Thursday, September 18, 2008

Aren't Presidents SUPPOSED To Be White?

Last week, I posted a doctored photo of Sarah Palin in a bikini with a gun. Some people took one kind of offense or another and I ultimately removed it because it didn't really fit the topic arena of my blog anyway and, while I do that occasionally, I don't want to make that particular move lightly. However, as I made the rounds last weekend of my usual "race" blogs, almost everybody had several posts on this woman.

I don't have the time, energy or inclination to get neck-deep in this electoral process when I don't believe we've actually elected a President since Bill Clinton (and he was no prize, what with NAFTA and "welfare reform" and all). But Tim Wise (bless his heart -- I'm sorry, but ya gotta love this guy) wrote a piece on Palin I can 100% co-sign from Why Am I Not Surprised?. It's about what a poster child for White privilege Palin is. I'd post the whole thing right here except I think we all need to go on over to RedRoom and leave some decent comments on the piece. Now, go on. Do it.

4 comments:

macon d said...

Awesome image--really drives the point home about America's ongoing white supremacy.

Yes, that Tim Wise piece is really making the rounds, deservedly so (and thank goodness--or thank Tim, actually). So far, I've received it over email from four different senders.

changeseeker said...

It IS a great image, isn't it, Macon? As for Tim Wise, sometimes I think the rest of us could just shut up and pass his stuff around endlessly, but I guess that wouldn't be fair to him. Besides, some folks need reinforcement from different angles. Hopefully, we're helping to provide that. I've been zeroed in on him since White Like Me came out and he never disappoints.

Rent Party said...

Good points. I am worried about the women for Palin thing, perhaps I shouldn't be but it's this kind of discussion thread, where some people like her for who she is and apparently don't care about her policies, that worries me:

http://www.womensspace.org/phpBB2/2008/09/22/sarah-palin-phyllis-schlafly-have-republicans-changed-their-minds-about-women/

changeseeker said...

I keep thinking, Rent Party, that this is a great example of how far we HAVEN'T come. That women would be "excited" to have a woman like her on the ticket leaves me embarrassed. And that ANYONE would find her "ready" or "qualified" to be President erases my mental blackboard completely. Many people seem to relate to her, as in "she's more like the rest of us -- it's about time we had an 'real' person in a high position." I keep just shaking my head in disbelief.