by Kranix-76 » Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:23 am
Realistically speaking? America might be close, but not close enough...
My own opinions on the candidates aside (as personally, I'm a Kucinich supporter and, coincidentally, a hopeless optimist), there are still mindsets that exist to challenge the notion of equality. I'm not talking about institutional racism or institutional sexism--although both still do exist in the United States more than most of the "majority" realize--but just long-standing cultural throwbacks to discriminatory sentiments that have existed in the States since before the Colonies. It doesn't help that the "baby boom" generation holds the highest election turnouts of all groups, and according to a number of sociological studies, maintain a very socially conservative perspective.
Conversations I have had and overheard with "average Americans," folks who wouldn't fancy themselves as bigots or the like, are just frightening at times. Fears of a "black president only looking out for his own kind" or "women going mad with power" are expressed by reasonably educated people, often interacting in at least a semi-diverse environment--might even have friends who are black, or are women themselves--and this is in the Northeast. Y'know. So "blue" that we're actually ultraviolet.
And that's not counting the more vocal folks who are a bit less subtle in their views.
So if Sen. Obama somehow proves himself capable of solid progressive policy (and not just relying on charisma), or Sen. Clinton can live-down her ambitious image and intensely moderate policy, then I would almost out of principle hope that one of them would be soon known as "President of the United States." But even if those conditions are met, and the candidates don't depend on the "Democratic wave" that has swept in since the second Bush administration...I would still anticipate the fears of "middle-America" winning-out in the end, and being stuck with a facist like Guliani (and yes, some of his policies do border on facist ideas) because "at least it wouldn't be rocking the boat."
Here's hoping I'm wrong...