It's Like Trying To Unscramble An Egg: Race, Gender and Our Election

I read an interesting article about race and gender in the Washington Post yesterday. The thing that I found most interesting (almost offensive) was that idea that people have some sort of allegiance to race and or gender so that, in this election cycle black women will have to “choose” one over the other. Of course, if the election were about issues, which it should be anyways, it would be so easy to color- and/or gender-blindly choose a candidate. But, the media, always trying to sensationalize things, just can’t let this go. I really thought we could make it through this election without putting race or gender in the forefront. Boy, was I wrong! I feel like I need a vacation (the Caribbean sounds nice).


Then I realized that I’m on vacation this week, so I figured I’d just write about it. I started thinking about which identity is more deeply entrenched in our psyches. Have you every tried to buy baby clothes for someone who wants to be surprised by the gender of their child? Not easy, is it? Your choices are yellow or green or some sort of rainbow so as to remain as androgynous as possible. You can have balloons, maybe trees or things like cookies or weird non-gendered cartoon characters. So, from the time we are born we are either pink or blue, hearts and ruffles or trucks and airplanes. From the moment of our existence we are categorized into our own little niche based on gender. Boys are this and girls are that, boys do this and girls do that.

I think the issue of race is a bit more complicated, and one of the problems is that the standard in our society is still the white man (although I’m not sure why, they certainly haven’t proven their usefulness lately). Here’s what I mean, white men are still expected to do any range of jobs, nothing is surprising when it is done by a white man. However, if a minority does that same thing it’s considered shocking by some. And I don’t even mean running for president, but even things like becoming lawyers, doctors, holding political office. And they cynical tone perpetuated by white men is that somehow that person is a “token” in their world. Token candidate, token political appointee, token board member. And, in my experiences, the race issue is far more likely to fall into this category than gender.

What I see is that the gender issue is fought overtly, while race has once again slipped into the realm of taboo (or maybe it never left). Yes, the Equal Rights Amendment was never passed, while the Civil Rights Amendments of the 1960s were. Maybe that’s the difference. Maybe people assume that the race issue was already settled, but that gender has yet to be settled. I believe that women are making greater inroads while racial integration is not breaking the glass ceiling at the same pace.

As a person who falls into both the black and female category, I have to say I feel no particular “allegiance” to vote either my race or my gender. I voted for Edwards in the primary because I voted on the issues. And, I believe that the socioeconomic issues weigh far heavier on racial differences than they do on gender differences. But, I don’t think it takes a person of a particular race or gender to be able to tackle those issues. I think it takes dedication to the principles on which America was founded, life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and that all of mankind is created equal.

Honestly, I think all of these attempts to categorize people by things out of their control is a sign of some sort of societal weakness. Why can’t people be identified by what they choose, such as occupation, hobbies, interests or dislikes? Why are we so busy putting people into boxes and making them choose sides? Why are we still living by the white man standard? Why do I even feel that it’s necessary to write this article? Some people feel comfortable promoting the same old divisions, but it’s about the issues. We need a president who can solve America’s problems, who can address all of America, not just a niche.

Vote Of Allegiance?

How The Mighty Are Falling

Has it really come to this? Is the Democratic Party, aided by the mainstream media, going to implode before the general election? Why have we let ourselves get caught up this media frenzy? Honestly, I have mostly ignored the Clinton/Obama fray. In part, it has to do with the fact that I am an Edwards supporter. I don’t make a point of reading anything that these candidates do or say that is outside of the scope of the issues. But, more importantly, I believe that people should not let themselves get drawn down into this media frenzy. It is petty and it does not add to the election process. It actually detracts from the professionalism and electability of the Democratic Party in the general election and it needs to stop. In today’s polls, McCain is leading Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. This is not where we need to be, and it’s all of our faults.

Why are people so unwilling to compromise? Specifically, Obama supporters. It has been shown that likely Hillary Clinton voters would vote for Obama, but the reverse is not true. Why? This idea is absurd and irritating, and it has a hint of reverse racism to it. Many of the Clinton detractors use extremely offensive and racist language when describing her. Where were these protests when she was First Lady and Bill was President? When you look at the three remaining Democratic candidates, you will see that not much separates their positions. When you look at the way our government is supposed to work, you will see that a President cannot single handedly run this country (note that I said “supposed to”). So then, what we need is a candidate who will direct Congress, lead the country, and act diplomatically abroad. All of the Democratic candidates are capable of fulfilling this role. The personal preference is in the details, and as we all know, details are subject to change.

Why are African Americans so firm in the idea of “Obama or bust”? There seems to be some sort of idea that Obama is entitled to the nomination because he is black, or at least this is how I interpret their comments. I have a hard time believing that people who are so mobilized to vote in the primary would just abandon the general election. I have a hard time believing that people would be so selfish in such an important election. Correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t the Republicans done more that enough damage in the past seven years? How could a supporter of Obama believe that a vote for a Republican, or no vote at all, would be better for America?

Will John Edwards be the beneficiary of this bickering? It’s interesting that for the first time, a white male is at a disadvantage in an election. The media frenzy surrounds the successful minority candidates, but it also drags them down. As Clinton and Obama continue to bicker, Edwards is gaining independent and crossover support, simply because he looks increasingly like the only adult in the room. And it has nothing to do with looks. It has everything to do with attitude. Of course, having the strong message doesn’t hurt. We need a president with attitude to stand up to special interests and those that have systematically driven this country further right.

So here’s my bottom line: This race is about restoring America. It is about Iraq, the economy, education, protecting the Constitution and our personal rights. It is not about race or gender. Unfortunately, some people just can’t let that go. They continue to bring up these issues and perpetuate racism and sexism. To me, the white male candidate is the best not just because he has the best ideas, but because he has risen above the despicable bickering. And to all those that continue to sling mud in the form of racism and sexism: “Stop. It makes you look bad.”

The Color of Hope

What is the one thing every American child grows up learning? Any one can grow up to be President. Over time, though, we learn that’s not exactly true. "Anyone" technically means American-born citizens (sorry, Arnold). And, up to this point, every president has been a privileged, white male.

What do minorities grow up believing they actually can be? Most don’t have visions of investment bankers or doctors dancing through their heads. Instead, they have images of diamonds and dollars. They want to be Rappers or Running Backs. Those are the options for many minorities. And this is constantly reinforced through a mix of popular culture and reality. But, with the grim statistics of the business world, who wouldn’t want to be famous?

According to 2002 census figures, black men still earn roughly 25 percent less than their white counterparts who have the same level of education. Specifically, the median income for a black man with a high school diploma was $27,224 in 2002, compared to $35,738 for whites. For those with higher educations, the discrepancy is even wider. The median income for a black man with a master's degree was 27 percent less than his white counterpart: $50,763 for blacks versus $69,655 for whites.

And, discrimination doesn’t stop at the paycheck. Many people discriminate without even realizing they’re doing it. Here’s one example (and I’m not making this up): Six weeks into my freshman year at the US Naval Academy, midterm grades came out. Each student has to meet with their superior officer to discuss their grades. Being the outstanding student that I am, I had earned 3.5 and was quite proud of it. So, I sit down with the superior officer, he pulls my grades up on the computer, and says “Wow! You’re actually really smart!” I was shocked. Was this man mentally ill? This is the Naval Academy, not a shopping mall. I had applied, along with everyone else, and was accepted. But, because of my minority status, some people automatically assumed that I was not as capable as my white male counterparts.

And now we come to this historic time. Barak Obama is really a black man. He is very capable and he is running for President of the United States. Every black and brown person should run out and vote for him because he represents the culmination of the Civil Rights movement, right?

In my opinion, this is the wrong attitude. Simply because someone is of a certain race does not mean that they bring any more hope or change than any other candidate. Barak Obama is a great and ambitious man. He is also a privileged man. He graduated from Columbia and Harvard. These are great accomplishments and should be regarded as such. But, has he overcome the struggle that is rampant among so many minority communities? Absolutely not.

If people actually look past the surface of the candidates, they will see that John Edwards is the candidate that has the humble roots. I’m sure you’ve heard it many times, but it’s true; John Edwards is the son of a mill worker. He worked his way through state schools in pursuit of his law degree. John Edwards is a self-made man. He is a prime example of hope and the American dream. Hope does not have a color. Hope is not about race. Hope is a feeling. One can only bring hope if they have the personal experience. John Edwards is that candidate.