What is the great fear that white American males have of a minority running the country? In a country where diversity is revered, I don't understand the fear that a woman presidential nominee and a black presidential nominee evokes. Some how we are to believe our great nation will meet its demise if one these candidates becomes president. As ludicrous as that may sound, there are actual believers of that theory. Radio talk shows are bombarded by talk of corruption, anarchy, and chaos if and when one these candidates wins. One talk show host is adamant that America will lose all that it stands for when Senator Clinton wins the election.
Those thoughts and comments raise some questions: Are we to believe that this country can only be governed by a white man in order to maintain its stability? I'm not here to make a case for equal rights or to play the proverbial "race card", but the idea that some how this nation would fall into shambles if not run by a white male is some what alarming. Women as well as black Americans have penetrated all aspects of government. We have minority senators, congressmen, mayors, governors, and people holding plenty of other offices. It has to be deeper than that. If you listen to or watch any debates about Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, the most popular talking points are race and sex. These are two well accomplished Americans. Obama, besides being a senator, is a very successful civil rights lawyer, and he also taught constitutional law. He was President of the Harvard Law Review. Senator Clinton was, after all, the first lady; she has been an advocate for civil rights, education, and health care for many years; and also a successful lawyer. Despite these impressive credentials, many cannot look past a woman and a black man, and therein lies the fear. The fear is not that these two candidates are incompetent or have an inability to lead, (after all, we can certainly find these faults in the incumbent), but it's in what they represent. Clinton and Obama are representatives of two powerful and ever-growing minority groups. And if either of them were to win, these groups would now have a voice. Not just a person willing to hear their problems but someone who feels it and understands it. It's difficult as a black man not to understand the plight of the black community and what plagues it. As it is for a woman not to have experience the unfairness and the inequality which women deal with. When I hear of the chaos theories and the eminent doom of our nation, it's reassuring to me that I understand their fear as fear of equality and a fear of leveling the proverbial playing field. It' appeases my worries to know it's not inability that their fear but the ability to bring about change that worries them. I understand there will be opposition whenever a stand is taken, no new idea or ... have been implemented or allowed to come to fruition without meeting any resistance. But in this case is important to decipher the words that are being thrown around. A win by a minority candidate now means a change in the axis of power. A person who spats out chaos theories and world ending thoughts is only referring to their world. It's the underlying racism that still exist in our society, where white american males are afraid of not being in control. Believing their world would crumble if a minority candidate runs our country. Or is it deeper? Maybe they believe a win by a minority will be an equalizer, a change in the way minorities are treated, minorties can no longer be opresses if one runs the country. .. to be continued...
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2 comments:
Well, What can i say about this new election. I believe that a white woman will be president before a black man can be elected president. The Republican side of the party is not too strong, but when the democrate party, only has a strong white woman and black man, the republican party will win. Mark my words. As for me, i am a black woman, I will not vote for Hilary because us woman are sensitive ans soft hearted. No one is going to take us seriously. The other countries are not going to take us seriously if we have a woman as the representative of the so called strong nation. The United States is the strong power that everyone respect and some of them fear. No one is going to fear us with a woman represententing the country. I believe that will be the fall of the great nation. I gues everything as a beginning and an end. Harvard professor Carol Gilligan argued that women’s voices are essential to good government. Now that’s not necessarily because we are more caring and more effective. Well that may be true. But because we bring another dimension to the political process. True, she is generalizing but she posits that instead of engaging confrontation, women are more apt to negotiate. Why do we need negotiation, we need to stand against our opressors. Instead of looking at short-term solutions to problems, women are more apt to think in terms of generations to come. Instead of thinking win/lose terms, women are more apt to see the gray area in between. They help us contribute to the lives of our nation.
I would not mind voting for the Obama just for the fact that he is an intelligent black man and that knows what he is doing. I give him a lot of respect for taking the intiative to be the first black president. I will write more on Obama.
I am truly sorry to read such a near-sighted, limited response regarding women's roles in the U.S. government. Putting aside the fact that "anonymous" has an unclear stance, relying heavily on a well-articulated comment by Carol Gilligan, this woman contributes to the continuous sexism that prevents a woman from holding the presidential office. I regret being categorized with a woman who thinks that our gender is too "sensitive and soft-hearted" to inform effective government policy. I'm not sure if it's a reading comprehension issue or just a lack of understanding in politics--perhaps, both--but this reader seems to condemn women and then assert that we "are more apt to see the gray area in between [political solutions]. [Women] help us contribute to the lives of our nation."
Make up your mind, anonymous. Crawl out from beneath your wall of shame, cease and desist the missionary position, and join the rest of the modern, educated, powerful women in attaining respect and standing in our sexist nation.
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