Just a little tiny complaint. I am overjoyed in this new beginning for our country. I love that Barack Obama is our president elect. I cried during his acceptance speech, and I feel personally ready to take on what we need to take on to redirect this country, as I imagine my grandmothers felt as we went into World War II. Really, I am transformed.
But just one little tiny thing:
Will there come a day when one barrier will fall first to a woman? Maybe I'm just swimming around here in my own funk about this, but could there be a woman who breaks a barrier before a person of color, who is a man? And no, Sarah Palin does not count. She was a "hail mary" pass, not a well planned and vetted leader.
This unsettled feeling is not playing well in my house. I live with one very old dog, one husband who was adopted from Korea as a baby and three Hapa young men. They don't want to listen to my feelings of being marginalized, of once again being led by men.
I can't blame them. It's not like Sen. Daniel Iouye is our president elect, they've yet to see an Asian man in a postion of such power in our country. But my sons have seen a mixed race man ascend through the minefield of torn alleginces and infighting that can plauge mixed race folks. Still, gender seems to be a game breaker.
Take, for instance, our own UUA Presidency. I don't get a vote because I am a Religious Educator, and not a minister, but if I had one, would I use it to elect a woman to lead us? Well, frankly, no. I would choose based on which candidate I felt could lead us, not as a token pass.
I do wonder. I don't have daughters, but I wonder how little girls are feeling in this post election frenzy? I'm overjoyed that young black and mixed race boys see by looking at their TV screens that they really can be the president of the USA.
What do little girls think?
1 comment:
I don't think that Tessa believes that women can't do everything men can do. Despite the fact that we've never had a female president, I think she sees it as inevitable that it will happen soon. And Obama? She's delighted. At five, this is more of a reflection of her parents' views than of anything else, but she IS excited.
Today I picked up Tessa and another little girl from school, and they were talking about politics in the back seat as I drove. They both said that they voted for Obama; Tessa says that he is the president who believes in peace.
There is something special about Obama, that five year olds are talking about politics in the back seat. For me, it'd be a tiny bit sweeter if he were a she....but I'm pretty happy with him as is.
Maybe Malia or Sasha will follow in their daddy's footsteps. Or maybe when Barack's eight years are up, Michelle will take over. I feel filled with hope that anything is possible!
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