HOW TO RUIN A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT

I feel robbed.

There are some things that you dream about and wonder if you'll see in your lifetime.  Things that you imagine will be thrilling inspirational moments.

For instance: I remember in 2000, when I saw the headline that Joe Lieberman had been chosen as a Vice-Presidential candidate.  I didn't know the first thing about Joe Lieberman, but just seeing that a Jewish person would be running for Vice-President gave me a feeling that the world had taken a step forward.  It was just a nice warm fuzzy moment.

Now, if you had told me five years ago, "Guess what, LAmom?  In five years a black woman will be appointed Secretary of State!", I would have been elated.  Jumping up and down.  Turning cartwheels at the thought that a black woman would hold such an important position.

Now the moment is here, and it brings me no joy whatsoever.  The person who will go into the history books as the first African-American woman to serve as Secretary of State is Condoleezza Rice.  Rice, one of the most recognized spokespieces for the Bush administration's policy of pre-emptive war.  Rice, one of the best known spouters of the shaky and misleading information that was used to justify the invasion of Iraq.

This was supposed to be a moment that would make me proud to be a black woman.  I mean, I am still proud to be a black woman, but . . . you know what I mean.

I just feel robbed.

Comments

[Drina]

I pray that her appointment will not reflect negatively on all of the strong black women that could do the job with so much more intergrity and grace than Dr. Rice. As accomplished as she is, she has not been honest with the American people, and has not conducted herself with the competence that the position demands. But she's a tooth-n-nail defender of Bush and all of his destructive policies, and in our president's mind, that makes her the perfect person for the job.

[Joan]

Yes, it seems like some of the people from Bush's first term (like Powell) were appointed in order to score points with non-neocons. Now that he's been reelected, he's going deep in his inner circle for the new appointments.