Letters to the Editor
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You're being sarcastic, right?
Just checking...
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"As far as I know"
(wink wink)
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Where are the feminist voices?
"As a Black female over 50, I can tell you that this is not racism. It is political opportunism. "
Actually, it's both. It's racism to say that the only reason why Obama is a serious candidate for president is that he's black. It's racism to believe that his intelligence, accomplishments and campaign strategies are less important than the color of his skin. It's racism to ignore that no other black presidential candidate has been a credible candidate, but still insist that we are all giving Obama a free ride because he's black. It's racism to deny that other white men have been elected president with less experience and less impressive credentials than Obama, while still insisting that people are voting for Obama because he's black.
Unfortunately, it is also political opportunism.
For me, as a black woman, it's also a really sad reflection on the mainstream feminist movement in America. I have always considered myself a feminist. But I've also had to strike an uneasy bargain with mainstream feminism. I felt like it was agreed that as a feminist I would leave issues of race at the door; but the trust was that when there were clear examples of racism and injustice, feminists would denounce and reject them.
I think this election has destroyed that trust. Feminist icons came out early, and came out hard, calling any woman of any race who voted for Hillary a traitor. They insisted that black men somehow had it easier in America and pointed to the example that black men were "given" the vote before white women. They pointed to examples of sexism in the media, while ignoring the long history of racism in the same mainstream media. And they insisted that Obama had no experience, all the while refusing to hold Hillary accountable for claiming her years as a corporate lawyer, her years as First Lady, and her campaign to destroy any woman who came forward with evidence that she'd been involved with Bill, was credible experience to be President.
I'm not suggesting that any one who is hoping that Hillary is the nominee should change their mind because of this. I'm also not suggesting that Hillary agrees with what Ferraro has said over and over again. But at the very least, Hillary supporters and feminists who want to maintain any crediblity when this election is over, need to both denounce and reject Ferraro.
Then, I hope, we can start to move forward.
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Ferraro
Glad to see her gone after that obnoxious NYTimes Column.
BTW- Being Bill's wife has more to do with Hillary's candidacy than being an extaordinary person, female or male, black or white.
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Hillary
Is the reason Bill got where he got, not vice-versa.
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Ferraro
I did not find Ferraro's remarks to be racial. Merely factual.
Remember when she was running for veep and had to debate George W. Bush? What were his comments after the debate?
"Well, I think I kicked a little ass."
Why doesn't the media bring that remark to light? If that isn't a gender issue,I'll eat your ten gallon hat.
Ferraro is right. If Obama were a black woman, he would not be where he is today. This is more of a gender issue than a racial issue.
I'm a man, I oughta know.
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maureen
Just what was the palind point of that mound full of minutia? Just go for broke, okey doke?
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Good thing Edwards wasn't gay...
Or this would have gotten REALLY confusing. Think of the handwringing over "who has it tougher" if it was between a straight white female, a gay white male and a straight black male. Republicans have it easy by comparison: just keep nominating white dudes afraid of change
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Manos99. if you don't understand English I can't really help you.
Canada is out too so maybe you should consider moving to Uzbekhistan where you could chunter away to your heart's content. Your bad manners might'nt be acceptable, of course. You never have an "argument" of any sort but seem to imagine that your gadfly role is important. If it gives you pleasure, why not? However, you are a waste of space if all you can do is taunt and insult. The intelligent people posting on this site ignore your putrid juvenilia and I intend to do the same.
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maureen,
You're mastery of American slang is quite the thang.
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little lord baltimore
Thank you Sista! Beautifully said. I have been schooled.
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a few things
This is racism and political opportunism (as someone earlier stated)
To be correct, Obama is not "black" he is bi-racial. Based on this constantly saying "but he's black" comes off to me as opportunistic and catering to a lower common denominator among voters (as Arianna Huffington would say, the lizard brain). It hides and degrades his accomplishments as a person and an American by not allowing people to judge those (accomplishments) for themselves without some preconceived notion about the person who accomplished these things.
Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro both know what they are doing by allowing this to continue. Distorting and playing identity politics.
It is sad.
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piling on...
I think it's absolutely correct to say that "she's only where she is because she's married to Bill is a nepotism charge, not a sexist charge. It's because she's part of his family, the same as it would be if Bill's *son* uh, "Chester" Clinton (taking gender out completely, and also not wanting to get suspended by MSNBC, even though I don't work for them) was running on an "experience" theme.
By her measure of experience, by the way, there is a more qualified candidate out there. She would be groundbreaking as the first woman president. Her experience is nearly triple what Hillary Clinton's is. And she's also a "fighter." I'm talking, of course, about Barbara Bush. Think about it...
8 years as the VPs wife (Second Lady?)
4 years as First Lady
8 years as First Mother
4 years as First Mother of Texas
4(8?) years as First Mother of Florida
4 years as a Congressional Spouse
2 years as UN Ambassador's wife
2 years as CIA Director's wife
And remember how she said that the Astrodome was "working out pretty well" for Katrina victims? She's got public housing experience!
/ubersnark
This whole thing has me disgusted. As Olbermann said last night, this is now officially a pattern. Just borderline enough so as not to be overt, but certainly the dogwhistle politics of old.
And I'd love to parrot Olbermann's earlier line about how she's running to be VP...McCain's VP, but so far McCain has behaved himself much better (over/under for that is 2 weeks, but still...)
Please, SuperDs, see this for what it is. End this thing now.