Print This Post Print This Post

May

7

What They Said on race, sexism, Clinton & Obama: The Nation’s “Race to the Bottom”


I read this article in The Nation last week (hint from a listserv) and have had it in an open tab since then but haven’t had time to write about it.

Lucky for readers, because What Tami Said and Racialicious do a superb job, where I know I could only hit on half (because I’m still so early in my understanding of WOC and POC issues). And their analysis gives kudos to the author of The Nation piece, Betsy Reed, whose session at WAM!2008 I live-blogged.  She was excellent.

If you haven’t read Reed’s piece, “Race to the Bottom” yet, read it now and then read Tami and Racialicious.  Thanks to both of those excellent bloggers for taking the time to set Reed’s work firmly in reality.

If you are not familiar with the tensions running through women of all ages and colors related to support for and against Hillary Clinton and support for and against Barack Obama as that support for or against relates to race and gender, these three piece – from The Nation and the two bloggers – are mandatory.

A teaser from The Nation (hattip again to Racialicious who considers this the crux of the article):

The sexist attacks on Clinton are outrageous and deplorable, but there’s reason to be concerned about her becoming the vehicle for a feminist reawakening. For one thing, feminist sympathy for her has begotten an “oppression sweepstakes” in which a number of her prominent supporters, dismayed at her upstaging by Obama, have declared a contest between racial and gender bias and named sexism the greater scourge. This maneuver is not only unhelpful for coalition-building but obstructs understanding of how sexism and racism have played out in this election in different (and interrelated) ways.

Then, a teaser from Racialicious’ post about the article:

Dead on, Betsy. As I wrote in the Does Feminism Have to Address Race post one of the unique positions I happen to find myself in more and more is having to challenge the sexism that Hillary Clinton (and Chelsea Clinton) are subject to from progressive men, but feeling hesitant to do so – after all, I do not want to give the impression that I am giving Hillary Clinton a pass on the race baiting that has come from her camp. I have yet to hear her reject and denounce Bob Johnson or Geraldine Ferraro. So, it becomes difficult.

And a teaser from Tami’s post:

This is the clearest explanation I have read of what troubles me about the Clinton campaign. It is that Hillary Clinton–a woman, herself marginalized, a member of the Democratic Party, the party of equality and progressive values–is willing to use Obama’s racial identity against him to win. Oh, I have other problems with Clinton’s policies and campaign performance, but I can overcome them. It is the race-baiting that I find truly unconscionable and immoral. It is this that is the clearest sign to me that Hillary Clinton represents the worst politics of old: the southern strategy has been around for a despairingly long time. It is this that has moved me to declare what I once thought unthinkable–that I will not vote for the Democratic presidential nominee if it is Hillary Clinton.

I understand that Hillary Clinton is a capable candidate–far better than John McCain. I understand that her platform is not greatly removed from Obama’s. I am not being petulant, because Clinton is my candidate’s opponent. I am following principles that will not allow me to support someone that I view as morally bankrupt. I feel strongly about this. And I have to admit, I have a hard time forgiving feminists who are so eager to see a woman in the White House that they would condone race bias. I guess some folks think it is okay to step on some heads on the way to the mountain top. But those are not the principles I believe in and if those are the principles of the Democratic party, then it has surely abandoned me.

Seriously.  I wish I could think and write so clearly about this intersection of these issues.

Bookmark and Share

By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:17 am May 7th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Blogging, Campaigning, Democrats, Elections, Gender, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Primary, Race, Social Issues, Women 

Comments

3 Responses to “What They Said on race, sexism, Clinton & Obama: The Nation’s “Race to the Bottom””

  1. 1 Tankwoman on May 7th, 2008 10:39 pm

    Wow. Glad I stumbled across your blog. keep on writing.

  2. 2 Jill Miller Zimon on May 7th, 2008 10:50 pm

    Thanks very much! From what I can see, you have been blogging a VERY long time, so I really appreciate the encouragement. I’m going to RSS your blog to keep up. Thanks for stumbling in. :)

  3. 3 Heather on May 8th, 2008 12:28 pm

    Jill, women don’t benefit from Betsy Reed and there are many smart Obama supporters we can be highlighting.
    Reed published 491 men in 2007. How many women? 149.
    There are so many amazingly strong Obama supporters to write about. Let’s not let the people who are part of the problem get by with a pass. Betsy Reed is actively holding women back.
    http://thirdestatesundayreview.blogspot.com/2008/05/dear-betsy-reed.html

Leave a Reply




"));