Urban Thought Collective

A few short years ago, I had the pleasure of handling the publicity efforts for a documentary film called “Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed.” Directed by Shola Lynch, the Peabody Award-winning film broke down the life and fascinating political campaign of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to run for president. Incidentally, she was also the first black woman elected to Congress. It is a stunning piece of filmmaking, and it tells a story many of us are not aware of.

Now, any public school worth its crumbling playground gives you a cursory mention of Chisholm during Black History Month. What isn’t well known, however, is the fact that Chisholm had the support of prominent black leadership right up until the very end. Throughout her historic run, black politicians were in her corner. Yet, when the time came to throw their delegates her way, they caved and went with tried and true white candidate, George McGovern. Her run could have been more than symbolic. She could have been a contender.

Mrs. Chisholm’s slogan of “Unbought and Unbossed” has always resonated with me as a maverick (sorry, McCain) approach to a system that has been broken almost from its inception. She was not beholden to any one group. She didn’t owe anyone any favors. She was simply running her heart out on a platform of educational, social and political equality.

In Chisholm, we had the total package. Women voters, especially notable feminist icons like Gloria Steinem were ga ga for her. Black leaders were excited to have their race represented in a positive light. It was the 1970s after all. Race relations weren’t exactly smooth. In short, she was the best of both worlds. Black. Woman. Nice. She was a pioneering Congresswoman in the tough as nails, if-I-can-make-it-there-I’ll-make-it-anywhere city of New York. She was smart, eloquent and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She understood how important it was to build alliances across ideologies (befriending staunch racist George Wallace) and policies (vocally opposing the draft). She had the goods.

It is impossible not to draw the obvious parallels. Blacks were so divided by the recent Obama/Clinton battle because, among many things, we wanted them both. We wanted a strong woman and a strong black person. I am both black and a woman. But for some reason, I never saw the feminist point of view on Hillary. I simply didn’t agree with her “I used to live in the White House” platform. It wasn’t because she was a woman. It was because she didn’t reach me. She didn’t speak to my heart and soothe the ache of the past eight years. She didn’t compel me to roll up my sleeves and make a “Rosie the Riveter” pose every time I saw her on television.

Conversely, Obama doesn’tt appeal to me simply because he is black. It helps, of course, but that’s not the core of it. He is just plain the right person for the job at this troubling stage in our history. His colorful background is the proverbial cherry on top.

With that said, I’ve become increasingly troubled when I see headlines like “Black Conservatives Conflicted over Obama.” Now what? Though I respect everyone’s right to the political affiliation that best meets their own personal needs, I find myself consistently confused by this kind of rhetoric. Seriously black conservatives, what exactly is your conflict? At least the conflict is sometimes positive. Most of these black Republicans will go with Obama because they are increasingly aware of the fact that at least he speaks to their constituency’s issues. But, what do the others grapple with in the middle of the night that has them even considering standing pat with the party line and dimpling their chads for John McCain? I submit that even if I was a diehard Republican, he still wouldn’t get my vote.

Even children can see that times are hard; the world needs a new, dynamic face to represent us. Change is not an allergy or something you should be afraid to catch. Change comes about when enough is enough. If not Barack Obama, who are you waiting for?

I’m no human resources expert, but from where I sit, McCain, despite his commendable service to the nation (doing his job) just isn’t right for the commander-in-chief position. His grizzly bear approach to politics has won him more enemies than friends, and more bad will than good. He’ll spend his first year just saying “I’m sorry” to the colleagues he cussed out, humiliated and turned against. We need that first year spent building bridges (literally and figuratively) throughout Congress and the world. We need that year to prove we are not barbarians (Abu Ghraib) or aimless war mongers (Iraq).

Time’s a wastin’ people. Let’s pass some enforceable, life changing laws, shall we? Get over yourselves long enough to realize that this is the time everyone has been ranting about. Its here. Smile and get out of the way.

Obama will prove that Chisholm was right. Like her campaign button proudly proclaimed, she was a Catalyst for Change.

It only takes one.

Ellene Miles has worked as an entertainment publicist for more than 6 years. Her collections of rants are featured exclusively on UTC for the good of the people.