If people knew how bent out of shape I get over this question: "Do you think the United States is ready for a woman or Black president?" they would not ask this in my presence. However, there it is.
As a nation, why wouldn't we be ready? In fact, we should wonder why we haven't had a woman or Black president yet!
This month, I am obviously teaching a unit on Martin Luther King Jr. and as I discuss the happenings of the past, my students can't even comprehend such a cruel world. They are naive to the crimes of hate in the past and they react with strong emotions of anger, confusion, and passion for justice to prevail. They've heard me read his "I have a dream" speech. They've seen pictures of the dogs, water hoses, and "Whites Only" signs. They are shocked by the drawing in a book depicting the "Negroes" at the counter with hamburgers and French fries while ketchup is dripping down their hair and faces. They are most disturbed by the fact that schools were once segregated and they look around the classroom at all the faces of their classmates, their friends.
Their innocence. Their passion. They responded with outcries of anger and confusion. They beat their fists together in protest.
As we got further into our study and swam through books, observed the video "Our Friend, Martin," and more discussion, they get it. They realize how right MLK was to use nonviolence to make change. These difficult and brave these peaceful demonstrations were effective.
My point is...one day, there will come a day when my students will be just as shocked to hear that in 2008, people were asking,"Do you think the United States is ready for a woman or Black president?"
And my response to this is the same as Hillary's: "I still believe in a place called Hope."
Even if you aren't a Obama or Hillary fan, please don't say "Do you think the world is ready for a woman or Black president?" Try, "Do you think the world is ready for Hillary or Obama?" and I promise not to take offense!
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3 comments:
I'm ready!
I am ready, just not for the one that is running this year.
Being a black woman, I am truely torn on the subject but I can said this with true sincerity...America is NOT ready for a black man or white woman to run this country and I pray that neither learns this the hard way. There will be a day that we will look back on this and say whoooo we really argued about this? and I look forward to that day but this is not it. Either way, I think they should run on the ticket together and run this country for the next 16 years...and they have my vote. shel
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