Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Beyond Race and Gender - Some of us haven't made the turn


Today I was blogging on one of the the great local blogsites http://www.westandclear.com/ under the Post "Ft. Worth.....not so progressive." There was a great discussion going on about race, gender and bigotry being intertwined in this Presidential election, etc. When I got home I had an email from one of the North Dallas local Democratic organizers which included the email below:

If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, I truly believe that the minority people will not vote in the election. And without them Cain will win and we will all go down. He is Bush on crack. I am sorry but I am going with Obama because I cannot let that happen. I am a black women and I know my people. If they don't get what they want they will boycott the election and that scares the life out of me. It is not about the issues it is about the person and we need a Democrat in the office. I am sorry but I am going Obama, I want my children to have a good and happy life. God Bless America, Carla Clark

The last time that I referenced "your people" when talking to a Black person, they got defensive and asked me something about it, I forgot exactly what they asked, but the point is that many Black people are still behind the "turn" of being able to look beyond race in dealing with white & black America. So are many Whites. My point again, that racism is not just a "White thing," it cuts both ways forward and reverse and it is intertwined in all of our everyday lives and politics and every level by BOTH races.

Someone explained it to me today that made perfect sense. This White lady stated that the problem she has with Obama is that he rides on this notion of "America is not a divided Country, we are the United States not the Divided States, etc." However, he called for the Blacks to get "Cousin Pookie and Cousin Ray Ray off the couch and vote for him." I asked what was wrong with that -- if I was Obama and I thought I had a vision for making America better for them and could help their lives if they voted for me, I'd ask the same. This Lady said, "Yes, but Obama isn't holding Cousin Pookie and Cousin Ray Ray accountable at all and saying "We need to do better Cuz, get off the couch........" He isn't encouraging "his people" to do better like for instance Bill Cosby does. This lady said if a Black Man was running that put truth where it belongs that she would like him much better and be happy to vote for him, but it's Obama's backdoor, sly salesman type, entitlement style that makes her turn the other way.

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