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I'm Black and a Woman: Let Me Know When You Decide Which Knee I'm Supposed to Jerk, OK?

It's just strange to watch some of the nation's pioneering elected black leaders - civil rights heroes who raised our self-awareness, our political power and who helped define our self-determination - withholding their support for the most legitimate black presidential candidate in the nation's history.

So, blacks are supposed to vote for any "legitimate" black presidential candidate, all other considerations aside. Also, I'm to believe that the undeniable misogyny Clinton has faced amounts to a left-wing "psychological gang bang". Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama is:

“...the greatest betrayal! We are repaid with his abandonment! He’s picked the new guy over us. He’s joined the list of progressive white men who can’t or won’t handle the prospect of a woman president who is Hillary Clinton (they will of course say they support a woman president, just not “this” one). ‘They’ are Howard Dean and Jim Dean (Yup! That’s Howard’s brother) who run DFA (that’s the group and list from the Dean campaign that we women helped start and grow). They are Alternet, Progressive Democrats of America, democrats.com, Kucinich lovers and all the other groups that take women’s money, say they’ll do feminist and women’s rights issues one of these days, and conveniently forget to mention women and children when they talk about poverty or human needs or America’s future or whatever.

Negroes, sisters: if you can't think in more than one dimension, speak for your own damn selves! Especially if you're going to be hysterical. No wonder young blacks support Obama and young (ignorant, ungrateful) women think feminism is passe.

Comments

The Democratic Party is built on "identity politics" only that the Black Man needs to wait his turn for the woman. "Ladies First". This Black Man is real uppity. It is time for a strong woman like Senator Clinton. After her 8 years, than the Black man, then the Mexican, and so on. Obama can get down for the struggle 8 years from now. This uppity Black Man Obama is the cause of the Civil War in the party. Don't think that White Women are going to vote for him in November.

Posted by: Rachael on 01/29/08 at 2:08 PM Respond

This is such foolishness.

There is this weird self hate implied when a woman says she isn't going to vote Hillary. A uterus alone does not a viable candidate make.

But there is an upside: I think this may be the election that completely screws up the polling/demographic assumption process once and for all.

Posted by: Kristina on 01/29/08 at 2:13 PM Respond

Forgive me, but that is sarcasm right? Because I am a white woman (not cool enough for the Caps, and I do like to think of myself as a Scottish American) and I am voting Obama.

Posted by: Kristina on 01/29/08 at 2:16 PM Respond

You mean to tell me black people might vote for a non-black?

WHEW! That gives me some cover being a pasty faced white guy who might well vote for Obama.

I feel much better!

Posted by: capt on 01/29/08 at 4:15 PM Respond

I am glad that Debra Dickerson pointed out this weird and frustrating form of identity politics within the Democratic party and the politic left in general. Many pundits have been floating the phrase, "Vagina Litmus Test," to describe the irrational identity politics of groups like, Think Pink. I have not heard an equivalent for race-based identity politics, but the natural solution is, "The Pigmentation Litmus Test." I think the current state of politics might be described by joining the two to create, "The Vagmentation Litmus Test."

OK, maybe that's not overflowing with focus group appeal.

Also, Rachael, what were you talking about in your earlier post? Your argument might have been cogent if you were speaking it aloud and providing the needed intonation and other vocal cues to indicate sarcasm, but as it stands I have no idea which side you're on.

Posted by: MJ on 01/30/08 at 12:57 PM Respond

Were Clinton and Obama both white males, I would vote Clinton. It's a plus that she happens to be a woman. For black women, that means they will have at last as president someone issuing from the MAJORITY they belong to: women.

Posted by: Kathy Giannini on 04/15/08 at 1:20 PM Respond