cannot be further from the truth, as we all can think of several instances where we were "betrayed by one of our own." With that thought in mind, why can we not see past the exterior to the mind behind the meat? A feminist should not feel obligated to vote for a woman, whom she does not truly feel is the best candidate. A white man should not believe that its better to vote for another candidate just because, "he's the only one of us running." And a black man should not have to vote for another black man, just because "shiiiit, if we don't do it now, we aint never gonna get the chance."
The novelty of the candidates makes this a very historic election. But there is so much more at stake than that. This election stands to break or embolden prejudice. It can very well play out that, it took a woman to fix the workplace policy problems of this country. It is very plausible that a Black man can fix the credit crunch that is squeezing the lifeblood out of the average consumer. It is also very possible that neither of these can happen, and that people who thrive on racism and sexism can use that fact to reason that neither group is suitable to run this country.
This race goes deeper than ethicity and gender. It is about social evolution. On one side we have two cells competing for a chance to change our social DNA and on the other we have the old guard who is looking to stave off this mutation. As the body of this country, we have to decide, which strand will make us stronger, will bring us longer life and will allow us to evolve with the world around us. This would be an inopportune time to fall into the trap of "its time for a woman president" or "its time for a black president". That is archaic thought. Let the best (wo)man win. Our government has no place for whimsy of novelty.
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