Ok, let me begin by saying that I am a black female. Now that I got that out in the open I will continue. So I woke up this morning happy that Obama my get the majority of pledged delegates and I decided to turn on the Today Show. I saw Meredith interviewing Geraldine Ferraro and Rachel Madow. Three strong, educated, professional women. And what where they talking about, sexism.
I watched and became more and more upset. Basically Ferraro felt that Clinton is losing because she is a woman. Rachel barely got a word in, I believe out of respect. But come on, can we honestly say Clinton lost do to sexism? Can't we say that it was because she ran a poor campaign? Or that people are tired of Clinton? Or because Obama is a good candidate for the right time who ran a good campaign? Women, in calling the gender card at this time don't we sound like weak women as opposed to strong women in politics that understand, you win some and you lose some? Aren't we kind of whining?
Meredith asked Ferraro to sight times when Obama was being sexist toward her. These were her examples. 1. At an early Philadelphia debate, all the boys were ganging up against Clinton and attacking her. My question, isn't that because she WAS the front-runner? You attack who is in the leading. That is when she played the gender card calling herself a girl. 2. When Obama brushed his shoulders off after the tough debate he had, Ferraro said it was a gestrue dismissing Clinton. Hey, Ferraro you may be too old to know this, but that is a very popular hip-hop gesture referring to a Jay-Z song, "Get the Dirt off your Shoulers." In other the words, brush off the negativity that was thrown at him. 3. When Clinton started talking about guns and growing up using them, Obama called her Annie Oaklely. Why, because we all knew that was political pandering in it's highest degree. She has just as tough a record on guns as Obama does. So don't act like you go out on the range and shoot em up all the time.
I have to say, that if women cry foul on this race I am disappointed. Women, Clinton lost a campaign do to her own problems. Let's be real women and take it and move on. We are stong. We are smart. We can handle defeat with the same confidence, grace and self-respect that we started with. I am tired of the conversation between women and African-Americans. Who has had it worse? Who still has it worse? They are all so stupid and quite frankly a waste of time. Who cares!! They both suck! Let's work together to end sexism and racism, both of which we know sadly still exist. Did folks not vote for Clinton because she was a woman, of course. Did folks not vote for Obama because he was black, of course. But based on the fact that both are on top, can we really point to either problem as a significant factor in how folks voted overall? I am not so sure.
Clinton supporters, when the dust has settled, and you have accepted the defeat with the dignity and grace I know you posses, I ask you to honestly look and reflect on both campaigns and decide who ran a better campaign. Also, thoughtfully evaluate the issues from the right and determine what a McCain presidency might mean for women. Put your anger and disappointment aside and think about the country as a whole. African-americans and women need to come together and not be divided. Women, I ask, are you up to the challenge?
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