ProgressOhio

Over the past few months many of my friends in the blackblogosphere have been actively engaged in political discussions.

While we may not agree on who is the best candidate to represent the nation~there is one thing we agree on. We are all sick of the question.

Hello Miss, Mrs, Ms. Black Voter. I represent _______ news. I would like to know if you are going to vote for Obama because he is black or for Clinton because she is a female?

While it is suppose to be the way for us to express our political reasonings,it is really not a question that many of us are interesting in answering. Why? Because we are more interested in the issues.

But for some reason~no one ever asks us our opinion on what is poltically imprtant in terms of national politics. We have been confined to the identity issues of race and gender. Once that has been answered the discussion is over. The reporter smiles and the broadcast is over.

I now realize that the press will be paying attention to Ohio women. I am sure that they will be prepared to ask the question. And there will be black women who will give them their desired candidate and the reason why.

But there is a reality about African American politics that the media seems to be unable to grasp. We are a politically diverse group within this nation.

I know this would shock the sensibilities of those who believe that we are solely just Democrats. Or that a black Republican is as rare as hen's teeth.

However, if the media took some time to really check out black political thought, they would be surprised to learn that there are black people all over the political map this year.

I suspect that it would surprise many people in the public to learn that there are black women who are not going to even vote for either traditional party. They are opting for Green Party candidates and other alternative party runners. There are also conservative black women who are not thinking about a Democrat in office period. Not to mention those groups who like Edwards, Paul, Kucinich, Gravel and whoever in the hell else is running.

Of course those individuals are seldom sought out for questioning. It would probably be like making a special order at your favorite fast food resturant. The perception of different would be a temporary wrench in the works.

I am hoping that those of you have contacts in the media will inform their reporters that we are tired of the question. Eventually they will encounter a black woman who will say this before the camera and liberate us from being plauged by it any longer.

Why not surprise us by asking about the issues? It would be a refreshing change to hear what is on our minds around those topics. We spend a lot of time researching and discussing what we believe to important when selecting a national leader. Come on ask us a question about the economy, war, taxes, education, forgien or domestic policies.

While some women do not mind the press busting in while they are having their weekly hair or nail appointments~to ask the question, there are other places where we can be interviewed.
Try a new setting like a coffee shop or outside of homes or during a non political event. Do something radical like mix up the generations and learn what we think about in terms of politics.

I know that these proposed changes will be difficult at first. It seems that by asking the question so often it has become a comfortable format. However, with some practice, the press will discover that we actually have more on our minds than race and gender in this political season.