The Debate for Black Women: Sisterhood vs. The Dream

Many articles are touting a dilemma facing black women: Hilary or Barack? Decisions. Decisions. And then, after solving the problem of which one to choose with our ever-powerful vote, there is an even greater question: Why?

Looking at Hilary, she is the kind of All-American woman many black women love to hate. The upper middle class upbringing in that meticulously manicured kind of Illinois neighborhood we love to drive through on Sundays with envy. Where the houses are really huge but modestly designed so as not to look "showy." Then, after being the popular one in high school, it was on to the Ivy leagues for Hilary, where she accomplished even more, including but not limited to: marrying a smart, ambitious southerner with a high sex drive who goes on to become President of the United States. Yes, we saw you when we were in high school, Hilary. We were the girls you rarely spoke to, unless there was a plan of action on the table and then you rallied us into the student government meeting demonstrating that you were the "inclusive" one. But us sistahs, never got invited to the sleepover did we, dear?. No matter how perfect we tried to be. Actually, I am speaking on behalf of my Mom's generation, here, but it is true to all of us no matter what year we graduated.

Fast forward in our candidates life to a point when, despite achievements and controversies two things happened to Hilary. First, in the esoteric realm that the world judges her by, she aged. Then, as in the sharp painful world of black women who do not receive marriage proposals from their perfect guys in their 20's because black men are endangered and unwise in this regard, Hilary experienced something black women know very well: being "dogged" by your philandering husband.

Ahhhhhh, we said. Now. I know you Hilary. I am you. Have been embarrassed like you, sad like you, shamed like you for all you were going through, said women of color (and colorless ones), all over this nation.

And so black women everywhere watched her (and him) with a new feeling of kinship. We shook our heads in disgust as we read the sordid Lewinsky mess (the tramp), to learn more about the behaviors of our horny power-craving men and the enticements of the dreaded "other woman." At the same time, a sly smile crept up as we thought about whether or not Hilary would ever leave Bill. The answer was obvious: Leave? Never. Never Happen. One must never concede the marriage or the man to the sleazy vixens who've enticed him. We think this as we wrap ourselves with denial. We laughed as we imagined the kind of woman who said to herself stupidly, "I am so bad, I'm going to leave the President." Now THAT is laughable, generally speaking, but the President of France's wife left her leader for another man. Now this is a woman with some confidence! No, Hilary was not going to leave Bill and we knew it. So we watched and felt that sting you feel, when the thought of the person you love lipping it up with another female, hits your stomach. We said to ourselves, go ahead.

Fast forward again, Hilary runs for Senate and Bill is a doting and devoted husband. I mentioned before that I met Bill Clinton and the charisma is staggering. They really are a powerful duo and it takes a strong woman to be married to a man like him. You have to have the ability to see the big picture - the really big picture. Now Hilary is running for President and women everywhere feel inside that success is the best revenge, so they are cheering for her - even those who say they vote the "issues' and choose candidates on the merits. Them too.

Again the question, who will black women voters choose? Will they back Hilary? Yes they will. Unless...

The power of being black, influential and a political candidate is a double-edged blessing. On the one hand, the black race as a whole has lacked leadership since the days of King and Thurgood Marshall. Starving, famished, we've clung to anyone who even pretended to have our interests at heart, only to be disappointed in the end upon learning the person was empty, vain and motivated by personal grand standing ops. No, we are NOT shallow enough to think the affirmative action rollbacks and welfare reforms had nothing to do with the Clinton Administration. On the contrary, we know they did. We also know about American food conglomerates crushing black economies in the Caribbean and beyond, so that farmers were driven into poverty, dependent on the US and made way for loads of American food products to be imported - not to make our American black farmers rich either - a double insult. This was designed and executed by those who could afford to pay lobby dollars. The Clinton's and Bush's (don't get me started) let it all happen. We know this.

Enter Barack Obama.We are clear on his story and have read his books. Integrity. He screams it from his pores. Yes, his wife is an angry black woman, but you can't half get anywhere in the US without becoming one if you happen to be born female with brown skin. Yes, we've all mentally taken our pass at him, meaning that some are naive enough to think that given the right circumstances he might have chosen us had he not been buried in his Chicago firm trying to find his way. He is our Mr. Tibbs, our movie star, our man whom we can get behind as he fights the battles for justice. We dream of him raiing the Treasury for good and Robin Hood-style uplifting of the poorest neighborhoods. He takes it to them domestically, where African-Americans battles are still fought. He wins becuase just like Bush and Cheney, his boys are running thangs! It is a sexy vision. I know you are thinking everything does not go back to sex, but you know it does; way down in the place people dare not acknowledge.

Okay so, we see him, desparately want a change and quietly hope that Hilary and Barack just make a deal. Then he can be the Ambassador-like Vice President who actually helps accomplish quality foreign relations with all of the brown nations of the world. Peace at last. And Hillary can carry out her vendettas as the most powerful woman in the free world who will get the healthcare thing done. What if college tuition were free? I ask only to allow us to think for a moment of the possibilities.

Yes, I can very much see Barack as President. Who needs another decade of Clinton Bush deals, right? Has America trusted in the new and youthful to serve in the White House before? Well look at Kennedy. My point exactly. All black women have fears for Barack's safety and that of our world should he win.

My former boss used to quote Frederick Douglass all the time saying,"Fear and Faith cannot occupy the same space." Actually I've heard a lot of people say this. Faith is what those people who vote for Obama for President have. Faith, not only that he can do what he says, but that he will grow old doing it. If you have to choose one, let it not ever be fear.

Obama has Oprah, but he also has watered down his rhetoric of late, don't you think? I mean even if he could do nothing, his words were provocational and new...that is, until lately. I think a deal is coming and Bill is not going to let his wife take 2nd chair to anyone. Bill OWES her this. But America is strong and young and college students are more conscious than they have ever been. If the youth vote their passions, Barack will be President.

And I am still in awe of the fact that Bush knows that the entire nation and world is on to what he and his cronies have done. Blackhawk making billions. Carlyle Group even more for their contrived war. Pillaging the Treasury and rolling back affirmative action in education on Martin Luther King's birthday! Do you think no one NOTICED that, Georgie? There is a well known story out of Texas about how Karl Rove crushed the opponents of HIS candidate by having them sent to jail on campaign law technicalities. He had the judges and the power and these men, tyring to be public servants, serve hard time at his behest. The man was a scorned little tortured nerd in high school and not unlike Columbine, Karl Rove has exacted his revenge for decades, on all of us. As out men and women in uniform die, he rests comfortably - as does Cheney who fell asleep in last week's wild fire briefing. We can only pray that what goes around comes around for all of them and that we elect someone brave.

Barack, stop making deals and stand all the way up. And then you will have all of us.

I understand, as we all do that the issues are vast and complex. What of McCain and Mr. 911 who up and left his wife for his staffer and now wants to put her ass in the First Lady chair. Please vote against Giuliani for that reason and her existence alone. The bad judgement to ho it up with you boss while pretending to serve he and his wife is reason enough to give "Judith" no respect. His kids won't. Kids smell character and I don't care who he saved or led on 911. His choice of "better halfs" makes him a suspect rather than a prospect.Listen,

I write on behalf of all my sisters in their varying roles: wife, mother, striver, professionals, aid recipients, survivors, dreamers, adulterers, leaders, intellectuals, winners. We have opinions based in things ancestral. It is how we move.

Who Gets My Black Girl Vote?: Don't Give it Up Too Soon - Make Them Buy That Cow

What is politics to us? Is it the same politics that our forefathers and mothers gathered in church basements to create? Is it the same distinguished activism to change public policy? Marching, you remember, in pencil skirts and pearls? Class within their carriage, were our black women of that day. No MTV in sight. Pre-Bad Boy and Mo'Nique's Charm School exploits.

No, Jackie-O had nothing on the women of the Civil Rights Movement. Peace be to them. And so, a half century later, where pray tell, are we?

Remember when Mama (or mother, if you grew up in the burbs like me) told you that no brothers will "Buy the cow if they get the milk for free?" I know you remember what that meant. Of course it was about power - your power, GIRL POWER, the intoxicating power that makes the male species behave in all manner of unconscious and irrational (Clinton/Lewinsky) ways -- ways that are still beneficial to you, little girl. Mama meant for us to know that when you have something of value, (like say, sex) something people want (like say, sex -from you), there is power in preserving it, making someone earn your sacred treasure. Because, (and here is the life's lesson killer that most girls have learned the hard way:) once you give it up, the power changes hands and you can never get it back again.

Never.

And for those of you who have already given up that virginity and that "tail" on one too many occasions, it is time to reclaim your dignity. You still have a power you can cling to, one that should be sought by the highest of the high. A power that somebody very much wants. Oh yes, the potent power of your sweet, black... VOTE. Yes, your black female, discerning, neo-pencil- skirt-wearing VOTE. And don't give it up to anyone (any candidate) who has not fully earned every corner of your precious ballot.

Let's talk grassroots politics for a moment. Educate ourselves by looking at what the giant republican machines accomplished by controlling local politics: the school boards, the local agencies, zoning and other decision-making-with-local-impact areas. They built a closed good ol' boy infrastructure based on grassroots. The rest was like water running down a hill. Easy. This made it easy for republican controlled businesses. republican controlled revenue (cash flow) and ultimately, power.

Today, it is claimed that our black politicians just "look into things" when an issue arises. NAACP other black leadership rendered ineffective by their meaningless pushings of paper and back-slapping conversation. They are under too much scrutiny to be effective and are too weak to make decisions based upon being on the side of what is right. Jesse Jr. is viewed as a maverick for going against the political grain. Yet, his wfie Sandy just became a local Chicago alderman (a City Council seat). The Jacksons have a home in Morocco and more money than their grandchildren can ever spend. Do you think there was not a strategy involved? Create millionaires boys (girls), and you will never ever be broke?

Control ladies. Smart, strategic control. This is how power moves. Who controls the treasury? Jewish people. Who controls the Fire Departments, overwhelmingly? The Irish people. (polarizing examples? Maybe. Truth? Definitely.) No girls, I am not putting people in a box. I am demonstrating that there currently is no area where African-American women (black girls) reign. Unwed single motherhood notwithstanding.

What is our definition of politics and how does it touch you? White politics gets them land ownership, access to the best schools, development deals. What do our politics look like? The answer: A one day event. Think about how often we dress and shop and plan for the "one day" forum, conference, black women's expo or political event. CBC? See-Be-Seen. It would serve us to think about it. What do we support and how serious is it? Who values our judgement, because black girl support doesn't come easy?

In the current - I need a word here for "a parade of pompous clown candidates who are over privileged and under concerned about their fellow man" - except maybe one.

In the current...um...phalanx of vain candidates vying for attention (can you imagine vying for attention -- for a living?? Takes a special breed, right? But, breed of what?) there are very few who have black women on the agenda. Certainly not our republican friends. They recently skipped the all important Republican debates held by the talky Tavis Smiley in Baltimore, MD. Just no-showed. Then on Meet the Press (yes, Tavis was on Meet the Press with monster-head Tim Russert. Peace to his mother for that), Pat Buchanan crushed black vote value and Tavis' points about how insulting they've been by saying, in paraphrase: Blacks are only 13% of the population (so, you actually don't friggin count for anything in this country, he implies) and second of all, only 10% of those blacks even vote (because most of you ninnies can't navigate your way around verb conjugation much less electoral complexities).

Okay, I am going to stop here to call Pat Buchanan a CLASSIC white male ASSHOLE!

But back to my story: So we have blacks at 13% of the population, 10% of them voting and less than 10% of those voting would even consider voting Republican. His point? Y'all nigs are minuscule to us. A blip that, if placed on my ass, would not cause me to even scratch much less notice you. This constitutes typical Republican thinking. Blacks don't matter. And, black girls are for syrup bottles.

But, in reality we get no love on the Democratic side either. the Democrats treat us black girls - (yes you beautiful, educated, African-American success story with money in the bank and good credit - you too) like that proverbial boyfriend who gets a!@ from you anytime he feels like it and totally takes you for granted. Like Eddie Murphy said in his "RAW" stand up routine. When a guy hears the girl make the wooooo-woooooooo noise during sex, he knows he has got them forever and no matter what he does, she will never leave him. Ever. Girls, ladies, educated black women of America - we cannot keep making the wooooo-woooooooooo noise for the Democratic party!! We are now getting dogged. A very public-the-whole-campus/block-knows-about-it, old-fashioned dog out. I won't keep getting played like this by people we have the power to elect. We are too smart. At least get something out of it. Don't let me start illustrating the goods we should be getting when we allow ourselves to surrender something so precious. Any clues?

Okay, now I know you have been waiting for me to ask: Should we give it up to Obama? Okay, the innuendo stops here. Well, with him we know that the keys in his hands means square and fair treatment for African-Americans. Now, I know you white people are thinking: black people in power equates to hell in a handbasket, but think about this example: Pension Funds. The article in the New York Times today outlines the fact that hardly any of America's (in general) and Illinois (in particular) pension fund money went to black investment firms. In Illinois, Emil Jones, State Senate President, had been asked for years to help black firms get access to the money. He told them: "I'll look into it." Meanwhile, he did not want to rock the boat for himself and did nothing. Enter Obama. He noticed maybe, that 1) government workers and labor union members are over 80% BLACK! So, that means that your Auntie who paid faithfully into her pension fund for decades would not have any of that money invested by a black firm. Until Obama.

Obama, got with his brother-in-law (an investment banker) and his friend John Rodgers of Ariel Capital Management (home of Good Morning America's Mellody Hobson) and now over 20% of Illinois pension fund money is minority managed. The old guard it seems is maintaining the status quo. While Obama is quietly and with great aplomb, kicking doors in and making the way fairer for people. Nothing different than what the Republicans do. Or the Clintons do. I like it.

And what about Hilary? Is she worthy? Can we get past the excitement of the rise of the Clintons? The in-your-face reclamation of the White House by the man who left office in disgrace? Um I mean, the first woman President who defeats her detractors, and any h's who tried to sleep with her husband, by becoming the frigging President of the free world? I met Clinton once. Pressed my business card into his hand and did he call? You decide.

While we're at it, let's look at an Obama-is President world shall we? Now this should be fun:

Okay a black President. Blacks in the cabinet. 8,000 DC decision-making policy influencing jobs will be controlled by a person of color who is not beholden to special interests. I can see it now, sistah's and brothers running with degrees in hand to be vetted by the background checkers for a chance to be a Special Appointee in "The Administration."

And what an administration (...day of rejoicing...) that will be! Brown people in Muslim countries will no longer want to bomb the US (and themselves in the process). But will approach the US Commander-in-Chief with a modicum of respect. Which is more than the "America-must-burn-in-the-fiery-pit-of-hell" world that most anti-American Middle Easterners live in. Respect. Clerks are now Chairs. Staffers are now Assistant Deputy Secretaries and profilers have become Special Appointees to the Obama Administation. I like the sound of it. You?

Sidebar: I confess that my recollection of the many times I have heard: "I was a special appointee in the Administration" from DC black prima-donnas, makes me ill every time I think about it. Mainly because the person usually offers that half-true assertion during some kind of cocktail reception when standing in a circle with others vying for the attention of the biggest muckety-muck within earshot. OR they just want to rise above the others standing there. Same goes for people with titles like Assistant Deputy Secretary to the Special Assistant to the Special Appointee. The title comment floats and, after a moment of fake "I'm impressed" silence, the sound of "Ahhhhhhh. Really? That's interesting. Must have been exciting. Do you know....?" Questions and name-dropping wafts over the semi-circle. Someone leaves, yet others now want to befriend and move closer. PATHETIC. Sorry. I just hate that about DC (Desperate Conversation).

YES. That makes me a hater. I know this. But hear me out, real players never have to announce their credentials. Ever. Think on that. Important point for the refrigerator magnets: Just be. Without empty self-promotion. I am amazing and people can see it in my character without me advertising my credentials. Okay yes, I am feeling a bit inferior and would I like to be a political appointee? Sure. But, I can't right now. So I choose to harbor some Hate-that-bitch, internally. Harmless and we all do it.

Okay, but I was talking about Obama being president and got sidetracked by some haterism. Foreshadowing of things to come? Maybe! Can blacks get along enough to capitalize a la Vernon Jordan on what power truly means?

Please read the Autobiography of John Hope Franklin. Now, here is a man who came from nothing. But, due in part to a combination of his own ability, confidence, some vanity and willingness to actually put in work (yes, I know that is determination, but no one is moved by the word determination anymore. It has been over used in black history month ads). But he went to Harvard in the 40's when most blacks couldn't walk down Harvard Street in a major city. He is the epitome of the talented tenth and after becoming a leading historian and professor, author and presidential advisor, he finished his career as an internationally known authority on all things black and his researched helped Thurgood with Brown v. Board of Education. He was a beast. And so are you little black girls and so is your VOTE.

So we know that neither D's nor R's really care about us. Thus, my point. Do not just surrender your vote to the lesser of the two evils. Think, listen then speak and be heard!

You can live life differently. Government belongs to you. Did you know you can drive to the hill (Capitol Hill) enter any Congressional or Senate office (after going through the metal detector) without appointment? Or a security guard stopping to have you sign-in or asking you a question? Walk right down the impressive marble halls where King, Thurgood, Kennedy and others walked. See their names on the door: Obama and Clinton (on the Senate side) and Jackson and Waters (on the US House of Representatives side). You can open their unlocked office doors and pop right in to see what is happening. Why? Because THEY work for YOU!! You didn't realize you have employees did you? Take the field trip (or web trip) to learn who is doing what. Then call the hill, 202-255-3121 and ask for the member you want and say:

The black women will not have their vote dogged anymore. If you want my vote, I need to see the plan and your public commitment for - [insert your wishes here]

Maybe they touch on the key ingredients to live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: Housing Employment, Education and Healthcare: HEEH. (I wonder if that means something in Swahili?
So...make your wish and get involved:

Scholarship Money for all kids
Free tuition for single mothers who want to go to (or back to college)
Free daycare
Healthcare
Mortgage first time buyer funding...

You feel me. They have to pay the cost to be the boss. God says we have not because we ask not. So we ask, we vote, we show up for speeches and debates, we ask questions, We serve on school boards, we educate ourselves, we run for office. Harriet would have. Why no you? she was a SLAVE and she did it? You are free. Start with that. We let Pat Buchanan know that nobody is looking like the syrup bottle today. Pat, we salute you (middle fingers up ladies). We live, we will succeed in spite of you and we watch for our opportunity to shine.

I am watching too. For my girls.