Tayari's Blog: Some Election Thoughts

Posted by TayariJones on November 1, 2008 08:51 AM
Filed under Current Events


tayari, first grade
Originally uploaded by kleopatrjones
Since I will be in Ghana for the election, I am going to post my reflections now. Much is being made of the fact that Barack Obama will provide little black children with inspiration that they, too, could be president one day. Hillary was thought to provide the same inspiration to little girls.

Well, when I was a little girl, the year this photo was taken, I had no idea that the presidency could be limited by race. Jimmy Carter was running for president and a film crew came to our school to ask the children who they would vote for. I said "JIMMY CARTER!" The reporter asked me why and I said "BECAUSE HE'S A BLACK MAN!" The lady was confused and asked me how I had come to this conclusion. I said, "Because my daddy is voting for him." Needless to say, I was not included in the final video.

I blogged a while back about my novel in progress. There is a moment when a very light-skinned character is described as "white as the president." Maybe I will have to change that line in my next round of revisions.

But before we commence with the group hug, I know that when I was a little girl, I never thought a girl could be president. A lot of sisters I know are really excited that a black woman could be first lady. They are as excited as the Hillary supporters were at the idea of a woman being president.

This world is really complicated. Maybe I'll make some sense of it while I'll away.
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There are 2 comments on "Some Election Thoughts". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.

Comment #1, by Emilie [TypeKey Profile Page]

With any luck, that line will soon be outdated. :) It's time to make history...differently than we have been. Have a safe trip.

November 2, 2008 04:21 PM

Comment #2, by slsonnier [TypeKey Profile Page]

I remember Jimmy Carter's election also, so we must be in the same demographic. I think mots of our generation group up in the time of Sesame Street and Mr Rodgers. Race was not as central an issue in our lives as children. You played with the kids in your class. Mr Roders taught us again and agaun that we were all equal. If you'd asked me if Johnnie could grow up and be president, I would have said Sure.

For me, time and life changed the little girl that gave race little to no thought. I'm not sure when the switch flipped, but at some point, race was added to my personal identity.

How knows, maybe this generation of kids will grow up and retain their Sesame Street mentality well into adulthood. Let us hope

November 5, 2008 12:25 PM

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