CNN is getting flack for a story yesterday that begged this question of black women in South Carolina: "Will You Vote For Your Race Or Your Gender?" Of course they went to a hair salon — where else does one find black women??? — for their answers.
It really shouldn't have taken a barrage of emails for CNN to realize that it was a pretty ridiculous question that minimized black womens' political choices. Did they consider the possibility that — although I'm sure many women and men of all races are taking gender and skin color into consideration in this race — they are voting primarily on issues, not gender and race? And what about the ones who choose John Edwards? Are they self-haters? If white men are allowed to pick their Democratic candidate of choice in peace without being either encouraged to or accused of making their decision based on race or gender, then women and blacks should be able to do the same. I'll be happy when the South Carolina primary is over and everyone — from the candidates to the media — stops treating black voters in South Carolina like some fascinating, unpredictable sideshow attraction.
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You would think that people would appreciate us taking time and actually mulling over issues and the candidate. That hasn't been the case. I told one woman I wasn't an Obamite yet and she asked me if I was black.
I'm actually glad race and gender are being talked about more. The race neutral Obama, gender free Hillary coverage has always been a "fairytale". I think the media got a wakeup call when New Hampshire didn't crown Barack king of the world like they were supposed too. Hmm
Black women in South Carolina (who will actually vote), will probably go for Barack. Unfortunately for him, they will not win him the presidency.
Race and gender are obvious, unavoidable, and valid talking points in this race. But to reduce black women's voting options to a simple choice between their sex and their race is ridiculous.
SPOT ON MISS LAUREN!
It's an insult to our intelligence! What, we can't decide for our own who we feel will be the best president? I saw maybe 2 minutes of it and HAD to shut the TV off, I felt the steam coming out of my ears. I'm surprised Soledad O'Brien, a normally GOOD journalist and Anderson Cooper would even stoop to this kind of yellowish jounalism.
Mind you, it's ok to ask and discuss these questions, but not in a way that will detriment us as BLACK people and as WOMEN.
We are not sheep that follow the pack!
A lot of black people and women have reduced it to a race vs. gender thing though. Didn't they do a report a few months back in a hair salon with women getting their relaxer and debating whether they'd go basically for a black dude and a white chick. I'm sure that wasn't all that was discussed, but with editing, that was basically the message.
Ridiculous as you may think it is, get used to it. That is ALL you will hearing for the rest of this race. And let's be real, most black people are only paying attention to Barack because he's black, and that's only natural. If this was about substantive issues, and solutions, then Edwards would be getting the attention he deserves.
On my run this a.m. I passed a newsstand and the WSJ has a article about one of Obama's strategies being to split the black vote by class.
I didn't get to read it, but it's probably interesting.
"Of course they went to a hair salon — where else does one find black women??? "
Apparently, whenever the media neds to find black people to interview they go to eateries (b/c we's loves us up some KFC & bbq joints) and hair shops. I guess that's all we do.
Yeah. It's from the Oct 15 post that linked to a NYT article. Wrong on the CNN bit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10.....olina.html
And it's not a regular salon. The stylist is older. No makeup on. Unfashionable shirt. Using floor scrubbing gloves to do the relaxer.
News stories must be slow at CNN cuz I don't see why they even discussed this.
And I have yet to meet a Black woman that is conflicted on voting with her vagina or her melanin content. Myself included.
Black ppl converge at places other than hair styling establishments. Get a clue CNN.
I agree with you Anonymiss. I haven't met a single black woman sweating over which way to vote.
Oh! But, haven't you heard? We don't even have to choose between the two because the Clintons are black! They've even been on BET to discuss their new-found obsession with Hip Hop! After all, that's all black people do… listen to Hip Hop and get touch-ups on our hair. Pshaw!
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