Urban Thought Collective

In refusing to withdraw from the democratic nomination, is Hillary Clinton exercising the only thing she has left to leverage – being a white woman?

How do you win a war when you know you can’t win? That’s a dilemma surely keeping the lights burning at Camp Hillary Clinton, as they try to figure out their next move. As every indicator shows her chances of winning the current Democratic nomination for presidency to be moot, extinguished and done, she nevertheless continues to carry on, even as her decision to stay in threatens her party’s chances of winning in November.

Even in the face of obvious defeat, I think it’s possible that Miss Hillary is being allowed to indulge her fancy because of her privilege as a white woman. What else could explain her behavior, and the lack of decisive action by anybody! Life is filled with many things that go unspoken, but are yet intrinsically understood. Since the beginning of this country, white women have always been afforded a different level of consideration not awarded to other Americans. Just consider the story of Emmett Till, the Tulsa Race Riots or Patty Hearst, so why should Miss Hillary be any different?

Certainly if the roles were reversed, Barack Obama or John Edwards would have been given their hats and shown the door long ago. While some might argue that she has the right to stay in the race, my question is that if the numbers don’t add up and the rules aren’t in your favor, then what’s the point?! It’s just like in the TV miniseries “Roots,” when Missy Anne Reynolds refused to acknowledge her illegitimate sister, Miss Kizzy. Even though everyone knew that they were sisters, and she had an obligation to do the right thing, she did not and nobody did a thing but look the other way. After all Missy Anne was a white woman, and she knew that her entitlement as such would allow her actions to be forgiven.

It will be interesting to see how thing play out on June 4th.

Only time will tell…

Gil Robertson IV

Gil Robertson IV is a journalist, bestselling author and lecturer. His work has appeared in numerous publications that include the LA Times, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Essence and Black Enterprise magazine. To contact him, visit, www.gilspeaks.net.