An Open Letter to Geraldine Ferraro

Twenty-four years ago, when I was a young woman studying abroad, I made a call home from a pay phone on a busy Madrid corner and heard that you had been chosen to run as vice president. I can recall even now how absolutely elated I was -- how I waved friends over to share the news, brimming with happiness about the historic shift I hoped it symbolized for the country and for me as a young woman about to begin my own professional journey.

Now, I am writing to try to communicate to you how your recent assertions that Barack Obama is "very lucky" to be Black, and that if he were a white man "he would not be in this position," can be both inaccurate and racist without your being a racist. Of course you know that as a public figure your words circulate beyond the arena of your intent. You must realize, too, that your intent seems painfully unclear because you've chosen to reiterate and sharpen your comments rather than to contextualize or apologize for them.

It's worth rehearsing why it is hard for many to understand why being African-American can be considered advantageous when compared to being white. White median net worth is 14 times black net worth (largely because of post-World War II entitlements and discriminatory housing patterns). Black men make up just 33% of the about 40 percent of college age African-American students studying for degrees. (White men make up about 46% of white undergraduates). Black representation in business, politics and education is disturbingly low. Look, for example, at the Senate, where Barack Obama is the sole African-American member and only the third to be elected since Reconstruction, that is, in a 125 years. (A still too small number of women, 16, all Anglo-American, serve in the Senate today). Now, as the country faces a housing melt-down, the subprime loan crisis impacts African-Americans (and Latinos) at higher rates. We are 3 to 4 times more likely to have subprime, high interest, loans. In daily life, in Maryland, for example, all drivers seem to run lights and speed about equally, but a whopping 72% of those stopped and searched for traffic violations are Black (Blacks make up about 28% of the state's population). And when it comes to the larger health tragedies, like cancer, Blacks in this country are 30% more likely to die of that disease than are whites. Black women are almost 80% more likely to suffer from a fatal stroke than our white counterparts. In the U.S. Black infants are more than twice as likely to die before they turn one than are white children. Obama is advantaged because he happens to be Black?

Your comments exist in a larger context, not only in the context of your past work, or in the context of the contest for the Democratic primary -- and it would display great grace and maturity to acknowledge this. Saying that a Black man has it "easy"" resonates with anti-affirmative action implications -- no matter your record on that program. Saying such things in this climate makes Black people's jobs and lives harder. It makes it harder for me not to look like someone who had it "easy" and is "very lucky to be who I am," when I grew up on public assistance and got my first job when I was 12, before going on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Amherst College and then becoming someone blessed enough to teach inspiring young people at a liberal arts college in Los Angeles. More importantly, your assertions play into attitudes that discount the continued structural discrimination Blacks face when they -- like others in this country -- are trying desperately to make ends meet and to keep themselves and their children safe and healthy and in schools where they can learn and succeed.

We hear rhetoric that dismisses our reality from the Republicans -- there's no reason to hear it now from Democrats. There's no reason to make divisive assertions when the party is trying to unite across race and class and region to address concrete problems of job loss, rising student debt, inaccessible health care, poverty and global warming. This is no time be stubbornly, inaccurately, defiant when Democrats could be coming together to create green jobs, to end a war in Iraq that should have never been waged, to rejoin the global community in addressing our shared challenges, and to celebrate and encourage young people's new engagement in our political process.

Let's address reality. Public figures must recognize that words matter. We can acknowledge your contributions and also condemn the insensitive and a historical assertions you seem so eager to reaffirm. The two are not mutually exclusive. Giving you the opportunity to align your recent comments with the advocacy you trumpet is quite far from first amendment censorship. Indeed, your recent assertions and accusations -- and the vigor with which you defend them -- dishonor the spirit of change that these historic campaigns should embody.

I write to ask that you acknowledge that your comments are both hurtful and divisive.

I have the audacity to hope that you will.

Comments

[anniewade]

I hope you have the audacity to check out the following two articles. In them Barack Obama admits being black has helped his career. These are now circulating the web:

http://obama.senate.gov/news/050626-when_it_comes_to_race_obama_ma/

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/24/washington/24obama.html?_r=1&sq=obama%20third%20senator%20reconstruction&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=10&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1205814418-c8BhsJNXK3fLbHSn/StHLQ

Geraldine Ferraro is an elderly woman that has spent her life working for liberal goals. To eviscerate her for one remark, which Barack apparently agrees with, is unnecessarily harsh. Obama & his supporters can make their case for his presidency without trashing this poor woman.

[Galvanized]

I found M. Foreman's comments accurate and provocative. From my non racist point of view, I could see how Senator Ferraro's comments could be taken out of context and turned into some type of racist issue. And this is exactly what happened. The real problem is that this is a non-issue in the 'change' that needs to take place in our government and in our country. People we have REAL lawbreakers in Washington that are going to get away for us worrying about semantics somewhere else. CAN WE PLEASE MOVE ON ALREADY.

[jade7243]

The comments of Rev. Wright finding the media spotlight were no accident. Vitrolic commenters had been screaming in the blogosphere for months about "Obama's Racist Church" to avail. They took front and center specifically to counter the remarks of Ms. Ferraro. Nothing happens in a vacuum.

But there is a major difference in a pastor preaching to and trying to inspire, motivate, challenge and otherwise "shake up" the cobwebbed thinking of a congregation that might feel entitled to feel victimized, complacent, and oppressed. To get them on their feet and into streets, and colleges, statehouses and the hallowed hall of government. To make them take charge of their own destinies, and stop waiting for the world to change around them. To make them see they are the ones they've been waiting for. Freedom comes to those who take it.

Ferraro's comments, regardless of her explanations, were not designed to do anything other than put down the man -- the black man -- with the audacity to not only challenge her friend but with the unmitigated gall to best her time after time -- 29 times to be exact. Ferraro, the feminist, is angry that even after 25 years, a woman has not yet ascended to the "throne." If there was "motivation" for women to work harder to get elected, I didn't hear it in her comments. If, as she claims, she was "celebrating" that African Americans are overwhelmingly supporting a candidate for President this year who happens to be black, I didn't hear that in her comments either. What I heard was anger. And the pitiful charge of reverse racism. "They're picking on me because I'm white." Not because what she said was, well, dripping with racism.

When I heard Rev. Wright, I heard nothing shocking or implausible or new -- and maybe this is because I had heard everything he said before, over my family's dinner table, or at my grandmother's, or great aunts' and uncle's homes: stories about growing up or living through the depression, growing up on a farm in South Carolina bought and paid for with hard-earned money achieved by my great-grandparents post slavery, or on a small hardscrabble, dust blown farm/ranch in Oklahoma where my grandmother and her siblings were sent went their parents died one right after the other while the children were way to young to fend for themselves. Stories about Jim Crow and crackers (not the edible kind), worries about the Klan. Stories about watching out for unscrupulous doctors and mystery illnesses, about policemen with secret rooms and thick phone books and rubber hoses. and southern trees bearing strange fruit. When you learn about what happens in the backrooms and the dark, with the wink and nod lawyers and doctors, mayors, and governors, you can be suspicious of Presidents and governments who promise one thing and deliver no thing.

That so many white commenters were "appalled and shocked" at what the Rev. said speaks directly to the state of America. That so many of those same people were willing to give Ferraro the benefit of the doubt says something, too.

We live in very separate worlds. To hear the Scarboroughs, Buchanans and Beck and Hannitys tell it, to be an American patriot means you get up each morning and put on your flag pin, say the Pledge, sing the Star Spangled Banner -- an anthem most Americans don't know the words and can't carry the tune -- and you repeat the mantras that "everything changed on 9/11" and "all Muslims hate us." You have to believe that the US has never done anything wrong that might cause our reputation to be tarnished. You believe like any "good US American" that you should be proud of your country 24/7/365 because nothing is ever wrong with America. In their eyes, Ferraro said everything right and Wright was 100% wrong.

How is it, I wonder that the talking head and some of you can be deaf to the rantings of Christian conservative ministers who don't blink an eye when they blame their fellow citizens bringing God's wrath in trials and tribulations like AIDS or hurricanes or earthquakes or fires or train derailments or building collapses. They wish certain people are struck down dead, assassinated or sent to Hell. You don't mind when "conservative" politicians make a beeline to be "anointed" as conservative enough by them. You can rally 'round them when they blame the other folks for their problems: "Why they just need to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Just like my folks did when they came to this country." You all conveniently forget that steerage is like first class when compared to the Middle Passage.

So there is a linkage between Rev. Wright and Geraldine Ferraro. Both grew up in America at about the same time. Ferraro, in spite of not being born male and Anglo-Saxon Protestant was "lucky" enough to be born white.

One out of three ain't bad.

[indie17]

Thanks Garbrielle! Best article yet on the subject. (from a white, 51 year old, straight Texas woman, just to give some context.)

[jsfox]

Great post. Well written and well thought out. Personally I was disappointed in Ferraro before this latest idiocy. I am in independent who voted in the NH democratic primary - a millennium ago I was really excited about this election. Then Ms Ferraro had the audacity to state, on NPR, that come convention time my vote or those of other independents or republican cross overs shouldn't count. Stating this was the Democratic Convention and only the vote by registered democrats should be taken into account by the supers. Hmm seems to me she doesn't realize or so completely out of touch that no matter who the candidate the democratic party is going to need us Independents to get their nominee into the White House. Understand this has nothing to do with any candidate, but rather I supposed party elder telling me/ us to get lost. Keep it up and I just might.

[MaureenS]

Racism, doesn't exist in vaccum and unfortunately the media plays a vital role in perpetuating it as well. The media is very subtle in their approach, i.e playing Rev. Wright comment over and over again...making it into a bigger story then Governor Spitzer or Ms. Ferraro 's racist comment...although Senator Obama, denounce the comments attributed to Rev. Wright it is constantly being played especially by CNN. If one doesn't factor in the coverage of Senator Obama, as evidence of a racially bias media, just take a look at the debates and the questions that those reporters ask him, where he consistenly being ask to denounce, reject controversial religious black leaders, while Hillary isn't being ask to denounce religious white leaders such Jerry Farwell, their reasons for asking these questions is "getting to the facts" and asking hard questions", these questions are in fact exactly the opposite they are questions formulated base on Senator Obama 's race and their perception of the African American community...they don't even see his, experience, intelligence or his individuality as they do Hillary Clinton. In addition, why is today opening newscast, and even the Huffington 's News Posting, still addressing Rev. Wrights comment and not Ms. Ferraro's comment; why? because the media has censored themself regarding Governor Spitzer's actions, for example, Katie Couric of CBS News, remind reporters that he; Spitzer has 3 innocent girls caught up in this tragedy and continued need for privacy at this time, I haven't heard one reporter or media outlet is considering Senator Obama's family, the members of his church, his membership to a church; a church he attended for over 20 years when they make this attacks against him. Racisim is define within the context of power..manifested in the form of differential treatment base on ones race, the media is powerful...and as far as I know, Black Americans don't own CNN, MSNBC, FOX, CBS, ABC or The New York Times etc. The media also shape perception and opinions and race is a powerful tool in which one can use to shape perception. The media has a responsibility to not only ensure that it is not appearing sexist, it must also make sure that they are not appearing racist either. Senator Obama, is unable to react, because unlike Hillary Clinton, who garner sympathy when she played the gender card, he would be portrayed as too sensitive or playing the race card. Senator Obama's inability to respond, has given reporters a field day. ...YUP LUCKY INDEED!!

[FreedomsRoad]

Don't pay that guy any mind. He's a little rabid. Couldn't resist it.

Anyway, I appreciate your comments and insight. What some folks don't realize is that the Jeremiah Wright issue is localized, i.e. it speaks to Barack's religious background. Ferraro's comments are a larger statement, and status check, on what many Whites (those who are co-signing on her statement) feel about Black progress and achievement in the US.

I could give a fig about the Rev. Wright issue. I think Barack has to fight his way free of that one, I'm out of it.

On the Ferraro issue, I think it's important that we examine the attitude that leads middle-class Whites to feel that Blacks, especially educated Blacks, are somehow unaffected by White racial prejudice. I'm especially disturbed because I belong to multiple ethnic communities and many in the Asian community take a much more rigid stance in terms of Affirmative Action and frequently misunderstand the historical inequities and injustices that lead to its creation.

Anyway, I dig the blog. I hope to hear more nuanced debate on this topic than what I've seen elsewhere.

[Tankan]

Stop it right now!

Trust me, you don't want to antagonize people like Geraldine!

[feelfree]

Ferraro's comments has not made the lives of black Americans harder. Institutionalized white privilege makes life harder for black Americans and other minorities. Your personal experience has nothing to do with the comments Ferraro made about a specific person. Barack Obama has had an easier time in this election. It was only about a month ago the press stopped fawning over him and asking tough questions and I think that has something to do with race. He's getting the majority of the black vote, that has something to do with race.

[griffon2k]

If the majority of African Americans are voting for Obama, then that would mean by default that the majority of voters supporting Hillary Clinton are in fact white. Are we to assume that Hillary Clinton would not be where should is now were she not white?

No, the suggestion would be as absurd and divorced from reality as the claim that Obama has had it easy because of the color of his skin.

We have two great candidates whose credentials rise above race and gender. Why can't our debate about these two candidates remain above race and gender as well?

[kcnativnla]

Obama is being hammered by the press for Reverend Wright, who has retired and made inflammatory statements 7 years ago. I hardly hear in the MSM anymore about Ferraro's comments (and the half dozen other comments from that side), made in the context of the campaign less than a week ago.

Obama has been hammered about Rezko, even though he has not or ever been implicated in any wrongdoing. Therefore, he had to have a lengthy sit-down with the press who grilled him for an hour and a half on this relationship. Has Bill and/or Hillary given up ANY documents (taxes, donations, etc)? Yet, I don't see anybody in the MSM demanding these things.

Yeah...Obama's had it easy because he's black. That statement would be laughable if there weren't dreamers like you actually believing it.

[ginnypoo]

It doesn't matter, Obama needs to withdraw from the race, he is no longer electable, he has lied more in the last 3 days than any politician I've ever seen. Rezko, Wright, Ayers. It goes on and on, he needs to withdraw. !7-20 years speaks volumes and volumes, his empty denials sound stupid in light of all those years of close relationships. He really shouldn't have run, he should have been happy he was in the Senate and just been quiet and no one would have noticed how shady he really is. Will never vote for him and I don't know anyone still supporting him after this last bunch of garbage.

[JGatsby]

"It doesn't matter, Obama needs to withdraw from the race, he is no longer electable, he has lied more in the last 3 days than any politician I've ever seen." Can you name one lie that Obama has spoken?

"Will never vote for him and I don't know anyone still supporting him after this last bunch of garbage."
No one that I know takes any of this Wright garbage seriously. We are tired of letting FOX news define the terms of our debate. Why is it that Obama has to denounce every person he knows who has said something inflamatory while McCain can embrace someone who calls the Catholic Church "the great whore" and Clinton never condemns Geraldine's "lucky to be black" comments?

The real issues of course are being discussed by no one. Even Obama gets so distracted by all this nonsense that he can't focus on what matters. Have you noticed what is happening with the economy? Iraq? Do you really want more of the same? That is what Clinton is going to give us. She will dress it up and throw a few bones to the left (maybe a supreme court nominee who actually believes in choice and evolution -- maybe -- if we are good). I think people are finally starting to wake up, they better because our way of life and essentially our survival are at stake.

[Jazz42]

Ms/Mrs Foreman.
Well stated article.
Thank you,

[obalaji]

Don't hold your breath. Look, this is a racist country. I know. It's hard. Our feelings are being hurt each day over the insensitivity. But I say let them continue. See, we as blacks, one day, are going to have tp make some real decisions about what to do in the face of all this. Up until now, we've been too silent.

[YellerDawg]

Obamanation is doing its best to change the subject back to Ferraro. Rev. Wright has knocked Geraldine out of the headlines and out of mind. I don't blame you, though. After the "God damn America" catastrophe, I'd try to change the subject back to her, too. Good luck with that.

[ICUP]

Wright has a point about damning America. Look at how white America has treated blacks, Native Americans, Japanese-Americans, and Mexican-Americans. Slavery, Jim Crow laws, Black Codes, legalized lynching, the reservation system, genocide, internment camps, sharecropping, et al.. If that was your life experience, then you might not buy into the American exceptionalism arguement. Look at the facts and you'll see that Wright makes valid points, albeit in purple prose.

[KDH]

Yeah, Reverend Wright has overshadowed Ferraro's remarks. I guess denial makes desperate Obama people do desperate things.

[kcnativnla]

Right...

I guess we should all be responsible for everything our friends say. In that case, I guess your friends are perfect. Let's compare something the reverend said 7 years ago to someone on Hillary's finance committee saying something in the context of the campaign, or maybe Bill's dumb statements, or maybe Bob Johnson's innuendo, or Penn's daily misquotes...

The list goes on and on. But hey, you do what you have to do. There's a reason why intelligent, educated folks overwhelmingly choose Obama over Hillary "Republican-lite" Clinton. Those type of distracting, non-issue issues only work on the brainless and easily distracted.