America's strides

[Lothlorien]

I am reposting Mutt's original post. It was originally moved to stop this from getting political. This is a reminder that this discussion is about the strides our country has made over the last 100+ years and in no way to represent anything political. Please do not tell us who you are voting for in this election or why and please DO NOT KNOCK any candidates. Thanks....Loth

I just watched on TV to see Barack Obama become the first black candidate for President of the United States. Whether you are black or white, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, whether you will vote for Obama or McCain, this is, for all of us who are citizens of the US, a historic event. I am older than a lot of you on this board. I remember the Jim Crow laws. I remember when nobody questioned "separate but equal." I remember reading about lynchings in the south. I remember my grandparents calling their black neighors "darkies." I remember when the Ku Klux Clan operated in my area. I remember Martin Luther King Jr. giving his speeches. I remember participating in sit-ins for racial equality in the late 1960s as a college student. I remember being in Omaha during the race riots of the 1960s and being hidden (me, a white girl) in my black girl friend's basement. I really never thought I'd see this in my lifetime. I think it is long past due. I know that there will be what I hope is a small minority who will refuse to vote for a black candidate because he is black rather than because of his stands on the issues but I am proud to see us come to the point where we can have a black candidate from one of the two major political parties. Whoever eventually wins this election (and I'm not telling you who I'm voting for), I think it is a day we should all be proud of.

 

[tiredmommy]

I agree, muttmeister. When Duckie asks me if she could one day be president I can feel confident in saying "YES". This is especially relevant today, on the 45th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech in Washington, Difficult Child.

 

[DammitJanet]

I so agree with both of you. It doesnt matter to me what party I happen to be, I am proud that this country has come to the point that it shouldnt matter the color of one's skin. Last I looked, we all bled red.

 

[meowbunny]

I remember when Shirley Chisholm ran for President. She was serious. The nation either laughed or reviled her. Ditto the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Geraldine Ferraro was selected as the VP candidate basically because the Dems knew they had no chance of winning and wanted to make a statement.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama truly had/have a chance of winning. These are not "joke" candidates. It is wonderful that we can finally say that yes, anyone can become President (of course, it helps to have $$ and the right backing).

Kudos to the USA for growing up and not judging a person by sex or race but rather by their chances of truly winning (now, if only we could get someone because they truly are the best person for the office).

 

[Lothlorien]

From Women's Sufferage to this...truly an amazing thing to be witness to!

 

[witzend]

I watched a documentary three or four years ago about Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and where we are with it today. It was called "Dare to Compete: The Struggle of Women in Sports" It was a real eye opener as to how acceptable it still is to make women seem like less than men. I highly recommend watching it. You should be able to find it at the library.

Title IX was the law that gave women equality in education - and thereby college scholarships for women athletes.

"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

​

Shirley Chisholm was interviewed for the documentary. Some may remember that Mrs. Chisholm was the first African American woman elected to Congress. What a frank and honest woman, a real example of what we can be. In the interview, Mrs. Chisholm said that in her life she had been discriminated against because she was black, and she had been discriminated against because she was a woman. She said that being black was nowhere near as much of a roadblock to success as being a woman is. I believe that she is correct in this estimate.

I believe and it is my experience in life that a black man can be a member of the good ole boy's club. I say that with the qualification that I have lived my life in a very liberal Northern state. I think that women are still a long way off from joining that club or eliminating that club. I hope that we will see it in my lifetime.

 

[Lothlorien]

On this note of acceptance, I would also like to honor Condy Rice and Colin Powell for also being African Americans that were the first African Americans that have achieved the highest offices in government. I have always thought that was pretty awesome too!

 

[amazeofgrace]

I would say it is a big step in the right direction, although in other areas we seem to be going backwards, but progress is never a straight line in only one direction

 

[witzend]

Yes, it is a step. A baby step, perhaps, but a step.

 

[Big Bad Kitty]

What a great post. Thanks, Muttmeister.

 

[Hound dog]

We've come a long way. But we have a long trip still ahead of us.

It doesn't hurt to stop and take note once in awhile.

 

[Abbey]

Colin Powell. What a great man. He's up there with Jimmy Carter in my book. They are true humanitarians. You can argue about great leaders, but these are good people, and continue to be good people.

Abbey

 

[Marguerite]

From an Aussie point of view - we also think it's amazing. Whether it was Obama or Clinton, for the POSSIBILITY to be considered, we were very impressed with how far the US has come, just in OUR lifetime.

Attitudes in general towards 'minorities' have come a long way. However, there have been trailblazers preparing the way. They're the ones who really pushed themselves forward, who put up with a lot of discrimination to get their foot in the door.

Who was the first woman politician in your country? And when?

For us, it was Dame Enid Lyons, the widow of Prime Minister (country's leader) Joe Lyons. When her husband died, she became a widow and needed to earn a living to support their children. Plus, I think she felt a need to continue promoting the ideas of her husband.
But when she won a seat in parliament in 1943 there were problems raised. There were no women's toilets, for example. Problems like this kept getting raised as reasons for women to not be allowed to be in parliament. But she was tough - she didn't make a fuss, but she wouldn't be put off. A small room was converted into a women's toilet - soon there was another woman in parliament - but despite their trailblazing, our parliament for decades was very much a men's club.

First Aboriginal person in parliament was Neville Bonner, and it didn't happen until 1971. But then, it wasn't until a referendum was put to the Australian people in 1967 that Aboriginal people were finally recognised as Australian citizens! Would you believe - before that, they were 'administered' under the Flora and Fauna Act. Appalling.

Neville Bonner was a good man, a trailblazer again. There have been many more. We've had Aboriginal Ministers since then (I think we have one now - I actually don't pay as much attention to race, it's not always easy to tell).
We have just in the last six months had a female acting Prime Minister - our current Deputy Prime Minister is a woman, a very capable one. She takes on the Acting PM role whenever Kevin Rudd is out of the country.

So it's not only the US that has come a very long way, in a very short time.

May I offer congratulations to all those who, regardless of political affiliations, are connected to this momentous occasion? The benefits confer on every citizen of the country, regardless of political viewpoint.

Marg

 

[Suz]

Thanks for bringing this up, Nan. These are historic and exciting events and I'm thrilled to witness them.

Suz

 

[busywend]

I do not think it is a small step. I think it is a huge leap! And I LOVE IT!

I saw Oprah moved to tears last night. She said it was the most powerful thing she has ever seen. The ascent of a black man running for President.

We have grown so much. And it is so awesome.

 

[1 Day At a Time]

I can say with great honesty that I am proud to be an American today. I can't do that every day.

Years ago, as an idealistic college student ,I campaigned for Shirley Chisholm. Lots of people hung up on me as I made phone calls - others just laughed. It didn't matter because I had a passion for my candidate.

I believed in change then, and I believe even more today.

 

[Star*]

Mutt,

This is a wonderful post. I feel however very sad that a lot of what you posted in remembering in the 60's STILL exists today. I unknowingly have had lunch a few years ago with the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan - or rather the White Knights. To live where I live in Dixie now is not much different to me than where I lived up North in the 1960's. There is still segregation, but it's a whisper. There are still names and slurrs for all races, but it's not as accepted. It's the AS accepted in it all that bothers me as a human. Maybe it's my truly black and white thinking (no pun intended) but I think as a race our tolerance for each other irregardless of race, color, creed has moved forward. Eventually there will be a world where forward thinking people are the majority.

Incidently - the man that I spoke of earlier, the KKK guy. He was eating a peanut butter sandwhich. I told him that while I found his thoughts to be narrow and found it ironic that the very "meat" of his sandwhich was discovered by a black man. I had to explain it to him. I found that to be all the answer I needed in generations of narrow minded thinking. He didn't know who George Washington Carver was, he didn't know a black man discovered peanut butter, he didn't KNOW that he was SUCH a sought after scientist that even Einstein himself asked him to join his team.

I believe it's about the level of education you receive and the weight of your heart for others.

I'm glad moreso than anything that in my lifetime I was able to witness a black man, and a white woman running for the highest office in our land. Truly a remarkable year and a breakthrough in raising the bar. I'm glad it's a little higher.

And if Duckey ever runs for president - I'm going to be proud to say I 'watched" her grow up.

 

[SRL]

Wow, the news just breaking is that McCain has selected Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, as his running mate.

Future generations will refer back often to this election. We are living history.

 

[muttmeister]

SRL, you beat me to the punch in mentioning Sarah Palin. THere was an article about her a few months back in Vogue magazine and she sounds like a very interesting, capable candidate. To think that, come January, we will have EITHER a black President OR a woman Vice President blows my mind. When I think of the world I grew up in during the 1950s, and how far we have come, I definitely think it is a HUGE thing. Maybe only a small step in some nuts and bolts ways, but a GIGANTIC shift in thinking in general. I think it should be a proud day for ALL of us.

 

[Lothlorien]

Wow!!!!!