Palin's Affirmative Action

This year's presidential election has taken a very interesting turn of events with Governor Sarah Palin entering the race as the first Republican female vice presidential candidate. Gov. Palin, a self-proclaimed "pit bull in lipstick", has become an overnight media sensation. Despite some eyebrow-raising controversies, including her questionable political experience, personal beliefs, and the pregnancy of her 17 year-old daughter Bristol, she has been hailed as a strong, real American woman. While her candidacy has excited the Republican Party and some female voters, it has also cast double-standards of gender, class, and race issues into the national spotlight.

Take Michelle Obama, for example. She is the epitome of First Lady material: a graduate of two Ivy League universities, had a career as a respectable attorney, a mother of two beautiful and smart daughters, and is the wife of the first Black man who has a serious shot of becoming the president. In the eyes of other Black women, Mrs. Obama is a fabulous, class act. She represents us, and all women, well. So it came as a major slap-in-the-face to most of us when she was forced to undergo an "image" makeover to soften her up. Mainstream media painted her as a "militant, angry Black woman" because of her statement of admitting to finally being 'proud of my country'. To them, she was scary and a whiner, or in some instances, too uppity and needed to be brought down a notch or two.

On the other hand, we have Gov. Sarah Palin, who could be a "heartbeat away" from being the next president. She attended six different colleges, in six years, in order to obtain one degree. She is also a proud lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, hunts moose and other endangered wildlife, and has no problem with raping sacred Alaska land for oil. Her husband was a member of the extremist Alaska Independence Party, a group who would like to do nothing more than sever its ties from the United States. And furthermore, her religious beliefs are just as extreme---and offensive---as those of Rev. Wright's. While Obama takes the high road and insists that families are off limits in this campaign, Gov. Palin's family offers much fodder for the campaign trail. She is the mother of a baby with Down syndrome and a pregnant teenage daughter. Yet, as Governor, she has cut funding for programs for both the mentally disabled and pregnant teens, but she claims that she will be a "friend" in Washington to these groups. Instead of the mainstream media, political pundits and others taking her task, or at least asking 'what the hell?' like they did with the Obama's, she receives rock star status and the Darling of the Year Award.

Gov. Palin's candidacy has been a real eye-opener in a lot of instances regarding gender, race, class, professionalism and double-standards. Let's face it, the standard bar of excellence and professionalism for which Black women and white women are measured against is unbalanced. Clearly, for Gov. Palin, the bar is much lower. Michelle Obama, who is not even running for office, has to be 'picture perfect', and walk a fine line for fear of fending off her husband's potential voters. There is no way that if Gov. Palin was a Black woman with the same values and questionable background, she would have made anyone's short-list, let alone receiving a vice presidential nomination. But white women, such as Sarah Palin, are given passes and are looked upon as trailblazers, despite being mediocre and sub par. Even Hillary Clinton, whom many felt was entitled to the presidency, pulled every nasty trick in the Karl Rove book in order to win the Democrat nomination. She was seen as a "fighter".

Society says, Black women are not allowed to be too strong, too Black, too vocal, or too proud, especially in the workplace. We are told we have to work twice as hard, to receive half of the rewards. We have to conform to higher Anglo-standards in order to be accepted and recognized. This usually means, 'do what you're told, keep your mouth shut, and you might be able to move up the corporate ladder.' Anything more, we become labeled as "angry", "trouble-makers", or secretly called the b-word. For many Black women, these "standards" by which we are measured, go against the grain of who we are. Many of us are the head of our households and we are the heartbeat of our communities. Black women have been fighters and trailblazers since the beginning of time. So when we are told to sit down and shut up if we want to climb the corporate ladder, that's a hard pill to swallow. Unfortunately, for many Black women in the workplace or leadership positions, we can't be pit bulls in lipstick. Instead, we are reduced to nothing more than lap dogs.

Comments

[WorldGriot]

Tara:
I liked what you said but was expecting you to make the point that this Sarah Palin, Clarence Thomas, et al, show precisely what the republicans' think of Affirmative Action. They have always resisted it based on the lie that it encouraged hiring the unqualified to positions based on their race or gender. So that is how they implement it. They give us a "pig in a poke" and expect us to like it. The Democrats have give us some of the smartest, most qualified people in government but the republicans more often than not give us idiots and call them great. Sarah Palin is an affirmative action hire, republican style. not only does she not know anything, she doesn't even suspect anything. yet there are women, republicans too, who are qualified because of laws passed by democrats. anyway , thanks for your post.

[kwame24]

Thank you for being so on point, Ms. Smith.
I whole-heartedly agree with your point that “...Black women have always been fighters and trailblazers..." Not only raising their own kids, but their grandkids and the kids in the neighborhood. I am an African-American male, educated, well-spoken, assertive and fully confident in who I am. I got that way because of the strong African-American women in my life. Starting with my Mother who told me, I was somebody and there was only one person who could stop me or hold me back; the person I see in the mirror. My Grandnana, who gave me my spiritual grounding. My Wife, who like Ms. Obama, is a professional woman raising two awesome pre-teens. My seven Aunts who praised me and encouraged me to be all I could be. These women are strong, courageous, proud daughters of African descent. So, when I see a blatant attempt to stifle that, it infuriates me. DEMS do not let this right-leaning media get away with making this woman of questionable background and no experience, a media darling. Our children’s future is at stake.

[KNadine]

As an African American mother of 3 girls, I am offended by the way Michelle Obama has been treated. Never seen anything quite like it. She's 5 times more of a woman than Cindy Lou Who and Palin mixed together. Republicans were quick to criticize Michelle Obama's brilliant convention speech, but did anybody say anything about the horrible Cindy McCain speech. They talk about the way Michelle looks and dresses, yet Cindy is allowed to walk around looking like a trollop in expensive overdone outfits and SHE has the look of a 1st Lady. Please!! Clearly both Barack & Michelle are more qualified for the White House, but of course, they must be 3x's better just to be considered in the running.

[USALover]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! As an African American woman who holds a double masters and an executive position at a fortune 100 company, this article was very personal for me!

Thank you for writing it! Thank you for documenting it! Thank you for acknowledging it!

I live this life and I know what you are writing is the truth.

I have loved the fact that Mr. Obama has not been running this election based on his ethnicity. It has been refreshing to see him for what he is. But it is a shame that people will NEVER view us in that same regard. We will always be African American first...with ugly stereotypes associated with our culture and heritage. We are so much more individualized than that. Like all races, we come in both good and bad.

I live a very comfortable life and yet I understand the struggles of those less fortunate. I know that people are struggling in poverty, money for gas and groceries, mortgages and I know that these issues need to be addressed to fix our broken nation. And it appears that this organized chaos that is being born in the Republican party and being spread by the Republican media doesn't get it.

I digress....

Too often, my demographic....goes unnoticed. Thank you for acknowledging our very existence! This article made my day!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[PumaAnn]

Michelle's problems were from the primary, when she drew attention with her words that were overly brash at times. She needed some polishing help. She seems far less offensive now, which is a good thing for his campaign.

Pal doesn't really need much help, apparently. We'll see her in a different setting tonight, but my guess is that she's not brash. She appears to me to very disciplined and used to staying on message.

[Tara Smith - Huffpost Blogger]

Interesting. I didn't see Michelle Obama as being overly brash. I thought she was being honest. I understand honesty is not always the best policy under certain circumstances, but come on, an "image" makeover. Can you imagine if Michelle Obama proclaimed to be a "pit bull in lipstick!" STOP THE PRESS. It's insulting.

Personally, I think Palin is overly brash.

YES, we will see Mrs. "I'm to sexy for an interview" Palin tonight, but I'm sure it too, will be well scripted. I'm more interested in the debates.

[USALover]

The interview is with McCain's WING MAN....Gibson. Gibson failed to ask McCain relevant questions....why would he change that protocol for Ms. Palin

[mediawatcher1975]

As a professional black woman I know exactly what you are talking about, Tara. The problem is that in our society we have become so politically correct that people forget that classism, sexism and racism are all still pervasive in the lives of most people. If anyone doubts this then do not belong to any minority group.

[USALover]

Its unfortunate, Ms. PUMA Ann that you did not read the entire article. Michelle has no problem. She isn't running for the first or second highest office in the country.

Michelle is raising two beautiful adorable daughters and is married to a man she loves. Her words were not brash but rather filled with compassion about the revelation of when she could personally recall falling in love with this country. That is not a crime or a problem, it is an opinion that even you have a right to express.

Have a wonderfully blessed life, Mr. PUMA Ann, I am sure you deserve it!

[USALover]

Its unfortunate, Ms. PUMA Ann that you did not read the entire article. Michelle has no problem. She isn't running for the first or second highest office in the country.

Michelle is raising two beautiful adorable daughters and is married to a man she loves. Her words were not brash but rather filled with compassion about the revelation of when she could personally recall falling in love with this country. That is not a crime or a problem, it is an opinion that even you have a right to express.

Have a wonderfully blessed life, Mr. PUMA Ann, I am sure you deserve it!

[Retrofuturistic]

I think the standards you are referring to apply to white women too, at least the ones who are not evangelical. White women also get put down in the workplace for being too "uppity" and too "vocal". I think what you are talking about is more sexism than racism; after all, black men got the vote before black and white women did.

Michelle Obama and HIllary Clinton are both smart and educated, therefore threatening.

Sarah Palin, however, supports the standards of the patriarchy and its agent of suppression, Christianity, so she gets a pass.

[Tara Smith - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes I totally agree with you. But after Michelle Obama's treatment, I couldn't help but to wonder if a Black woman in the same image as Palin would get a pass, or would she be scrutinized to the 1000th degree. A teenage pregnant daughter?Affiliations with extreme groups? A potential scandal? I don't think so. I believe she would have to be squeaky clean.

[AmericanVoice]

Tara, hello and let me be the first to say we have a lot of foolish and lying going on by the GOP right now. This is exactly the madness we don't need in the White House. I have "Breaking News" about our honorable Senator and his position on his fellow POW/MIA Veterans he left behind.

Most important, they also believe, as expressed so well in the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs final report, that "the single most basic principle of personal honor in America's armed forces is NEVER WILLINGLY TO LEAVE A FELLOW SERVICEMAN BEHIND."

I'm a Veteran and I thought it most important for the American voting public and the media to know exactly what kind of man we are even considering for the highest office in the land. We should all be so well informed, very informed matter of fact. I have submitted several links I think would be of great interest to the media world, and the nation as a whole. Please feel, free to use at your discretion, thanks and good luck....


http://www.aiipowmia.com//testimony/hrdlicka1.html


http://www.aiipowmia.com//testimony/benge910tst.html

http://www.aflcio.org/issues/politics/mccain_vets.cfm

[Tara Smith - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello American Voice and thanks for the links. I agree, we have a lot of foolishness and lying going on. I just hope that the Dems have a strong plan to expose both McCain't and Palin.