My Extended Opinion on the Primaries:

As most if you know, the American primary elections are coming up on February 5th. Wait, wait...before I start I HAVE to say that my information might be inaccurate and if it is then I apologize! I haven't had much of a chance to research the election except from what I see and hear on CNN and that is obviously NOT enough!! But, I have just moved to a new country/continent and am also trying to learn about the politics( and history and culture and language, etc, etc, etc, etc) here while keeping up with the election. Plus, I teach English to children so I don't get much exposure to the adult world so much anymore. I am sure my step dad is reading this, sighing and thinking "Oh lord, she truly IS just like her mother..." ;)

The reason why I am writing this is because I did a careless thing as an American. I've been so busy here that I forgot to find a way to vote for the Primaries here. I was spoiled in Amsterdam because my step dad is very intelligent and is very knowledgeable so I relied on him for political information. He was my influence. My mom was the one who made sure we had the absentee ballots and all of that. So now that I am here and I don't have my parents to take care of all of that for me, so I forgot to register to vote for the primaries. And seeing as I am in Taiwan, it is probably too late for me to register and have everything sent to me.

As for the candidates, I don't know much about Obama and Edwards. I assume Obama would be a good candidate as well, but for me, I know more about Hillary. We KNOW where she's been, what she's been through and all that she has had to do and go through to get to where she is today!! Also, I might be sexist, but I am playing the gender card. I will explain more on this later.

So even though my knowledge of politics is waning, I still have a right to an opinion so here it is:

1. As women, it is our RIGHT to vote. Remember the 19th amendment? Women's suffrage? I want to appreciate and honor those women such as Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott who fought to give us such rights as equality and of course, the 19th amendment and move FORWARD with equality! I don't believe women should rule the world, but I believe in Yin and Yang. I believe women should be right up there with men and Hillary is our chance! I'm not talking about "World Peace" here...that word has gotten thrown around so much it has lost its meaning. I am just saying to finally work together and get something done!

But, in light of all fairness, since we are talking about the 19th amendment, let's not forget the 14th amendment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution).

BUT...even though I am concerned with gender, I am not concerned with color. (Trust me, I may be a white girl from conservative, suburban Ohio where most white parents won't let their children date blacks, but I have made it a goal to break myself from that mold and to see people for who they are NOT what color they are! My relationship is proof. I have fallen for an Asian man(Taiwanese to be exact). Personally, color may be an issue in this case as he embodies what I find physically attractive, but inside we are the same...period. But alas, I am trailing from my main point). It really doesn't matter as long as you do good.

2. As a member of Generation Y, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Y , I need to motivate my (excuse my poor language) lazy-ass peers and be an example and vote! Back in November 2000, I asked my college friends who they were going to vote for. Most of them said, "Ehhh I'm not gonna vote." I was a little bit upset by this. I felt that because of their apathy, our generation was doomed. I also blamed them because Bush won the election (Obviously, I voted for Gore). Whether or not it really was their fault is beyond me. Maybe not, because as it turned out, one of those same college friends voted for Bush in the 2004 election... so maybe he would have voted for him in 2000 and that really wouldn't have made a difference? But I am willing to take these chances! There are people out there who feel the same as me, but are reluctant to vote. I want them to see that their vote is important. That is why MTV has that whole "Rock the Vote" campaign! To get us off our lazy asses and do some good for once!

3. Back to the topic of women leading: It has been shown that very little has been solved with certain men leading the country (and the world). I really don't think wars solve a lot. Lots of men put their life on the line for their countries, but most don't get to live to appreciate that sacrifice. I just don't see the point in that. Yes, OK, maybe they do it for their loved ones or for the people, but wouldn't it be even better if they were alive to enjoy it WITH their loved ones and fellow countrymen? They deserve at least that!

I just feel that a woman in office would take a different approach to things. I feel that a sharp tongue solves more than a sharp sword. I'm not saying do away with military as we all need to be able to defend ourselves, but didn't your mother ever tell you, "NEVER throw the first punch. Only fight back when someone else has thrown that first punch in your face!" (or stomach, or groin, whatever...). But even then, there are more intelligent ways of dealing with things than showing off our "Big Guns"...


I know very little of Senator Clinton's stance on the issues, but as for why I would have voted for Hillary in the Primaries is this: It is not only my gut feeling that says she would make a good president, but it is also what she has been through not only professionally but personally that has made her great. One thing I must say is that she KNOWS how to deal with publicity, good AND bad. She has had to deal with it for YEARS!! Not only has she broken through many levels of the "Glass ceiling" in her professional career, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_ceiling ,
but she is also a mother and a wife! She had a husband who led himself astray promiscuously and she stuck by his side (personally I would have dumped his sorry ass and saved myself the anguish, but hey-different strokes for different folks), fought to mend their marriage and now they have become a powerful duo! And speaking of this husband of hers, let's not fail to mention that he, himself was President a few years ago and despite his personal affairs, he seemed to have done a pretty decent job! She is definitely an independent woman and would be great on her own, but I think it is wonderful to have someone with that kind of experience stand behind you and be there for you! And lastly, she has the "hook-up". What I mean is, that she HAS the network to be President. Have you ever heard the saying, "It's not WHAT you know, it's WHO you know"? Well, I believe she has the WHAT and the WHO and that is what will help her when she is President. And one last point as I digress back to the "Glass ceiling": No woman has ever "broken" this, how should I put it... this high a level of a "Glass ceiling" before. If she did this, this would push us forward!

As I said before, I do not want women to "rule the world" Extremism breeds radicalism, in my opinion (if you don't understand what I mean let me give you a quick example:Germany: Hitler and the Nazis=Nationalism--->Russians in East Germany=Communism--->Present Day (FORMER Communist East) Germany= sudden rise of the NPD (present day Nazi party) taking control...extreme right to extreme left to extreme right again), BUT feminism has been digressing rapidly these past few years! The Paris's, Britney's and Pamela's of the world have pushed us back to the stone age when men beat women over the heads with clubs and made them their "property". They let their daddies and managers make their decisions for them while they go off and let fame hungry men manipulate them any way they can because they don't know any other way. And even though people complain and bash them, I still have respect for the Oprah's and Angelina's of the world and of course women like Hillary! Bit by bit they are doing their part to make this world better as well as bringing progress for women. That is what I want to be a part of! That is who I want to be!




I apologize for any incorrect and/or offensive material and thank you for reading. Please do not send any comments bashing, threatening or complaining. This is ONLY an opinion and not meant to anger...ONLY to express and maybe(though I am pessimistic about this and doubt it) enlighten...