On July 19, 1984 in San Francisco, CA at the Democratic National Convention Geraldine Ferraro had this to say as she became the first woman ever to run and accept the Democratic Vice President Nomination:“My name is Geraldine Ferraro. I stand before you to proclaim tonight: America is the land where dreams can come true for all of us. As I stand before the American people and think of the honor this great convention has bestowed upon me, I recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who made America stronger by making America more free. He said, "Occasionally in life there are moments which cannot be completely explained by words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart."
Towards the close of that same speech she had this to say:
“A wise man once said, "Every one of us is given the gift of life, and what a strange gift it is. If it is preserved jealously and selfishly, it impoverishes and saddens. But if it is spent for others, it enriches and beautifies." My fellow Americans: We can debate policies and programs, but in the end what separates the two parties in this election campaign is whether we use the gift of life for others or only ourselves.”
When you read her words of hope and promise it makes one wonder was she every truly sincere back in the day and if so what happened to make her say, think and believe that Sen. Barack Obama is some how lucky to be Black? In case you missed her take on Obama being “lucky” here it is:
“I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign. If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept."
Some of you are thinking perhaps she deserves a pass after all she was just probably trying to throw a “Hail Mary” for her friend Sen. Hillary Clinton in a man’s world. Hold that thought because she had this to say about Rev. Jesse Jackson when he was running for president:
"if Jesse Jackson were not black, he wouldn't be in the race."
Obviously and with all do respect our sister from another mother has some issues when it comes to Black men running for President. Hillary Rodham Clinton has yet to "renounce and/or reject" her 72 year old supporter Geraldine Ferraro's racist remarks. White women have held elected offices in American politics since the early 1900's. Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to the United States House of Representatives and the she was the first female member of Congress. How soon Mrs. Ferraro and Mrs. Clinton forget that it was Frederick Douglass (a Black man) that fearlessly participated in the first feminist convention at Seneca Falls, NY in July of 1848 where he was greatly accredited for assisting in the passage of the motion to support female suffrage. Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't MS. GERALDINE a U.S. Representative for Queens, NEW YORK and and her wannabe (NY) transplant sister chick HILLARY a Senator currently representin' NEW YORK?? Don't hate on the BLACK MAN LADIES - just congratulate and get in the "I'M NEXT FOR PRESIDENT LINE." There's plenty of room for the both of you. However, watch out for the STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS and CARL ROVE. I hear they won't be nothin' nice when it comes to Mrs. Clinton, her husband and/or child.
A student from Huston-Tilloston University http://www.htu.edu/ in Austin, TX wanted to remind us all of a few things:
A BLACK MAN
Why is it that a Black Man can create a tiny piece called a filament(electric light - Lewis Latimer) that allows people to see in the darkbut can't be seen fit to lead a country to the true light?
Why is it that a Black Man can create an instrument (clock - Benjamin Banneker) that all people use to tell time but people don't think it is time for him to run a country?
Why is it that a Black Man can design a place for the high authorities to meet in & a place for the President to live in (The Capital & theWhite House Phillip Reid (a slave) & Pierre L'Enfant) but not good enough to lead these meetings or live in himself?
Why is it that a Black Man was brilliant enough to do the first open heart surgery (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams) and show the world how to get and preserve plasma (Dr. Charles Drew) but not good enough to put a program in place where everyone can afford this surgery?
Why is it that a Black Man was creative enough to design an instrument(traffic light - Garrett Morgan) to bring multiple people (traffic) to a halt but not seen creative enough to design a plan to bring all this unnecessary and worthless fighting between countries to an end?
Why is it that a Black Man could create the soles (shoes - Jan Matzeliger)that people walk on everyday but not seen good enough to fill the shoes of a bad president? Why is it that a Black Man was smart enough & brave enough to teach himself (Frederick Douglas & Thomas Fuller - both slaves) and others how to read, write and/or calculate math but not seen (as) smart enough and bold enough to calculate a platform to be president to a country that sure needs another first by us?
So you see my Brothers and Sisters what I am saying is let us not forget our past, which led us to our present and can definitely be the backbone to our future. We were good enough, smart enough, creative enough, and bold enough then, so lets all give Obama the chance to show that we are still these things and more. We all are as strong as our weakest link, so don't be that weak link that denies our people that chance to show we still can OVERCOME & BE THE FIRST.
By the way Mrs. Ferraro you are insincere but you are sincerely wrong about Barack, Jesse or any of us being lucky...we're BLESSED.
SOURCES:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/gferraroacceptanceaddress.html
http://www.dailybreeze.com/lifeandculture/ci_8489268
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/A_Ferraro_flashback.html
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