There was a time, before he was running for President, when I was totally obsessed with Barack Obama. It was right before his historic speech at the National Democratic Convention. Because I worked on a film about the death penalty in Illinois, I spent several months in Chicago and the buzz about this guy was real. I knew for sure he would run for President... someday.
Now, here he is running for President and honestly I do not have to lot to say about it. I want him to win. I have volunteered for him and will continue to light a candle, say a prayer and help out when I can.
Some people ask me why Obama and not Clinton. I never really get into this discussion because I think my political choices are my own and I was raised, by my fairly politically active mother, that I do not have to justify why I vote for who I vote for. I just have to vote. However, I will give one simple from the heart answer. I believe that Barack Obama wants to change our country for all the right reasons. I am not sure I feel the same way about Clinton.
Do not get me wrong. These are the best options we've had since I've been voting and if Clinton gets the nomination, I will be behind her 100%. Sure, I think she is a political machine who lacks some nuance but she's fine. She is leaps and bounds better than Romney or Huckabee!!! And I was pretty fond of her husband.
I know I speak for black women everywhere when I say, it is hard to have to constantly justify why, in some people's eyes, you are choosing between being black and being a woman. It is pretty infuriating that my decision is looked upon that way but that is just the state of things. This is not the first time I have been asked to do this and I doubt it will be the last. For the record, I make the right decision for me and let the chips fall where they may.
Rebecca Walker wrote a great piece for The Huffington Post about why she is voting for Obama. It is in response to a piece that Gloria Steinem (her godmother!) wrote for The New York Times. Here is a great passage:
Racism and classism are as definitive as sexism. Did Steinem insinuate that Barack's gender, and not his talent, put him in the top spot? I thought black men were capable of performing at his level without an irrationally granted advantage. And the idea that black men always reach the Promised Land before white women? Forty per cent of black men don't finish high school in America, and one in four are incarcerated. Hillary, and her feminist supporters, are not going to win this election by glossing over the realities of African-American men.
Really, my absolute favorite take on all of this is Chris Rock's rant on SNL. His ability to get at the heart of all of this is incredible. He is truly one of our greatest minds. Turning this race into a suffering contest between black men and white women is pretty low but that seems to be where the race is going.
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