Open Letter to Ms. Geraldine Ferraro

Ms. Ferraro:

Recently you were quoted in the Daily Breeze as saying, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."

I partially agree with you. If Obama were a white man, he would not be in this position -- i.e., the position of dealing with this kind of bull. If Obama were a white man, he would ALREADY have the democratic nomination. If Obama were a white man, his race would be a non-issue in this campaign, not the divisive, hotbed topic that it is.

That's the thing that kills me about self-righteous white people like you who use that line "it's because their black." What you fail to realize is that we in many cases are just as talented, if not more, than our counterparts, yet our accomplishments are marred under a cloud of doubt as to whether we achieved them based on ability or based on our race, whereas our white peers get to just bask in the glory without having to defend the glory.

A long time ago, my mom told me of the mantra that her professor had taught the black students at UAPB in the 70's - "You got to be gold to pass for silver."

Recently a former white professor of mine suggested that if I were interested in the Ph.D. program, that I do even more than what was required for admission (e.g., get an article published). I was to do this, not to increase my chances of admission, but in her words, to quiet any naysayers who may say that I was accepted because I am black. Here was a white lady in effect confirming what that UAPB professor had said. And here you are proving that no matter how golden you are and what you achieve, there are always going to be Ferraros who try to use your skin color to discount your achievements.

"Lucky to be who he is," huh? Oversimplify much?

Senator Obama is a gifted leader who has put forth much to be where he is today, and were he white, he probably would not have had to work half as hard.

Comments

[African Girl, American World]

Forget Ferraro...gurl your Professor said what?! With a straight face too huh? I have stopped myself from trying to make people understand who say such stuff...I have decided that they already know what they are saying. So according to Professor lady, black people aren't worthy of getting into phD programs because they are smart, huh?

[summer]

you're crazy, girl! no, according to my professor, OTHER people might think that a black person didn't get in because of merit, so to prove THEM wrong, I should go ahead and do extra.

Eff that!

She said this via email, and I never had the energy to respond. I was so disheartened that she would even suggest I do extra to provide an answer to racists. Until that point, I thought she "got it."

[rell]

Good stuff -- you mind if I link to this?

[summer]

thanks, rell! *blushing
feel free to link!

[African Girl, American World]

get a room you two...lol

[African Girl, American World]

OTHER people my ass...she thinks that way too.

[bunny]

Co-signing with Mwabi! It's a shame but it's true we have to work thrice as hard! *SMDH*

[Jane]

Would Obama be in this position (in the presidential race) if he were white? No doubt. My husband is voting for him because of his consistent stance against the war in Iraq.

If he were a woman? Who knows?

Can his lifelong accomplishments be attributed to affirmative action and subsequent “minority privilege?” No way. The very idea is incredibly offensive and insulting.

Is he lucky to be a black man in a racist society? No more fortunate that women of any color are to be female in a sexist society.

However, I do think that his race is helping his campaign in some ways. That’s not to say that his success to date is solely a product of his racial and ethnic heritage. But there are a lot of liberal white Americans who are definitely “caught up in the concept” of voting for a black presidential candidate. It makes them feel tolerant and progressive, and holds a lot more exotic appeal than voting for a white woman with upper-middle-class origins. Frankly, I think that many African Americans are probably caught up in the concept too—and why not, after centuries of having to be “gold to pass for silver”? I imagine that it would feel pretty good to see an African-American president sworn into office.

I’m a white liberal woman with a daughter, and I would be lying if I said that gender wasn’t an issue for me in this election. I would love for my daughter (and me) to see a female president of any race.

I think Ferraro’s statements, although offensive and poorly worded, represent (in a part) a visceral response to her own demoralizing experience of trying and failing to obtain the second-highest political office in this country.

Institutional power and privilege have been, and are, selectively distributed in the United States. When there’s even a chance of changing the status quo, centuries of anger and frustration often emerge as desperate and destructive behavior--as with the racism of the nineteenth-century American suffrage movement and the sexism in the Civil Rights movement.

To be sure, this is an emotional election for women and men of color and for white women. I oppose both sexism and racism, but having never experienced racism in this country my vote goes to the person with whom I identify most—Clinton. I know I am extremely fortunate to have the luxury of not needing to choose between my gender and my race.

I will be sad if Clinton loses (or should I say when she loses). However, I will vote for Obama with the hope that the presence of a non-white-male president will ultimately spur progress for everyone.

[summer]

Jane> Thanks for stopping by and for your comment. I appreciate its tone and I agree with many of your points.

I want to just say a couple of things.

I want to briefly address the statement
Frankly, I think that many African Americans are probably caught up in the concept too—and why not, after centuries of having to be “gold to pass for silver”? I imagine that it would feel pretty good to see an African-American president sworn into office.

I think it's problematic to speak for others especially in such sweeping, generalized terms. To assume that I or anyone else is voting solely on the basis of race is insulting to our involvement in the democratic process. Only the supporters of the marginalized others -- women/blacks -- are painted as making decisions based on gender/race. Did Edward's supporters face that? Do McCain's? It really breaks my heart when we the supporters do it to ourselves.

You state that you are voting for Clinton based on the fact that you have experienced sexism and not racism. To me this implies that Clinton and Obama are identical choices for you and the only distinguishable characteristic was gender. If that's the case, fine. But that's surely not the case for everyone.

However, I can only speak for me. Frankly, for me, Obama's race in this campaign is secondary. Alan Keyes is black. Jesse Jackson is black. Never once considered voting for either. In fact, I started off as a Hillary supporter -- mainly based on the Bill connection. It was Obama's message that swayed me -- not his color. Am I excited that this brilliant orator with his message of hope and change also happens to be biracial? Yes. It means my son could possibly look at the President one day and see himself reflected. Is this WHY I'm voting? No. This is why I'm EXCITED to be voting.

There is one more phrase of your comment that struck me
To be sure, this is an emotional election....
Jane, you ain't neva lied.

[Jane]

Wow. Reading my post in this context was a real eye-opener. Thank you for your insights, and for your openness to my point of view. Keep on keepin’ on.

[browngirl]

great post summer! it's is disheartening, though, that many Blacks are voting for Obama based on skin color. you know there will be an obscene increase in voter turnout by our demographic b/c he's black, not so much b/c he has earned the opportunity to be president. i,too, am not voting based on estrogen or melanin, but who i feel can get this country back on an upswing. this, however, would be a good time to school some of these young black folks on the democratic process since everyone's so excited about Obama. I was leaning towards HRC myself until she, a professed feminist, did just as his wife--supported his monkey ass and said nothing. now, i know some would say, one, what about bill? and, two, feminism has never exactly been inclusive of Black women. well, hillary wasn't running for president then so she shouldn't care about maintaining spitzer's support. second, womanism (black feminism) was conceived b/c of the neglect by feminism, so they share one intrinsic goal which hillary totally alienated with her dismissive gesture to spitzer. okay, off my soapbox...