It has finally happened. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have engaged in a debate of gender and race.
To tell you the truth, I was naive to think that this would not happen until after the primaries. Both candidates are making history. What is now happening is the candidates are asking which version of history is more important.
Off course they are not asking directly. They are asking in a way that puts the past, present, and future in the hands of a sexist and racist society.
(If you think that American society is no longer sexist, then please ask yourself, why are there still debates about whether a woman would bring too much sentimentality to the presidency?)
(If you think that American society is no longer racist, then please ask yourself, why do people still use the n-word?)
For a country that is supposed to be the land of the free (thanks Homeland Security Act) and the home of the brave (it takes courage to be ignorant), it stuns me that so many people can be so concerned with such matters when freedoms are being ignored and real bravery is going unrecognized.
It may be true that female and minority voices in politics are young compared to many other; however, justice and equality are not ideas that should take decades to accomplish. It is shameful to think that we as a society accept such realities.
In order to encourage the society to forget sexism and racism, it is futile to focus on more important issues, which until this point the candidates democratic candidates were attempting to do.
I am not declaring my allegiance to the democratic party (and even if I were, who cares?). Instead, I am only expressing a concern that is being brought about by the party. In fact, this is the presidential election that democrats and republicans (to an extent) have declared the election of change. Supposedly, things will change when we elect a new President.
I have one silly question, how will it change if we don’t change the way we think about society and the way we work together?
Sure we can say healtcare needs to change. But if no one agrees on how it should, how will it?
Sure we can say the war in Iraq will change. But if terrorists still exist after we leave will it really end. On the other hand, if we stay, how many more lives will be lost.
What is the solution? I do not claim to have one, but I do know that society needs to start asking questions about fundamental practices.
For instance, why is it that NYC Police Officers have a starting salary of $23,000? The salary is barely liveable if one lives in the city. I know an officer should not want to become a cop for the money, but it is insulting to give minimum wages to people who risk their lives for a living.
Another example is the treatment of teachers. It is true that they have recently been given a pay increase of $43,000 starting salary; however, respect is still negelected. The debatable question is, can teachers still teach properly with laws being past that takes authority away from teachers? The threat of being left back is laughable now that children will eventually be promoted despite a lack of knowledge for (a) subject(s).
To give yet another example, why can’t gay couples get married. I understand why churches don’t agree with the practice (people can either get married and have children or get married to god); however, one of the fundamental ideas of the constitution is the seperation of church and state. It is the law that all people are equal. Law and religion need to stay seperated when people think about any aspect of politics, including gay marriage.
Small questions, obvious questions like the ones I asked, will lead to the development of bigger questions about the progress of our society. Once smaller questions are answered, and they must be answered coherently and quickly, bigger questions will be easier to answer.
Some bigger questions might be:
How can we stop terrorism as a collective international? Instead of, why are we in Iraq or how can we stop terrorism by ourselves?
How can we make the economy for all classes? Insead of, why not raise taxes or why not cut taxes?
How can healthcare benefit everyone without creating a socialist system? Places like Canada and England have a system where they give coverage to all, and I am pretty sure they are not an evil socialist society. Instead of, how about Healthcare for some or how about socialist heath care?
Race and gender do not find a place within these questions, whether big or small. How can they if society is supposed give an equal opportunity to all its citizens? If this election focuses of race and gender, and all of the unconstitutional ideas and idiotic theories, then the people (and they exist in all the parties – democratic, republican, etc) who want to control society instead of help it develop will win.
