Politicalness.

[beccatoria]

Please don't feel obligated to respond to this; I'm aware it's a touchy topic and one where passions run high. But I feel that for myself, I should take some space to record how I'm feeling about this right now. It concerns Hillary Clinton and the Democractic nomination.

Firstly, I should be honest, I prefer Clinton. I like her position on healthcare more (the most major issue to me outside of restoration of civil liberties), I like her history of supporting women's rights and gay rights more (Obama's history of voting "present" on pro-life issues especially worries me), I like that she has experience, and I have an aunt and uncle who love their senator and they're from New York not Illinois.

So there you have my contradictory mess of objective and personal reasons for my preference.

Something in my gut says that Obama's going to win. And if that happens, I will vote for him readily. I will support him. I will hope every other damn Democrat and Independent does the same.

I think that he has the potential to be an excellent president. But I worry that currently his campaign is choosing to build up a cult of personality that I find a little creepy. I honestly believe that he does have some very good thoughts about the presidency, but I don't know what they are right now. Because everybody's too busy telling me that he stands for Change I Can Believe In, and nobody's told me what that change is.

So there you have my feelings - as briefly as I could explain them - though I will try to answer any questions anyone may have about the decision and I'm happy to be presented with new information.

The issue that really sparked this post though, is something entirely aside from my preference for Clinton's candidacy over Obama's (I just thought I ought to be upfront about that, and I ought to give my reasons why).

The real reason for this post has to do with the increasingly, ludicrously, insultingly sexist attacks levelled at Clinton and the fact that very few people are willing to stand up and say, "Look. This here is sexism. It's wrong. It ought to stop."

This article pretty much explains what I'm talking about and is a wonderful denouncement of sexism in our political arenas.

It's an endorsement for Clinton - I feel I have to make that clear at the outset, and that's also the reason I thought I should "come clean" about my own preference. But I think that it raises really important issues even if she is not your choice of candidate (a decision I very much respect).

Because while it may be a parallel issue - or while it may be impossible to extricate the sexist attacks on Clinton from the ongoing political race - it's also a very different issue. The fact that no matter how many people claim we're "post-feminist", it ain't true. And even if you think that Clinton will be the worst president that ever prezzed, the way to express that is not through attacks on her gender.

Comments

[asta77.livejournal.com]

I think I've made it clear with the little I've talked about the candidates that I don't like Hillary. I have issues with her being a package deal with Bill because there is no question in my mind that he won't just sit around and play the role of first husband. But I do, like you, wish Obama would be more clear as to how he would bring about change. I think he is passionate about bringing about change and making this country better not only for those who live here, but improving how we are perceived by those abroad. Yet he hasn't given specifics as to how he'll go about this besides stating that he is willing to sit down with foreign dictators to talk which, for the record, I support.

I said long before this began that male voters were going to find it very difficult to vote for a woman for president. It's unfortunate, but I try to take solace that what was also unthinkable in this country, a president who is not a white male, is still a very real possibility.

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

I think I've made it clear with the little I've talked about the candidates that I don't like Hillary. I have issues with her being a package deal with Bill because there is no question in my mind that he won't just sit around and play the role of first husband.

And while I wish it were otherwise, I do agree that there are issues surrounding her electability. I do also intensely dislike it when I hear Bill Clinton's influence named as a reason to elect her. I'm personally a little more confident in her ability to keep hold of the reigns, but I understand why people fear that and I have no evidence other than gut feeling that I'm right... :(

Yet he hasn't given specifics as to how he'll go about this besides stating that he is willing to sit down with foreign dictators to talk which, for the record, I support.

I support that too, under the correct circumstances. Though I think both candidates made more out of their varying responses than was really there. But yes - that's exactly what I mean. I want to know what his plans are. I don't want to be excited about the promise of them.

I said long before this began that male voters were going to find it very difficult to vote for a woman for president. It's unfortunate, but I try to take solace that what was also unthinkable in this country, a president who is not a white male, is still a very real possibility.

Yes. Me too, definitely. And that's a very good thing to point out.

I'm pretty excited about there currently being...

[hmpf.livejournal.com]

both a fairly realistic chance of having the next president be female, or not white. Who would have thought that, thirty, or even fifteen years ago?! :-) I really hope one of the two wins. Even if they don't manage to effect even half as much actual change as people are currently hoping for it would still be absolutely worth it to have either of those barriers broken.

Re: I'm pretty excited about there currently being...

[beccatoria.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

I don't know where I'll be living when the election rolls around, but there's no way I'm passing up my chance to participate in this election. My postal vote will be submitted and ain't nothing going to stop me from being part of this historic election!