As the Democratic Orchestrated Convention nears, one wonders what the first act will be.
The appeasement of the Clintons and their constituency or the placement of her name on the roll call. Those who are convinced that she is the better candidate will not be satisfied anymore than those who believe that Obama is America’s pick. It is the right thing to do for all who cast a vote.
However, it is important to not forget symbolism and the power it wields.
The symbolic gestures of a Woman going into the history books as a viable contender for the White House and a Black Man, the most reviled of the lot, actually becoming the nominee for the Democratic party , will do what they are intended to do. The opium for the masses will be center stage, while the true agenda moves forward with great speed and purpose.
It will be an historic, scripted event. But like most things in politics, A good script is all it takes. Those who are disappointed must realize that short of a revolution, unseating patriarchy or racism will not happen in our lifetime.
Perhaps the thinking is after hundreds of years of servitude a nod to the black diaspora is long overdue while the white woman has enjoyed a certain legitimacy by virtue of being in what is becoming a declining majority. It may not be enough, but the alternative is what must be considered. McCain and the GOP ideology may be inevitable but is not an option for true Democrats. We can look forward to this stagecraft convention and what it can accomplish.
Back to symbolism.
For the majority of Americans the illusion of equality is synonymous with our Constitution. As it is in its final death throws, it is necessary to hang on to the beliefs our Founding Fathers envisioned, which by the way, didn’t include African Americans or women. As our freedoms along with the soon to be antiquated Constitution slowly diminish into the history books, there is security in this Convention. It proclaims loudly that our Democratic system still works. All is well.
So perhaps this will give all Americans who feel disenfranchised or marginalized or not heard, a voice, however brief, the appearance of unity, a measure of hope for our collective future.
