Hush
Games are played in politics and there’s no way around that. Politicians don’t hold babies because they want to be spit up on. I accept that they are trying to get votes by doing things to appeal to every person eligible to vote. But a different kind of game has been played by supporters and pundits in the name of Barack Obama. I don’t entirely fault him for this. But he’s been a bit of a player in it too.
Hours before the North Carolina and Indiana Doubleheader Primaries, Michele Bernard of “The Independent Women’s Voice,” was on an MSNBC political panel. She commented that African-American supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton loved every minute of the suffering Obama went through during the Rev. Wright scandal that played out for weeks. I wonder if she truly envisions Maya Angelou rolling on the floor with delight that Senator Obama was being wounded. Does she see Stephanie Tubbs doing a dance as she watched the psychodrama unfold? Doubtful. And how insulting to women and men of her race.
Bernard’s comment crystallized what we already know: African-American supporters of Hillary Clinton were put in a box marked “Not Black Enough” and sent to Traitorville (much the way black Republicans are), and the continued denial of Barack supporters making race an issue continues.
It’s no secret that black supporters of Senator Obama showed utter disgust and made alleged threats toward anyone not on the side of Barack Obama. The Clinton’s have been accused of making race an issue and yet the subject of Obama supporters making it one is permitted to be addressed.
If race wasn’t an issue for his supporters why did Jesse Jackson call up a Super Delegate and ask him, “If it comes down to one vote, do you really want to be the black to keep the first black out of the white house?” If race weren’t an issue for his supporters why did Rev. Calvin Butts receive phone calls from black members of his church asking him why he was supporting, “that white woman?” When radio host Tavis Smiley voiced his displeasure toward Obama not attending the Black Caucus according to him, he and his mother received death threats. Eventually he had to quit because his hate mail became so overwhelming.
What does this mean? Are we being set up to be forbidden to disagree with our own president or risk being called a racist? Worse, are fellow black Americans?
Another point: Senator Obama has received 90% plus of the black vote in every contest between him and Senator Clinton. Yet no one seems to want to ask why. There’s a kind of shame that the Obama campaign seems to be harboring: don’t make him the black candidate. But it’s impossible to pretend that the black vote has not greatly contributed to every single one of his victories. He clearly sees no risk in losing their vote. And why? Because it’s clear their vote for him is an automatic. Which would add up to what?
Race IS an issue.
The historical context of this Democratic race has been a fascinating and inspiring. At times, however, it’s also been maddening. When Tom Brokaw said on MSNBC, “She [Clinton] has to be careful how she goes after him,” I remember feeling like I’d been struck with a fastball. I’ve never been hit by one…but I’ll go with the analogy anyway. It hurt. A lot. And I felt at that moment that the race in the days, weeks, and months ahead would play to his drummer.
I knew that she was up against something that was even more difficult to overcome then Barack’s struggle to overcome “the Clinton machine.” The rules were written and they didn’t have to be fair, because history had been beyond unfair to black people. They had been murdered, enslaved, beaten, and barred from enjoying simple human rights in this country. There is an often unspoken debt. It is not without reason and if we don’t care to understand, we are also in denial of our own history. It reminds me of the Martin Lawrence joke from years ago. He once said that he went to see “Mississippi Burning” and, afterwards, white people came up to him sobbing, “I’m sorry.” We have been guilty of terrible things in this country.
But while racism is alive and well (and is often secretive), it is also a different country and a different time. Sexism however is practically celebrated. It is entirely acceptable. You cannot use a racial slur, but if you say a woman is a bitch it gets a laugh. It’s a loaded word, just as any racial slur. But while we feel guilt over our racist past, we feel none over everyday sexism. Violence against women happens every second in this country and others. The language that plays into that kind of violence, however, is rarely given the same value.
A reporter can say on MSNBC that Chelsea Clinton is being “pimped” and even though he was suspended, he boo-hoos that he was punished unfairly. People actually felt sorry for this guy? I wonder what the reaction would have been had he said that Michele Obama was being pimped. Racism would have been assigned to the comment and I say that with total conviction.
The assault on Hillary Clinton is nothing new. We understand she represents a type of woman this country found frightening. She is considered a ball-buster, fearless, confident, intelligent, ambitious…oh, the horror. But I was never more aware of the hate toward her than in this race. It was larger than that. I realized how much people were allowed to get away with when insulting women. Perhaps I was naïve. Or maybe I just believed that we were above so much of that ancient gender-crap.
Barack Obama represents the best and brightest in American politics. He has reached people with words and now is expected to back it up with action.
But when he gets the nomination (and he will) and if he’s elected President he must turn to African-Americans and no longer say race didn’t matter. Instead he must say, “Thank you. We made it.” - Jessica Quiroli
