Column: Diversity in American politics
Matt Eldridge, CT Columnist
April 26, 2007
Issues and personality aside, Hillary Clinton is extremely well qualified to be our next president. Not only has she held several important senate positions, she also has more experience in the White House than any of the other presidential contenders. Yet she is often discounted merely because of her gender. While on the elevator in my dorm I overheard someone stating that they would never vote for her because she was a woman. The person who said this was a woman.
I believe this undercurrent of political snobbery toward women and minorities is a major disappointment for a nation, which seeks to be forward thinking and modern. While white males make up roughly one-third of the United States' population they make up an overwhelming majority of the members of Congress. One wonders whether or not it is time for the Congress and all of American politics, including the executive branch, to fully represent the diverse demographics of America.
The bias that many Americans have--even other women as the example I gave above shows--is that people do not believe that women are component or skilled enough to represent this nation.
The current struggle we are waging against Islamic extremist terrorism has been portrayed by some--although not particularly by me--as a battle between the liberal values and progressive thinking of the west versus supposedly backward thinking Islamic cultures. Indonesia, with over 220 million people is the world's largest Islamic nation. They have already elected a female president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, in 2001. India, the world's largest democracy with well over one billion citizens and another supposedly backward nation saw its first female prime minister over 40 years ago with Indira Ghandi.
Common concerns with electing a female president are that she will not be treated with respect within the foreign community or that she will be ineffective in overcoming personal emotions. If the 14 competent women serving in the United States senate and the various female foreign leaders are any testament, women are capable of as much skill and as many shortcomings as their male counterparts. Female politicians are neither weak nor ineffective. For example, Indira Ghandi is still regarded as one of the best prime ministers in India's history. She did not shy from confronting tough issues or making hard decisions and I strongly doubt that any American, man or woman, capable of making it to the highest level of politics would shy from his or her responsibilities either.
While I certainly would celebrate the presidential election of a woman or a minority as a great achievement for American politics, I understand that it is crucial not to elect someone solely on their gender or ethnicity for purposes of diversity. Politicians such as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama should merely be given an equal opportunity to voice their opinions and their visions for America's future and should be afforded equal respect and consideration by the American public as white men such as Rudy Giuliani, Joe Biden, John McCain and others. It is time that we, in America, stop discrediting candidates for petty reasons such as their gender and focus on their experience, their stance on important issues, and other traits such as compassion and honesty.