Geraldine Ferraro Spewing Venom on the Today Show
This morning Meredith Vieira was interviewing Geraldine Ferraro and Rachel Maddow regarding whether gender has been an issue in this campaign? Ferraro contends that Sen. Clinton has been treated badly because she is a woman. That America is still comfortable with sexism. She cited one time when someone in a Clinton audience held up a sign that said “Iron My Shirt”. She said the media barely said a word about it but if someone had held up a sign that said “Shine My Shoes” at an Obama rally the media would have been all over it. This is one of the few things she said this morning that made any sense. Blatant racism is not tolerated in this country and in some cases acts of sexism are not attacked with equal vigor. However, Ferraro is from a generation of angry women. These women have achieved success in business and politics, but it is not enough until one of them occupies the Oval Office. From her viewpoint everything is sexist. She brought up another example of Obama making a flicking notion as if knocking something off his shoulder. He was showing how he does not let the petty stuff get to him. Maddow a younger woman said she saw this as homage to a rapper Jay Z video where he does the same motion. This exchange showed how the generation gap plays into perceptions of alleged acts of disrespect. The bottom line is when Clinton entered this campaign she knew it would not be easy. When you play with the big boys you are going to get knocked down and you’ve got to get back up. You can’t whine about the boys are mean to me and you can’t let your surrogates whine about it either. Ferraro is angry and she has said she might not vote for Obama, and that is her prerogative, but please stop whining and move on.
Joni, iron my blouse, sweetie!
You are whining about Ferraro whining! You, Joni, are truly whining. Ferraro is speaking out with an adamant attitude which I respect, greatly. Ferraro is a strong woman, just like Hillary Clinton. Ferraro is not barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Ferraro is not a “sweetie” as Obama would have her be.
Joni, you write, “From her [Ferraro] viewpoint everything is sexist.” My, oh my, you are mixing up your sourdough with a broad mixing paddle! Get back into your kitchen, sweetie! It is impossible for you or anyone to know what is Ferraro’s private viewpoint. You do not know if Ferraro views “everything” as sexist. Sweetie, your upside down cake is half-baked.
This comment of yours is hilarious and is hypocritical, “When you play with the big boys you are going to get knocked down and you’ve got to get back up.”
Why is Obama displaying he is a sissy boy? “Leave my wife alone! She is a fragile woman!” Oh, Obama is such a sweetie, he is whining more than you, Joni.
Joni concludes with “…but please stop whining and move on.”
Darn tootin, sweetie! We women need to stay in our place, our kitchen, our laundry, flopped on our backs on our husbands’ beds. We women dare not speak out with strength lest we thought to be whining feminazi sweeties!
Yes, I am one of your Ferraro angry women. I am angry a woman like you would have our gender submit to being under the thumb of sexism, sweetie.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
Right Ferraro…….she’s fallen of the cliff. First, you were on FOX saying it was all the black columnist. Riiiiight……black columnist. Like all those black columnist read by the citizens of in lilly, white, IOWA. Obama won the “….HARD WORKING AMERICANS, WHITE AMERICANS…” in Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska etc. But apparently to Ferraro, and Clinton it’s OK to be racial arsenist, and go after the bigot vote.
To Purl Gurl, when has Obama made a sexist comment towards Clinton. I don’t think his stong, black, wife would tolerate it. Oh that’s rights…….Michelle Obama is not apart of the “….HARD WORKING AMERICANS, WHITE AMERICANS…”
This is a comment from a reader:
Comment:
A great post Okpulot. You tell her! These “young” woman (and even if she is
not “young” she is surely NAIVE) do not understand what it FEELS LIKE to be
treated like a dog, as many woman have in the course of our country’s history.
ANGER is a result of REAL FEELINGS of unfair and unjust treatment … we are
proud to have those feelings as they navigate us towards a day when men will
UNDERSTAND what they are doing is cruel, sexist and thoughtless. Men … and
some woman it seems-now we know- need to have a PARADIGM SHIFT in their
thinking. All it is is being educated so that they KNOW. Now it is happening. Thank GOD for the angry women…they are now using their anger in positive
ways to change the course of history in the country…for the sake of woman’s
voices everywhere. WOMAN’s RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS. You young girls who don’t
get it…let’s not get to a point here in America when with EXPERiENCE you WILL.
It is going in that direction with the naive, arrogant comments
you are making. Trust our older, wise voices, ladies.
The issue is this: is Hillary Clinton in the position she’s in right now solely (as Ferraro suggested) because of sexism by the media or Barack Obama? When has Hillary EVER been portrayed in the media as being weak, or not up to the challenge of the demands of the office? I have NEVER witnessed anything remotely resembling such a charge. Nor have I witnessed demeaning, sexist comments by Barack Obama about his competitor. I’m sure she’s a victim of sexism in the vote, and that Barack Obama is a victim of racism in the vote, but there’s nothing the rest of us can do about that. Hillary has always been a polarizing figure…you will find more people that either love her or hate her than those who have no opinion of her. But to reduce all her woes to sexism is simplistic and hugely unfair to her, as an individual. It is that very consideration of Hillary the individual, not the first-viable-woman-candidate-for-President-Hillary, which has hampered her. And by the way, about that idiot with the “Iron my Shirt” sign, if I were Hillary, I would be appalled had there been any uproar in the media about that…let that idiot’s actions stand for themselves. Hillary has worked too hard for too long to be portrayed as a victim now. She should not be content to be portrayed as much by so called “supporters” like Geraldine Ferraro. There was a time when the popular consensus was that the nomination was hers for the taking. She didn’t fail to get there because she’s a woman. She failed to get there because of a MULTITUDE of factors and mistakes. Hillary is not entitled to be the first female president. She is not entitled to be anything. She simply failed to convince a majority of us that she should be entrusted with the responsibility.
This is proving to be rather interesting. My somewhat sarcastic response to our host, Joni Reynolds, has earned a response from one of my gender and two from the opposite sex. One writes with a voice smoothed with estrogen, two write with voices of testosterone confrontation.
Women negotiate, men confront.
A friend of my gender comments on male sexism, “You young girls who don’t get it…let’s not get to a point here in America when with EXPERiENCE you WILL.”
Young girls are already experiencing sexism. However, because of efforts of many women over many centuries, today’s sexism is quite subtle in nature, most of the time. Like sexism, racism has also become equally subtle. A difference is sexism is wired into our very being through estrogen and testosterone. Racism, on the other hand, is taught to us by our parents and by our peoples. Roots of sexism are based in women’s passive nature and in men’s aggressive nature. As our peoples entered into more civilized times, sexism came right along and began to be more expressed in male attitudes and male behavior, related to their opposite sex.
Men experience much difficulty recognizing sexism and men are well known for a behavioral habit of deep denial. Sexism is now so often subtle men cannot recognize sexism and when men are advised of sexist behavior, a typical response is denial. I have compassion for men; there is no doubt we women drive men crazy.
Both intensity of and type of sexism are affected by cultural aspects. I am raised by both Anglo grandparents and by my Choctaw elders. Our Anglo society is patriarchal based, my Choctaw culture is matriarchal based. Anglo family line is determined by father’s bloodline, Choctaw family line is determined by mother’s bloodline. Anglo families are typically headed by a man, Choctaw families are typically headed by a woman.
I am gifted to be raised by both Anglos and Choctaws. I have learned of differences between and similarities between Anglo families and Choctaw families; a man rules part of my upbringing, a woman rules part of my upbringing. Differences between family behaviors and attitudes, between Anglo and Choctaw, are very dramatic. Similarities between families tend not to be male nor female based.
Joni is certainly an expert on this and perhaps she will comment. My experience gained by working with and, at times, living with black people is our Black American culture enjoys quite a different perspective on sexism. I am not writing sexism does not exist within our black culture rather I will write what Anglos view as sexism is often not seen as sexism by black people. This is a distinct cultural difference much like cultural differences, related to sexism, between a male dominated Anglo culture and a female dominated Choctaw culture.
Packaging all this up for our election year, perception of sexism will vary depending on gender and depending on culture. Most Anglo women well understand Ferraro’s contentions about sexism. Few Anglo men are able to recognize this sexism highlighted by Ferraro. Members of our black community have a perspective of their own but in my heart-of-hearts, I do believe black women do recognize this sexism pointed to by Ferraro but they are torn between allegiance with women and allegiance with their black culture. I understand this quandary.
My understanding derives from a multi-cultural upbringing, an upbringing afforded by my Anglo family and afforded by my Choctaw tribe; I know sexism very well. Another benefit of my being a half-breed is I know racism as well as or better than most black Americans.
Ferraro is right, sexism is an important factor this election year as is racism. Difference is half of our society, men, experience difficulty recognizing sexism. However, all of us, regardless of gender, have no problem spotting racism.
However, sexism and racism are not major issues this election year. America’s major issue is related to cultural identity; we are torn between a white woman and a black man while wishing we could elect both to be our president.
Joni Reynolds, I appreciate your willingness to present diverse opinions and appreciate your willingness to provide opinions of others which oppose your own opinions.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
I believe that this is an election year that has sparked some very interesting discussion. Geraldine Ferraro is a lightning rod for controversy. Her dismissive remarks regarding Barack Obama earlier this year did not go over well in the black community. I don’t know her so I will not call her a racist but I will say that she made some racist comments that I viewed as offensive. As some including you have suggested that I am naive I do take exception to that. I am not, but I too am a product of my experience and when I walk into a room you see black person first and woman second. So it is through these lens that I see this election year. I am glad to see the post has facilitated a lively discussion and I have no problem posting opposing views as longer as the writers are respectful in their dissent.
Join adds to reader value, “Geraldine Ferraro is a lightning rod for controversy.”
She most certainly is! I truly enjoy her stirring up a stink. These issues she brings out do need debate and this debate is healthy for our country. She touches upon topics we have previously been fearful to discuss. She is forcing many to step out of the closet, forcing many to examine their own attitudes and prejudices.
Joni continues, “Her dismissive remarks regarding Barack Obama earlier this year did not go over well in the black community.”
Clearly not well accepted. I do understand the offense and do understand the objections. However, I do disagree with this. This reaction to Ferraro’s remarks about Obama is far too strong to be reasonable. I am well known for being pragmatic, for being down-to-earth.
John Kerry gave us a message, “Help Is On The Way.” Barack Obama gives us a message, “Change You Can Believe In.” Those two messages are no different. Both messages are a promise of hope, but offer little in substance. Play along. Should we spray paint Obama white, he would simply be another John Kerry type. America rejected Kerry, America would reject Obama if he was white. Mondale, Gore, Kerry, all were viewed as left liberals. All lost their elections. Obama is a left liberal.
That is the message of Ferraro.
Evidence of skin color playing a part in this popularity of Obama is found in Black America and found in so much discussion of voting racial lines. Obama being black is foremost in the minds of voters. Just shy of one-hundred percent of black votes are given to Obama. This is a strong statement about voting racial lines. White America going on and on about racism, this hypersensitivity to racism, usually when none exists, also evidences voting racial lines. A good part of the success of Obama is found in his skin color, for many different reasons.
That is the message of Ferraro.
Had Ferraro said, “Obama is popular because he is black and is popular because he would make a good president,” highly doubtful any objections would be raised. Ferraro focused on a single issue, Obama being black. She simply did not mince her words. Our peoples reacted much too strongly to Ferraro because of hypersensitivity to racial issues this election year.
Ferraro stated a truth. Obama would not as popular if he was white. Obama would be viewed as another Gore, Kerry or Edwards. However, Obama is charismatic and his message does inspire hope. Perhaps, if white, he could go on to be our nominee and become our president. Ferraro simply stated a pragmatic truth; skin color is important this election year.
Hillary Clinton, this is even wilder yet is very subtle. Should we hang male equipment between her legs, give her a five o’clock shadow, this is, have her be male, she would not be as popular. I am not sure there is an equal to Hillary, a comparison. Maybe another Bill Clinton? Hillary will keep her pants on, though.
Hillary is riding a wave of popularity based on her female gender. She is wildly popular with women. Would Ferraro be sexist to say, “If Hillary were a man, she would not be as popular” in a public statement? I am sure Ferraro would be labeled sexist but reality is Ferraro would be correct; much of Hillary’s popularity is based upon her being a girl.
This is an equal case of people reacting too strongly to issues about which there is very heightened sensitivity. People are fearful of racism, people are fearful of sexism. Just the slightest hint of racism or of sexism, our political world explodes. This is wrongful behavior. This is people completely out of control. This is emotionalism rather the pragmatism.
Our democratic system is being harmed by this emotionalism. People are voting either by skin color or voting by gender. People should be voting based upon policy issues set forth by each candidate. People should be looking at which candidate offers the most reasonable policies which will benefit America and benefit our world.
We should be taking a pragmatic position. We should be deciding a candidate based on which offers us the best benefits and offers us a better future through policy decisions.
Ferraro is pragmatic, as I am.
Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation