his writing; his books; almost as though they were, children.From Precious
February 29, 2008
Why I'm Supporting Obama By Joi C Ridley
Recently someone approached me saying, "I know who you're going to vote for." Given that I wasn't wearing any campaign buttons or paraphernalia, I was curious to see how he drew his conclusion.
While it seems that many voters can be generalized based on specific characteristics, Black women are being pulled in two directions: we can elect the first woman president or we can put a Black man into the White House. Either way, it's (unpredictable) history.
My support for Barack Obama began long before many reporters knew how to spell his name. As an Illinois resident, I'd caught the Obama buzz during his run for U.S. Senate. So, upon hearing the Senator's moving speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, I was proud to introduce the country to MY senator. It was then that I realized that the nation had just been introduced to a very special leader. Since then of course, the entire nation - all races, ages, classes, shapes, and sizes - has grown to know and respect Obama because of his work and his unique message of hope.
My goal is not to alienate anyone, no matter what gender or race. The nation's population is in no way monolithic, and to seek out a politician based solely on any one physical characteristic would be unfair. I am interested in educating not only America's Black women, but also everyone who is interested in understanding why Barack Obama is the United States best chance for a strong and prosperous future. I have my own reasons for supporting Obama: He reminds me more of myself than any of the other candidates do.
I have my own reasons for supporting Obama: He reminds me more of myself than any of the other candidates do.
For starters, he has a diverse ethnic background and is not afraid to share it with the world. Same here.
Obama speaks strongly and stands up for himself. That definitely coincides with me. Clinton has emphasized her extensive leadership "experience" as compared to Obama. I disagree: I think Obama's experience working his way up through legislative channels, as many middle-class students pull their way through the academic and professional ranks, is far more important than standing at someone's side as s/he does the same thing.
After law school, Obama went to work on Chicago's south side as a community organizer. Seems as if I'm looking into a crystal ball. It doesn't hurt that I grew up next to his Illinois state Senate district and that we currently attend the same church. And recently I heard him say that the latest Jay-Z and Common albums are in his iPod.
There is an age barrier between me and the candidates. Just because Clinton is a woman does not mean she mirrors the woman that I am. And despite her gender, she is 60; and I'm not sure she holds a solid interest in the life and times of this mid-20-something. Not surprisingly, up to 80 percent of younger Black voters have backed Obama, who is 46.
So how do others feel about Obama? As we head into Super Tuesday, Obama enjoys an average 12-point opinion-poll advantage. Despite his last win, Obama's defeats in New Hampshire and Nevada reignited fears that he lacks broad support. Many voters may not make up their minds until they walk into the voting booth.
To really understand the candidates, their views, and their vision for this country, it is critically important to get beyond the sound bites and video blurbs that the mainstream media is force-feeding us. Instead of resting on their laurels, I encourage voters to get out and find the candidate that they believe has greater strengths and characteristics, not just a certain skin color or gender. The reasons listed above are my reasons for supporting Obama, but they are not universal standards that apply to all Black women. Explore specific issues, like health care, Iraq, and education, to find who holds a stance similar to yours. Voters tend to know more about the Clintons than they do about Obama, because of Bill Clinton's eight years as president, but information on Obama is available.
One of the main reasons I chose to support Obama is that I believe he has a better chance at unifying our nation in a more meaningful way than any of the other candidates from either party. I am in no way a political guru. But what I lack in expertise, I make up for in commitment. I care deeply about the future of this nation, and for everyone in it, so I’ll continue to campaign for the candidate that I think could lead us to where we need to be.
Right now, Black women stand at an intersection of race, class, and gender, an experience that has never before been presented. While most other voting demographics are spoken for, our group has a unique, important position that cannot be accurately predicted based on any one characteristic of our diverse group - because there are few bright-line generalizations that apply to us all. There will be naysayers from either of the "betrayed" groups. But each Black woman is capable of casting her own vote, based on what is important to her. I'm thrilled to have such a choice.