Fear of the Black or Female Presidential Candidate? (RANT)

[Connie_Corleone]

I keep reading on DU how the country isn't ready for a black or female president. By saying this, they're really saying that we shouldn't nominate a woman or a black person to be our nominee in 2008 or whenever, because the racists and chauvinists will not vote for them. (Maybe that's why there is so much hostility toward Obama from some DU members.) They want to wait until the country is ready.

How can the country ever be ready for a black or female president if they never run?

It drives me crazy! If we happen to nominate a black or female nominee in 2008, 2012 or whenever, then let's force the country to get ready for a black or female president instead of cowering over the prospect of losing because of other people's attitudes.

Change doesn't happen by sitting in a corner waiting for someone else to make the first move.

That's it. I'm done ranting.

:rant:

[bliss_eternal]

1. Feel a little better now...?

:hi: I know I do, after a good rant!

Sorry you had to rant at all, I can understand your frustration. I've done my best to stay out of those threads and arguments--but have seen them and had similar thoughts.

I have issues with each potential candidate that I didn't want the chorus of "the country isn't ready" to adopt as part of their battle cry. Though I do believe I have valid concerns about them, I just didn't want to add fuel to the bigoted, sexist flames present on DU.

[Catherine Vincent]

2. I know what you mean.

But we've had blacks in the pass to run, from both sides, they just don't get the nomination. Rev. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Carol Mosley-Braun. Oh and less we forget, Alan Keyes. :eyes:

[bliss_eternal]

5. I remember the Jackson run well...

I kept one of his campaign signs and sticker for years. :bounce: A friend taped his speech at the Democratic convention that year--we used to watch it over and over.

Alan Keyes...:puke: That man is crazy.

I recall when some wanted Powell to run. Republicans thought they could get black Dems to vote for him, because he's black. :eyes: He could have promised eternal world peace and I still wouldn't have voted for Powell.

[bobbieinok]

10. Shirley Chisholm

http://afgen.com/chisholm.html

Shirley Chisholm

Shirley St. Hill Chisholm was born on November 30, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York ...

....

In 1964 Chisholm ran for a state assembly seat. She won and served in the New York General Assembly from 1964 to 1968. During her tenure in the legislature, she proposed a bill to provide state aid to day-care centers and voted to increase funding for schools on a per-pupil basis. In 1968, After finishing her term in the legislature, Chisholm campaigned to represent New York's Twelfth Congressional District. Her campaign slogan was "Fighting Shirley Chisholm--Unbought and Unbossed." She won the election and became the first African American woman elected to Congress.

During her first term in Congress, Chisholm hired an all-female staff and spoke out for civil rights, women's rights, the poor and against the Vietnam War. In 1970, she was elected to a second term. She was a sought-after public speaker and cofounder of the National Organization for Women (NOW). She remarked that, "Women in this country must become revolutionaries. We must refuse to accept the old, the traditional roles and stereotypes."

On January 25, 1972, Chisholm announced her candidacy for president. She stood before the cameras and in the beginning of her speech she said,

"I stand before you today as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States. I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that. I am not the candidate of any political bosses or special interests. I am the candidate of the people."

The 1972 Democratic National Convention in Miami was the first major convention in which any woman was considered for the presidential nomination. Although she did not win the nomination, she received 151 of the delegates' votes. She continued to serve in the House of Representatives until 1982. She retired from politics after her last term in office. She has received many honorary degrees, and her awards include Alumna of the Year, Brooklyn College; Key Woman of the Year; Outstanding Work in the Field of Child Welfare; and Woman of Achievement. She continues her work as a lecturer, teacher and political mentor.

[bliss_eternal]

11. Thank you, bobbienok

for reminding us all of the courageous political presence of Shirley Chisolm. As a woman of color--she did her best to represent us all as her words state so beautifully in the quotes you provide in your post. :hi:

I don't think it mattered at all that people weren't "ready" for her to win an election. She did what she felt the conviction to do because she sincerely wanted to make a difference--particularly for women and people that had no voice. That's what matters. People could jump on her train if they believed in her. If they didn't--so be it, wasn't going to change her or make her shrink away from the responsibility she felt.

[Brewman_Jax]

3. Faulkner was right about the past

it's not dead, it's not even past.

It's hard to float the idea when most of the majority don't like the idea of black people as neighbors, at least more than 5, much less in leadership positions, like NFL head coaches, starting quarterbacks, mayors and state governors. Studies have shown time and again that all factors being equal, black people will get less consideration in jobs, business loans and mortgages, insurance, and even healthcare. Hell, the various blogs (even DU) went insane when 2 black people won best actor and actress Oscars in the same year (Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, 2001) and rap songs have won the best Original Song Oscar ("It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp" by Djay in 2005, and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem in 2002). In national politics, there's only one black senator and no black republicans in Congress at all. Most of the black Representatives represent majority black districts. Examples of the glaring unfairness could easily fill pages. Just go to the "Best of DU...?" thread.

So, what does all that have to do with the price of tea in China? It's shows the mentality of the racial caste system under which American society suffers.

Let us not forget that a large percentage voted (again) for an incompetent white male to be President of the United States who isn't qualified to stock shelves without supervision. They voted for a confirmed military deserter over 2 actual veterans, and one of them was decorated for wartime bravery. It's a lot for these brain-dead bigots to break out of their comfort zones. Adlai Stevenson was stunningly accurate in this exchange after a campaign speech...

Woman: Mr. Stevenson, you have the vote of every thinking person here.
Stevenson: Thank you, madam, but I'll need a majority to win.

Will the country EVER be ready? No time soon, maybe never. Should it be done? Absolutely! Doing the right thing, especially if it goes against social conventions, will be never welcomed by the majority. The country wasn't ready for the end of school segregation and the civil rights era, but it was the right thing to do--even though it was vigorously fought against. The Mondale/Ferraro ticket in 1984 was unsuccessful, but first times usually aren't successful.

Well behaved people don't make history.

[bliss_eternal]

4. I agree, it should be done...

I also agree that the country is never going to be "ready"...for a President of color or a Woman as President. But I will always be supportive of seeing it happen--and applaud as it does.

I have to be honest in that I personally don't want to see Obama elected. I believe he's a good guy, and he's still pretty green as a politician with a lot to learn. But none of that has anything to do with my not wanting to see him elected. I just don't want to see him hurt...or worse. Unfortunately, there's too much hate in this country. I don't want to see what those of the the MLK and Kennedy eras saw, good men taken down by extreme hatred.

Probably sounds terrible that I would say such a thing--for that I am sorry. :(

[wildeyed]

7. I hadn't thought of that.

:scared:

Obama is green, but he has so much ability it may not matter to me. I hadn't thought of him as a candidate in 08 until recently, but I am kinda getting used to the idea. Gore and Clinton both have so much baggage. Obama is new and hopeful. He is really really smart. My main worry is he is not a tough enough campaigner to go against the GOP smear and hate machine.

[bliss_eternal]

9. Hi wildeyed...

:hi: I agree, Obama is smart. I believe he has great potential but I'd rather see him continue to grow and do good for his state as a senator. But of course would I would be supportive if he was to be elected (I would never speak against his candidacy on the boards, etc.).

I tried to hang in there with Hilary, but I'm done with her. To me she's been a huge disappointment and runs along with Lieberman, in the sense that she aligns herself with too many of the policies of this administration. I don't like that at all. But again, I wouldn't speak against her if she does become a candidate in '08, I just wouldn't necessarily utilize my vote on her.

[SemperEadem]

6. I agree, but lets have the right candidates who will get the votes

I don't think Obama is seasoned enough right now to run--perhaps in 2012 or 2016, but not 2008. He needs to advance out of the freshman phase of his senatorship first. Both he and Clinton--I don't think she should get it just because she was married to a President. I'd rather see Boxer run first... but that's me.

[bliss_eternal]

8. Boxer rocks!

Boxer I'd LOVE to see as a candidate because she's willing to put herself out there. She knew Condi would get through but still put contested her nomination--I admired her for that.

[politicasista]

12. I would vote for her over Hillary in a heartbeat! n/t

[bliss_eternal]

14. Hi politicasista...!

:hi: Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what Hilary has done for our party, for women, etc. She's good at what she does and I know many of her contistuents adore her. She championed women's rights in New York at a time when a crime against a women meant many just looked the other way. I've always liked Hilary.

I suppose because I've always liked her is part of the reason I'm a bit disappointed by her actions of late. That Hilary has supported some of the policies of this administration, policies that frankly I would have expected her to speak out against. I understand that no one is perfect, and society tends to judge women so much more harshly than they do men. I don't want to be that way, and realize there's going to be positive, negative and some grey areas as well--ultimately she is human.

[fortyfeetunder]

13. Nancy Pelosi changed that on Wednesday

As Speaker of the House-elect, will be third in command to lead the nation come January. So she "could" be President -- not elected, even if America is ready or not!

Wonder how many voters realized that????

[bliss_eternal]

15. Probably not many

or rioting may have ensued. :rofl: