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Racial equality in the Presidency

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i think that the united states has come a long way in a matter of 50 years in terms of tolerance and equality for different nationalities, orientations, and religions...but still in this day and age do u think it would ever be possible for a person of an ethnicity other than caucausian could ever hold the highest and most prestigious job in the nation? i mean, here in california, we have a celebrity governor, there have been pro wrestlers as governors, black men, asian men, hispanic men...all senators and governors..but still could a black man ever become president?

 

i think that if there was ever a minority candidate that had a chance at becoming president it would have to be colin powell...dont get me wrong, its not because hes black that i want to see him president, but his resume alone if he were caucausian would be reason enough to get him a nomination for the presidency.. ex-4 star army general, hero of persian gulf war, moderate republican, experienced negotiator, a representative of the united states who is trusted to lead peace talks...and on and on and on...

 

i guess im not trying to push on anyone Pro-Powell propaganda...but my question is this...in this day and age..do u think it would be possible to have a person as qualified as Powell, who is also black, to become president of the united states... or do we still have a great deal more time before the general public could except a black man as president?

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A candidate like Powell could easily win the Presidency. Unfortunately, most black politicians are NOT Powell. They tend to be too liberal to win the Presidency.

 

Unless the blacks change their voting tendencies, I suspect the first black President may have to win the job without black support. In order to obtain widespread support, he/she may have to be more moderate than blacks have traditionally supported.

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I think you really have two questions here - will there racial equality in the presidency? And will there be a minority elected president.

 

I think a black man with the right political stance could get elected just as a white with the right political stance could. I too would have voted for Powell and I respect him for all of the reasons you listed. An equal chance under the the same circumstances seems like equality to me.

 

Now for your second question - as edmcgon pointed out any candidate with extreme positions (too liberal or too conservative - ie too narrow in their appeal) is not as likely to get elected regardless of his/her race.

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I found it interesting that the references have all been to men of colour. Do you think a woman will ever be elected President? Or what about a woman of colour?

 

I'm don't think there have been very many women who have been elected Govenor. I don't know a lot about State politics so other than former Texas Governor Ann Richards I don't know of any other women who held the position of Govenor.

 

Women are still vastly under-represented in almost all levels of government and I don't mean just in the States when I say that.

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I found it interesting that the references have all been to men of colour. Do you think a woman will ever be elected President? Or what about a woman of colour? 

 

I'm don't think there have been very many women who have been elected Govenor. I don't know a lot about State politics so other than former Texas Governor Ann Richards I don't know of any other women who held the position of Govenor.

 

Women are still vastly under-represented in almost all levels of government and I don't mean just in the States when I say that.

i was JUST thinking that. do you guys think that will ever happen? i believe that it will eventually. But we always call America the land of opportunity, when there hasn't been an ethnically or genderly (is that a word?) diverse governing head. And that rings true for most countries. Canada has had a woman Prime Minister once, but she didn't last very long. We've never had a non-caucasion however. We seem to think the human race has come a long way, when leading heads are still very much biased.

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I found it interesting that the references have all been to men of colour. Do you think a woman will ever be elected President? Or what about a woman of colour? 

 

I'm don't think there have been very many women who have been elected Govenor. I don't know a lot about State politics so other than former Texas Governor Ann Richards I don't know of any other women who held the position of Govenor.

 

Women are still vastly under-represented in almost all levels of government and I don't mean just in the States when I say that.

i had a feeling that the issue of women in the highest office would come up...and yes traditionally the presidency has been a job held by men..not to say that woman arent equally qualified... but i believe that for a man of color and a caucausian woman must overcome the same prejudices and sterotypes before they are elected into office...

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Takara, I thought about women as well. Whereas with many minorities I agree with edmcgon that the issue is their appeal is to narrow I believe with women it is a different matter.

 

I think part of the problem is that few women have built the power base necessary to obtain that position. It was no secret that before the last presidential election a group of republican governors got together and "decided" who they thought should run for the republic nomination. Then the republican party worked to bring that to fruition. No one can get elected without having some very powerful special interests on their side. Perhaps I'm naive but I think most people would vote for a woman that they felt confident would protect their particular interests.

 

Why haven't women built that powerbase? Even now they're shut out of some "good old boys" clubs so it takes time - but I genuinely believe a Republican would vote for a fiscally conservative female over a liberal man or woman. (of course then they voted for a liberal in conservative clothing last time - so who knows)

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I think what you have to look at is numbers. Percentages. It's not a matter of "equality" really, not like in a job where someone hires another person. With elected office it's all a popularity contest. The most popular person gets elected.

 

Can a black man, asian man, hispanic man (or woman) be elected to these offices? Of course they can, if they appeal to the majority of Americans. If they don't, they won't. For example, Jessie Jackson could never be elected President because he only appeals to a small portion of the nation. The other segments of the population see him as an extremist but Colin Powell, I believe could be elected. He is seen as a man that is even handed and would take the entire nations interest into account in his decisions. Would color come into play? Yes, some people would vote for him for the sole reason that he is a black men, some would not vote for him for that very reason. But the mainstream, the majority of everyday people would vote for or against him based on issues and values.

 

The same goes for a woman, if a woman were to run and be nominated that holds my values and my views I would vote for her.

 

As for States with women as Governors, there have been 23 female Governors.

 

New Jersey had Christie Todd Whitman

Texas has had Miriam "Ma" Amanda Wallace Ferguson and Ann Richards.

Kentucky had Martha Layne Collins

Kansas had Joan Finney

Michigan has Jennifer Granholm

Connecticut had Ella Grasso

Ohio had Nancy Hollister

Arizona had Jane Dee Hull

Vermont has Madeleine Kunin

Hawaii has Linda Lingle

Montana has Judy Martz

Delaware has Ruth Minner

Arizona had Rose Mofford

Arizona has Janet Napolitano

Nebraska had Kay Orr

Washington had Dixy Lee Ray

Oregon had Barbara Roberts

Wyoming had Nellie Tayloe Ross

Kansas has Kathleen Sebelius

New Hampshire had Jeanne Shaheen

Massachusetts had Jane Swift

Alabama had Lurleen Wallace

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As for States with women as Governors, there have been 23 female Governors.

Add one more When Mike Leavitt took over the EPA, Utah's first female lt. governor Olene Walker became their first female governor. An article about it says however, that women are disproportionately represented in the political arena holding only 22% of the seats in the nation's state legislatures.

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I believe that there will be a white female president in my lifetime (within the next twenty-five years). I think Margaret Thatcher dispelled forever the myth that a woman can't head a major world power, and with the increasing number of women senators and governors, it is just a matter of time. We also have women such as Indira Ghandi and Golda Meir as examples of women in very challenging leadership roles with both national and international influence.

 

I think this country will be far more receptive to a Caucasian woman than to an African American of any gender. I do not expect to see a black president in my lifetime.

 

Other minorities also may be successful. There was a credible run for the office of governor of Louisana by a man of Indian descent ( as in India). I also think Latino political clout will continue to grow.

 

But if Colin Powell had run for President, he would have been assassinated...this country is not ready in reality to have an African-American as president. He would be dead. There is an unrelenting segment of this country that would feel their patriotic duty would be to kill him, no matter what the majority said. And it would have been carried out. I do not believe white female politicians face such an unrelenting opposition.

 

I was so relieved when Powell's wife kept him from running. I know many other African-Americans who were also relieved that he did not run. Had he run, he probably would have carried most of the African-American vote, because he is a product of, and an unabashed supporter of, affirmative action, which is still widely supported in the black community. I suspect many of you who admire much in terms of his service to the country, character, and so forth, would part ways over this issue, and in fact would not have voted for him, if he had run, because of that issue (but not because of race).

 

I don't consider whether or how soon the country chooses a black or minority or female president as a useful measure of how far the country has come. What gets my praise to God up is the pleasantness of my new neighbors, which I think demostrates how civil people can be towards one another. I just moved to a condo where I am the only black in the building. Many of my neighbors are seniors, rasied in the segragated south. I have not experienced one hint of unpleasantness from this group, but instead neighborliness. There was a time when the expectation of these people would be to never have to live near "the likes of me." They could have chosen to exhibit resentment, and give me the cold shoulder, and let me know I was unwelcome. Instead, when I had a problem in my unit about the third week, there was one of those retired elderly neighbors, saying, "Well, if they don't get it fixed, come on up to my home, and use mine." A generous and caring offer from someone who grew up with separate public water fountains and bathrooms.

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But if Colin Powell had run for President, he would have been assassinated...

I'd like to say I disagree with this and on some levels I do but I do agree that it would be a real threat. But at the same time it is a real threat for whoever is elected President. I think Hillary Clinton would face more danger of assassination then Colin Powell though.

 

A black man or woman would face the threat from certain groups of the population but all Presidents face that. Someone that might tend to want to kill Colin Powell wouldn't likely want to kill Bill Clinton or George Bush, and someone that may want to kill George Bush or Clinton likely wouldn't have any interest in killing Powell. So that danger would be there for him but he would face the same danger if he was a white man as President also.

 

I do understand what you are saying though and I agree that there are segments of the population that aren't ready but I believe that the majority of the population would accept someone like Colin Powell. Now if Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson were ever elected then I believe their chances of being killed would be much greater then Colin Powells.

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But if Colin Powell had run for President, he would have been assassinated...this country is not ready in reality to have an African-American as president. He would be dead. There is an unrelenting segment of this country that would feel their patriotic duty would be to kill him, no matter what the majority said. And it would have been carried out. I do not believe white female politicians face such an unrelenting opposition.

 

I was so relieved when Powell's wife kept him from running. I know many other African-Americans who were also relieved that he did not run. Had he run, he probably would have carried most of the African-American vote, because he is a product of, and an unabashed supporter of, affirmative action, which is still widely supported in the black community. I suspect many of you who admire much in terms of his service to the country, character, and so forth, would part ways over this issue, and in fact would not have voted for him, if he had run, because of that issue (but not because of race).

At the time people were hoping Powell would run I was under the impression that Powell was not popular with the black community because his parents were from Jamaica and he didn't grow up in the traditional black environment. In fact I have heard that complaint about other black political figures that made their mark "playing by the rules" (such as Clarence Thomas) rather than garnering strength as an activist such as Jackson or Sharpton.

 

Regarding Affirmative Action - I never choose a candidate on the basis of one issue alone. I think at the time (was it 92) people were desperately in need of someone they could look up to and Powell was a war hero.

 

As for whether Powell would be assassinated. I'd like to think that isn't true but I know you have more day to day knowledge of racism in this country. However, I live in the South and I don't personally come across those sorts of people. Here in the Bible Belt Powell was unpopular because he was pro-abortion - that's the only complaint I ever heard.

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At the time people were hoping Powell would run I was under the impression that Powell was not popular with the black community because his parents were from Jamaica and he didn't grow up in the traditional black environment.  In fact I have heard that complaint about other black political figures that made their mark "playing by the rules" (such as Clarence Thomas) rather than garnering strength as an activist such as Jackson or Sharpton.

 

Regarding Affirmative Action - I never choose a candidate on the basis of one issue alone.  I think at the time (was it 92) people were desperately in need of someone they could look up to and Powell was a war hero.

 

As for whether Powell would be assassinated.  I'd like to think that isn't true but I know you have more day to day knowledge of racism in this country.  However, I live in the South and I don't personally come across those sorts of people.  Here in the Bible Belt Powell was unpopular because he was pro-abortion - that's the only complaint I ever heard.

The media often misrepresent the opinions and motives of the black community, and its heterogenity. I know people from the neighbohood where I grew up "from the islands," and later in college people from Africa, as well as "home grown" black Americans. We all get along just fine. Folks I know understood the incredible difficulty for both Powell and his wife in his holding the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and felt for him, and pulled for him to be successful in that position. It may be more of a generational thing though...perhaps younger people that did not go through all the changes of the 60's would not understand the diffculty of being black in the positions that Powell has held.

 

The military has high regard within the African-American community, because progress within the miltary has led society. In the 60's when ROTC was being kicked off many majority university campuses, it remained on minority campuses. At our institution ROTC graduates are commissioned into their various services the day before graduation. In our graduation ceremonies, before any other graduate BA, MA, or whatever, is called, every newly comissioned officer is individually introduced, including his major, his rank, and where he will be stationed. Then when all the names of the graduates are called to walk across the stage the ROTC graduates' names are read with their ranks. They are accorded special honor.

 

And Harry Belafonte and his comment about Powell are not held by people I associate with.

 

Clarence Thomas's appointment was not loathed among the general black communtity with the vehemence that it was opposed by the Congressional Black caucus, until he actually started contributing his opinions on the Supreme Court. And it is his extreme conservatism (or the problem with Anita Hill), not the fact that he "played by the rules" that puts off most black people who don't like him.

 

I think the black community is more moderate in some areas than is generally perceived, or at least that there is a sizeable moderate population within the black community. I have heard my pastor complain about some positions held by the democratic party. I still do not think there will

a big change in voting patterns. My parents voted for the democrats for the first time in the Johnson/Goldwater contest in 1964-- the problem was perceived racism. I think that the perception remains that Republicans are more apt to "turn back the clock", and so the diversity within the black community is subordinated to this single overwhelming concern.

 

With regard to the fact that most the people you encounter in the South are not like the extremists who could never accept a black in the White House...I also have met very few of those since living in the south, even among polically conservative whites I have met here.

 

But the hate mongers are alive and well and active. ( "Very few" is not zero.) My point was that regardless of what the majority felt, these would feel it was their duty to kill.

 

I am glad Powell is alive and Secretary of State. I hope his hospitalization leads to restoration of full health so he can get back to work.

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I believe that there will be a white female president in my lifetime (within the next twenty-five years).  I think Margaret Thatcher dispelled forever the myth that a woman can't head a major world power, and with the increasing number of women senators and governors, it is just a matter of time. We also have women such as Indira Ghandi and Golda Meir as examples of women in very challenging leadership roles with both national and international influence.

 

I think this country will be far more receptive to a Caucasian woman than to an African American of any gender. I do not expect to see a black president in my lifetime.

 

Other minorities also may be successful. There was a credible run for the office of governor of Louisana by a man of Indian descent ( as in India). I also think Latino political clout will continue to grow.

 

But if Colin Powell had run for President, he would have been assassinated...this country is not ready in reality to have an African-American as president. He would be dead. There is an unrelenting segment of this country that would feel their patriotic duty would be to kill him, no matter what the majority said. And it would have been carried out. I do not believe white female politicians face such an unrelenting opposition.

 

I was so relieved when Powell's wife kept him from running. I know many other African-Americans who were also relieved that he did not run. Had he run, he probably would have carried most of the African-American vote, because he is a product of, and an unabashed supporter of, affirmative action, which is still widely supported in the black community. I suspect many of you who admire much in terms of his service to the country, character, and so forth, would part ways over this issue, and in fact would not have voted for him, if he had run, because of that issue (but not because of race).

 

I don't consider whether or how soon the country chooses a black or minority or female president as a useful measure of how far the country has come. What gets my praise to God up is the pleasantness of my new neighbors, which I think demostrates how civil people can be towards one another. I just moved to a condo where I am the only black in the building. Many of my neighbors are seniors, rasied in the segragated south. I have not experienced one hint of unpleasantness from this group, but instead neighborliness. There was a time when the expectation of these people would be to never have to live near "the likes of me." They could have chosen to exhibit resentment, and give me the cold shoulder, and let me know I was unwelcome. Instead, when I had a problem in my unit about the third week, there was one of those retired elderly neighbors, saying, "Well, if they don't get it fixed, come on up to my home, and use mine." A generous and caring offer from someone who grew up with separate public water fountains and bathrooms.

I agree. I think Colin would have been in even more danger than any of his predecessors had he been elected. There may be a female president in my life time and that is a very big maybe but I don't think I will ever see a black resident. There is simply too much hate and society is still too racialized. I think in years probably centuries to come things will change but the US is still a very young country compared with the UK for example.

Edited by Admiral Kirk

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I think that the perception remains that Republicans are more apt to "turn back the clock", and so the diversity within the black community is subordinated to this single overwhelming concern. 

 

I am glad Powell is alive and Secretary of State. I hope his hospitalization leads to restoration of full health so he can get back to work.

Thanks for sharing your insight - I hope my comments didn't come across as too "ignorant" - I have to wonder if any media coverage presents the full picture of these issues.

 

Getting a bit off topic

Regarding Powell, I developed a lot of respect for him by reading his biography "My American Journey"; I've also felt that he hasn't had the chance to be the kind of Sec of State he could have been. He had made many contacts that possibly could have helped garner more co-operative international relations; a potential that has buried under "cowboy diplomacy". To those that disagree I am not advocating we capitulate to a NWO point of view - just echoing that old adage "you catch more flies with honey"

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