Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Audacity

I am not a sentimental person. I freely admit to cynicism, in fact. I have very little faith in our electoral system, and really believe that in order to become a presidential candidate, a person has to have made some sleazy deals.

Imagine my surprise when, about five minutes ago, I read the full transcript of Obama's speech from early today and was brought to tears. This man is inspiring. To answer the bruhaha surrounding Rev. Jeremiah White's sermon that has gotten so damn much airtime this week with a speech like this is exactly the kind of courage that we need in The White House. If we are ever going to move forward, we have got to have the race conversation, and we have got to keep having it.

I've read lots of stuff lately about how, as feminists, it's our duty to support Clinton. First, fuck that. As feminists, it's our duty not to tell other feminists what their duty is. Second, my duty is to my multi-racial family - especially the young members of that family. Third, I would get behind a Clinton candidacy in a big way if she won the nomination. I would be thrilled to do so. Between Clinton and Obama, though, I go with Obama. Clinton hasn't brought this cynical bitch to tears. I vote with my emotion (and yes, I only have one).

I have never had hope around a Presidential election before (at the ripe old age of almost 37). It's a good, yet scary, feeling.

1 comment:

EssBee said...

I just want to add that I did not find White's comments offensive in any way, and I do not think that Obama should have equated them to Ferraro's racist comments. Rather, I found White's comments to be the truth. The only things I disliked about this great Obama speech were 1) his distancing himself from White so strongly, and 2) what I saw as an attempt to prove his Christianity. For me #1 was too bad (though I understand why he felt the need to do it) and #2 is excessive.