Was What Geraldine Ferraro Said All That Bad?
I don’t defend Democrats often, but today I felt the need to.
When Rush Limbaugh said that Donovan McNabb was overrated by the sports media because he’s black, he was totally murdered for being a racist. The sports media, with damaged egos, ate him alive for the suggestion that maybe they separate people on race.
They were so high on their lofty perches that they could barely see that Limbaugh wasn’t saying McNabb was bad because he was black, but that the media was propping him up because they wanted to see a black quarterback do well.
The same thing is happening, this time in politics. Geraldine Ferraro’s recent comments about Barack Obama brought the fury of the arrogant, elitist, and mainstream press.
Here’s what Ferraro said:
If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. 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.
Reading it, it’s not so shocking. It can’t be proved either way, can it? Sure, Ferraro’s playing the race card and, when she said this, she was part of Hillary’s campaign, but does that make her inaccurate? Is it so crazy to postulate that our affirmative action, politically correct society that allowed blacks the right to vote before women, might be eager to prop up a mainstream black candidate?
Whether Ferraro’s right or wrong, the reaction has been overwhelming against her. She made the same mistake Limbaugh made: don’t tell the media it’s racist! They can’t handle it.
Look at these headlines I see all over the place:
- You’re Wrong, Ms. Ferraro
- Ferraro Puts Her Foot In Her Mouth
- Ferraro fails to grasp why she’s so wrong
- Racism and sexism roil race
People in the media are generally progressives who like to feel that they’re totally unbiased, or capable of being unbiased. It’s part of their identity. If you challenge that, they will come at you hard.
Ferraro seems to understand this (bold added):
“Any time anybody does anything that in any way pulls this campaign down and says let’s address reality and the problems we’re facing in this world, you’re accused of being racist, so you have to shut up,” she told the Daily Breeze of Torrance, California. “Racism works in two different directions. I really think they’re attacking me because I’m white. How’s that?”
Her problem isn’t that she’s wrong - it’s unproveable - it’s that she’s challenged the country’s racism. She challenged Democrats, and they can’t stand the thought that she might be right. And based on how it’s resonating with people, positively or negatively, I’d say she might be on to something.
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