Opinion

Beware, those on the Right might want to show a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Our youth are watching and the world is watching. Obama will be the next leader of the free world. When it comes to the politics of personal destruction, as Rev. Al says, Not This Time! We are on our job working for universal turnout. I am not angry, in fact, I feel sorry for white people who in 2008 cannot accept the leadership of a Black man. As a result we will enter the most vicious period of personal attacks witnessed in America. It will be up to the youth of America to lead the way for their elders.

What exactly are Sara and Mac saying to me? I am a community organizer. My goal has been to help marginalized communities participate fully in our democracy. I always believed it was important to participate even when the choices did not reflect my interests well. Even when it was still impossible for a Black man or woman to become president, I still participated. I didn’t realize then what it felt like to be really proud of my country. I wasn’t ashamed, I was simply sensitive to the way we treat people who have less, the poor and the ignorant and especially people who are dark like me. What did I have to be really proud of? Slavery, Jim Crow, Discrimination, Racism? How could any Black person fully embrace America before the presidency was open to us? When Obama was nominated I found myself waving a flag and believing for the first time that it was possible to move beyond racism to elevate the best qualified candidate to lead the world.
My ancestors were phenomenal to pass on a vision of freedom so strong that it propelled us to this day.

In some ways I am envious of those who have always had this feeling based upon being born in a privileged position compared to Blacks. I wonder how they will feel when Obama is elected? Will Sean Hannity in his patriotism lift up the president? Will John McCain in his regard for the commander and chief salute Obama? Will Sarah rally Joe Six Pack to fall in behind our leader at a time when our nation needs all hands on deck? I resent the effort to take this feeling away from those of us who have given so much to just to participate, to be included, to make an even greater contribution.

There is no way that I can even begin to be objective about the Biden-Palin debate. The bar was set so low for Sarah Palin that it is impossible for me to compare her to Joe Biden. How dare a candidate in a debate announce that she will not be answering the questions posed by the moderator, especially when she is seeking my vote? Bottom line, I just don't like Sarah Palin. I don't like the way she talks, the snide little remarks that she makes, or the way she tries to identify with everyday people. I especially can't stand the way that she says "peeeople". I wish she would go back to Alaska and I am so relieved that there is only one VP debate.

I am trying to understand how anyone can be undecided. What are they considering? The Republicans ruined our country and they are a disgrace to the word conservative. In times of war a good leader would ask the nation to sacrifice, to save, and support the war effort. Our president actually encouraged us to shop and in spite of the fact that we are in debt and cannot afford this war McCain-Palin seem to have a very narrow definition of victory that I believe is somehow connected to his impression of Viet Nam. In times of economic crisis a good leader would step forward to exude confidence in the economy rather than stoking the flames of fear. Above all, it is time for women to make our voices heard and we cannot sing the same old tune. John McCain is a veteran and a hero but it is not true that he is the only candidate that has “fought for me”. I respect and honor is service but I also appreciate the service Senators Obama and Biden and even the contribution that Gov. Palin is making in Alaska.

Low expectations have thrown our nation into a downward spiral in education, work, and now even the highest office in the nation. As I write the media is going on about the fact that Gov. Palin stopped the bleed. It looked to me like the woman was reading her answers and while Palin did a good job staying on the narrow message and few answers that she obviously memorized we are all sick and tired of talking points. Senator Biden is older and more experienced but the point is that I can imagine him helping to get legislation through the congress no matter how it is configured. Sarah would need a tutor. This is not a position for on the job training and is offensive to compare Palin to Obama.

I was so pleased when Joe Biden spoke about Darfur, climate change, and the need for revisions to the bankruptcy laws to benefit the middle class in ways that the wealthy already enjoy. These are issues that many of us care about and I trust Obama-Biden to make a dramatic change for the better, not just for America but for the entire world.

I have just read that white women are trending toward Obama and I wanted to pause and express my honest appreciation. Making history is meaningful to all groups, especially those who have been denied coveted opportunities over long periods of time, so it is understandable that white women would identify with Sarah Palin and want to give her a chance. Even if race were not a factor gender is and putting them both together creates a subtle, yet very real, gap. On top of this, many women have shifted their positions where abortion is concerned.

All women want the right to control their bodies but it is difficult to fully rationalize abortion on demand given the remarkable advances in technology. We must respect women who fight for life but we must also remember that ending unwanted pregnancies is a practice that pre-dates Roe v. Wade. It is best not to push the practice back underground. We struggle with so many contradictions, if criminal activity results in the loss of an unborn life of a child that is cherished it is indeed murder, so we all may want to think again about the standard for the unloved and unwanted. To know that even a few of these women have been able to look past a single, though profound, issue to side with the overall greater good elicits my admiration. In a real way the collective women’s vote, black, brown, white, red, and yellow will determine the direction of the Free World. White women are front and center with tough choices to make.

I understand that for feminists Hillary Clinton was their “shero” and it is a crushing experience when our heroes are defeated. It is painful and sometimes impossible to ever embrace the victor. Politics is personal and feminism is political. We knew liberal organizations would say the right thing but to be honest some of us were prepared for a fight to the bitter end. To learn that a good number of strong feminist women have actually put policy first and have worked hard to convince others to follow their lead is remarkable. Some of us still have an eyebrow raised and arms folded because we were ready for “here they go again” but not this time. This time feminist have demonstrated an ability to set feelings aside, oh they won’t like being called emotional still they have to admit that they were filled with passion and fire advancing the first viable woman presidential candidate. We know what it is like when all that remains is smoldering defeat and to rise to support the opponent, that is not party loyalty, that is extraordinary.

For Black women it has been much easier to arrive at an early decision. Change and hope have been our mantra for so long that for us an Obama candidacy was truly a dream come true. We scrutinized the spouse and found Michelle Obama to be exceptionally well qualified to be our very own first. Finally the world would have to entertain the thought, the energy, and yes the power of a Black First Lady. We are lifted by the possibility in much the same way that women were lifted by Title IX to be able to compete among women and experience victory. It feels really good just to be able to compete.

We know that it will be terribly difficult for some white men and women to go into the voting booth and privately pull the leaver for a Black man but we believe in change, especially changed hearts and minds. So today I want to thank my white sisters for being brave enough, and wise enough, and woman enough to embrace change.

This piece is in response to "A feminist's argument for McCain's VP" by Tammy Bruce

By Felicia M. Davis

I cannot believe that the San Francisco Chronicle article,"A feminist's argument for McCain's VP" by Tammy Bruce, is written by any self-respecting feminist, much less the former president of the Los Angeles Chapter of NOW and a lifelong democrat.

To argue that any woman should set aside her values, interests, and intellect to simply vote on the basis of gender is an affront to all of the women who have struggled for years to claim our rightful seat at the decision-making table. In politics there are always winners and losers but there is also the larger agenda, the bigger picture.

As an African American woman I am still waiting for white feminists to respect my womanhood and maybe, for once, follow our lead. In the words of Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?"

Strong Black women like the late great Stephanie Tubbs Jones supported Hillary Clinton every step of the way, but Hillary was out maneuvered. Her campaign made serious strategic errors and they lost. By definition campaigns are designed to defeat opponents and all is fair…especially when playing by the rules.

My vote will not be delivered based on race or gender, but I will take a moment to address both. As a young woman I considered myself a feminist.