THE REAL POLITIK ISSUE: VOLUME 13, ISSUE 24
A HOUSE DIVIDED
by Malik Isasis
In America’s young 230 years of existence, we are witnessing history as Barack Obama has become the first non-white male to win a presidential nomination from one of the two parties in the United States political system; the first man of African ancestry to win such a nomination in any Western world. Yet, there is a troubling undercurrent of racism that has been propagated by the corporate media and the Clinton campaign that could undermine his chances of becoming the first non-white to lead the Free World.
Over the past five months I’ve had it out with two friends in particular, both white women. At times it was difficult to tell whether we were political allies.
“I gotta vote for the vag,” One said, as her motto. The other friend believed in her heart of hearts that Obama wasn’t a fighter, and that the Republicans would chew him to pieces.
“Hillary is a fighter. She’s willing to play dirty,” she said.
After it was clear that Obama would win, the younger of the two immediately began supporting Obama, the other, it took Hillary saying some awful things before I received this email:
” well, I'm done with Hillary. her part in dividing WVa by race is such a drag, and what's the point? not that WVA is a redeemable state on many levels, but at this point I think she's hurting the country and the dems.
so hopefully she'll drop out and Obama will prevail against McCain. his list of advisors and lobbyists are almost exclusively military-industrial so it would be too sick for words if he got in.”
So, there is hope that Hillary supporters will come around, but will the most rabid of Hillary supporters come around?
Hillary Clinton’s supporters are hurting, and I truly respect that pain and have compassion for what they must feel, I would feel incredibly resentful if it had been the other way around. The corporate media has eagerly stirred up sexism and racism for entertainment value. The corporate media has been sexist toward Clinton, just as they have been racist toward Obama. Yet, white women (older) have turned on Obama; the media has pitted Latinos against Obama, and most infamously, the Working Class Voter ® to what end?
You know how when there are riots in the inner city? Who suffers? The same residents who live in the very area they’re rioting in. The very injustices that caused the rioting are lost in the aftermath of property damage. The protracted primary race between Clinton and Obama has been something like a five month Democratic riot. The emotional and psychic wounds from the Democratic primaries threaten to leave some scar tissue. The injustices caused by Bush and the Republicans could very well be lost because of the scorch earth tactics that have divided the party.
Political Operatives
In order for there to be any healing, Clinton will have to tell her rabid supporters and political operatives to stand down. Geraldine Ferraro comes to mind. Here is an excerpt Op-Ed Ferraro wrote on May 8, 2008:
That sexism impacted Clinton’s campaign, I have no doubt. Did she lose a close election because of sexism? I don’t know. But I do know that it will never happen again as long as women are willing to stand up and make sure that it is just a one-time bad experience.
As for Reagan Democrats, how Clinton was treated is not their issue. They are more concerned with how they have been treated. Since March, when I was accused of being racist for a statement I made about the influence of blacks on Obama’s historic campaign, people have been stopping me to express a common sentiment: If you’re white you can’t open your mouth without being accused of being racist.
They see Obama’s playing the race card throughout the campaign and no one calling him for it as frightening. They’re not upset with Obama because he’s black; they’re upset because they don’t expect to be treated fairly because they’re white. It’s not racism that is driving them, it’s racial resentment. And that is enforced because they don’t believe he understands them and their problems. That when he said in South Carolina after his victory “Our Time Has Come” they believe he is telling them that their time has passed.
Pack it in Ferraro. You’re the rioter who is throwing firebombs through your neighbors' windows. Your time is up. You are not useful to Democrats. And hopefully, when Hillary’s supporters get wind of McCain's policies, they'll be coming home.
A HOUSE DIVIDED
by Malik Isasis
In America’s young 230 years of existence, we are witnessing history as Barack Obama has become the first non-white male to win a presidential nomination from one of the two parties in the United States political system; the first man of African ancestry to win such a nomination in any Western world. Yet, there is a troubling undercurrent of racism that has been propagated by the corporate media and the Clinton campaign that could undermine his chances of becoming the first non-white to lead the Free World.
Over the past five months I’ve had it out with two friends in particular, both white women. At times it was difficult to tell whether we were political allies.
“I gotta vote for the vag,” One said, as her motto. The other friend believed in her heart of hearts that Obama wasn’t a fighter, and that the Republicans would chew him to pieces.
“Hillary is a fighter. She’s willing to play dirty,” she said.
After it was clear that Obama would win, the younger of the two immediately began supporting Obama, the other, it took Hillary saying some awful things before I received this email:
” well, I'm done with Hillary. her part in dividing WVa by race is such a drag, and what's the point? not that WVA is a redeemable state on many levels, but at this point I think she's hurting the country and the dems.
so hopefully she'll drop out and Obama will prevail against McCain. his list of advisors and lobbyists are almost exclusively military-industrial so it would be too sick for words if he got in.”
So, there is hope that Hillary supporters will come around, but will the most rabid of Hillary supporters come around?
Hillary Clinton’s supporters are hurting, and I truly respect that pain and have compassion for what they must feel, I would feel incredibly resentful if it had been the other way around. The corporate media has eagerly stirred up sexism and racism for entertainment value. The corporate media has been sexist toward Clinton, just as they have been racist toward Obama. Yet, white women (older) have turned on Obama; the media has pitted Latinos against Obama, and most infamously, the Working Class Voter ® to what end?
You know how when there are riots in the inner city? Who suffers? The same residents who live in the very area they’re rioting in. The very injustices that caused the rioting are lost in the aftermath of property damage. The protracted primary race between Clinton and Obama has been something like a five month Democratic riot. The emotional and psychic wounds from the Democratic primaries threaten to leave some scar tissue. The injustices caused by Bush and the Republicans could very well be lost because of the scorch earth tactics that have divided the party.
Political Operatives
In order for there to be any healing, Clinton will have to tell her rabid supporters and political operatives to stand down. Geraldine Ferraro comes to mind. Here is an excerpt Op-Ed Ferraro wrote on May 8, 2008:
That sexism impacted Clinton’s campaign, I have no doubt. Did she lose a close election because of sexism? I don’t know. But I do know that it will never happen again as long as women are willing to stand up and make sure that it is just a one-time bad experience.
As for Reagan Democrats, how Clinton was treated is not their issue. They are more concerned with how they have been treated. Since March, when I was accused of being racist for a statement I made about the influence of blacks on Obama’s historic campaign, people have been stopping me to express a common sentiment: If you’re white you can’t open your mouth without being accused of being racist.
They see Obama’s playing the race card throughout the campaign and no one calling him for it as frightening. They’re not upset with Obama because he’s black; they’re upset because they don’t expect to be treated fairly because they’re white. It’s not racism that is driving them, it’s racial resentment. And that is enforced because they don’t believe he understands them and their problems. That when he said in South Carolina after his victory “Our Time Has Come” they believe he is telling them that their time has passed.
Pack it in Ferraro. You’re the rioter who is throwing firebombs through your neighbors' windows. Your time is up. You are not useful to Democrats. And hopefully, when Hillary’s supporters get wind of McCain's policies, they'll be coming home.
posted by Malik Isasis at
12:22 AM
1 Comments:
Nice work, Malik. Rememeber, in the long run, we are on the same team. NO MORE BUSH!
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