Racist Comment or Taken Out Of Context? (Final Revision)

Geraldine Ferraro, a former congresswoman and vice-presidential candidate, has recently resurfaced in the news regarding commentsshe made about Senator Barack Obama’s success being based on the fact that he is Black:

“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position, and if he was a woman (of any color) 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.”

It is surprise that Ferraro has been seriously criticized for her statement which can only be perceived as an insinuation that Barack Obama’s achievements are solely based on the color of his skin, and that the nation has allowed his race to outweigh his ability to lead.

Fueling an already burning fire, Ferraro went on to state that she has no remorse regarding her comments;  “I am who I am and will continue to speak up.”

Ferraro, who recently held a fund-raising position in Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign to become President, has now resigned indicated in the following quote:

 “I am stepping down from your financing committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign. The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you and I won’t let that happen.”

Ferraro would later criticize Obama’s camp for trying to block her First Amendment Rights. In addition, she also “blames” Senator Obama’s chief strategist David Axelrod for misinterpreting her comments. Is she kidding? I can say with confidence that how he chose to interpret her comment is in alignment with my interpretation.

In a recent interview, Ms. Ferraro continues what I can only perceive as an unwillingness to accept her statements as inappropriate:

“Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let’s address reality and the problems we’re facing in this world, you’re accused of being racist, so you have to shut up. Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”

How is Ms. Ferraro addressing reality and the problems we’re facing in this world by making the comment of Senator Obama’s success being based on the fact that he is Black?But this is not the first time that Ferraro has made a racially based comment about a Black Presidential candidate. In an article in The Washington Post (April 15, 1988), Ferraro is quoted as saying that, “if Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn’t be in the race.”

Ms. Ferraro states that her comments were taken out of context, and not at all racist but I don’t believe her. If I were to say that the only reason Senator Clinton is so successful is because she was a woman, I’d be accused of being sexist! 

I absolutely believe that our First Amendment Rights are tantamount in maintaining a democratic society. I don’t believe that making comments that hurt or judge people should impede our common sense and justify racist and/or discriminatory behaviors.

Add a comment April 25, 2008

Barack Obama: Out Of Many, We Are Truly One… (Final Revision)

“Out of many, we are truly one.”

Senator Barack Obama recently made this statement in a speech that addressed race relations in our nation. This speech solidified my belief that Barack Obama embodies a unique value system that says through hope, we all can share in the “American Dream” and by working together to initiate change in our thinking, change in our behaviors and change in our attitudes, we are ultimately investing in the future of our nation. 

However, in recent days there has been a great deal of discussion about Senator Obama’s race being a factor in how Americans are choosing to vote. According to the New York Times, 19% of voters in the last primary stated that race was a factor in determining how they chose vote. My question is why? Without doubt we are a nation of diversity, so why is race a factor when America itself has become known as a “melting pot” of myriad cultures?   

Can it be that labels like “majority and minority” continue to be used as descriptives of our “place” in society?  After all such labels instigate inequality and imbalance among people so if we continue to use such language, the problem of race will remain a catalyst of seperation and hostility.

I feel that race is a complex issue but one that we must address if restortion from our nation’s history of slavery and segregation is ever to take place. I further believe that Senator Obama’s message of hope speaks to the hearts of all people without prejudice. Senator Obama is the son of an African and an American, and through their union he has been given an incredible gift; the ability to embrace people as they are. Who better than Barack Obama to represent our nation’s hopes and dreams?

I am a proud supporter of Senator Barack Obama and through his message of hope we can embrace one another by creating an America that we all can believe in!  

Respectfully,

Rhonda M. Cartwright

Add a comment April 25, 2008