The Cost of Silence
By Corinne Douglas and Jacquelyn Gray TheRoot.com
Black women's attacks on white feminists during the primaries may be coming back to bite Michelle Obama.
Aug. 25, 2008--Tonight is Michelle Obama's night at the Democratic Convention. She will reintroduce herself to America, try to convince us that she and her family, especially her husband, are just like us and worthy of our support.
Expect her to be phenomenal. Expect her to be attacked, as well.
Republicans and their surrogates have already tried to diminish the achievements of the Obamas and to mute their widespread appeal by portraying Michelle Obama as an angry black woman. She has been caricatured, and she has been mocked. But the angry, fearful reactions that Ms. Obama's depiction has stirred up in men were not that different from those generated by Hillary Clinton during the 1992 and 2008 primary election seasons. And the recent failure among so many African-American women to stand up for Clinton—regardless of how they intended to vote in the primaries—gave many male political commentators tacit permission to do the same thing to Ms. Obama.
The misogynistic savaging of Hillary Clinton was one of the most inexcusable elements of the primary campaign, and the silence from black women in the face of those attacks, because they supported Obama, was, at least, a tactical mistake. It is entirely unacceptable to go along with unfair attacks against women simply because you disagree with the particular woman under attack.
Well, you do understand why I stopped quoting this article.
Let me get this straight.
When Michelle Obama is unfairly attacked, and White Feminists refuse to stand up for her, it's the Black Woman's fault because they did not defend Hillary Clinton?
G-T-F-O-H
Black women were too busy, Ms. Douglas and Ms. Gray....
Too busy trying to keep up with the RACEBAITING that came DIRECTLY from Camp Clinton. We didn't even have to go to the MEDIA to create the ClintonAttacksObama Wiki and its 50 Incidents. Hillary Clinton and her surrogates kept us quite busy.
Why didn't I say anything about the ' sexism' surrounding Hillpatine?
Well, not only because I was sitting there, fuming at the Racial Dogwhistles coming from Camp Hillpatine...
But, I also got the message loud and clear from White feminists. I'm shocked that you didn't hear it:
Miss Anne Aint Studdin' About Your Black Behind
From Gloria Steinem to Geraldine Ferraro, I was told loud and clear, that all I was good for was to sit in the back of the female bus. That you two can so profoundly overlook the obvious racebaiting that happened with Obama from the CAMPAIGN AND SURROGATES - not the Media. If we counted the media, I don't even know how many incidents would be in the Wiki.
I'm very clear about who I am as a Black Woman.
I'm a BLACK woman. I know that my fortunes are tied to the Black men in my life: My father, uncles, nephews, future husband and possible sons. I know that I'll not be divorced from them. So, when the Racial Dogwhistle was blown, I knew where I stood. I make no apologies for not keeping any pretense of 'Sisterhood'.
I've challenged others, and I'll challenge you. Make up your own ObamaAttacksClinton Wiki based up on all these ' sexism' charges that I hear bandied about. But, here's the catch: you must only include Camp Obama and their surrogates. Get me 10 incidents. I'm not even asking for 50. Just 10. The media doesn't count.
I won't hold my breath.
Maybe I'm just a wee bit suspicious at the ' timing' of this article. Why now? Part of the Hillpatine Bitching and Grievance Committee to make trouble in Denver, IMO.
Well, I care as much about the ' sexism' pushed towards Hillpatine as you obviously did about the blatant and recorded Dogwhistle Racial remarks towards Senator Obama.
You don't worry about Michelle Obama. There are plenty of us out here, willing to defend her. Thank goodness we didn't wait on the White Feminist Establishment. They can stay wherever the hell they've been while Michelle Obama has been under attack.
We know what time it is with them.
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