Eight Belles, Macho Politics, and the Misuse of Feminism
Earlier this week, Hillary Clinton voiced her support for the Kentucky Derby entrant Eight Belles, because "she's the only filly in the race." Today, May 3, 2008, Eight Belles fought her way to a second-place finish, broke both ankles moments later, and moments after that was dead, euthanized to avoid a a painful and doubtful battle with recovery.
I don't know why Eight Belles was injured; perhaps she was overmatched in this grueling, 1 1/4 mile race. Perhaps she was not in the best of shape. Or perhaps it was just one of those things, a mishap that couldn't be anticipated or prevented. But this beautiful horse's untimely and tragic death resonates with me and, perhaps because Hillary Clinton chose to insert herself into the race with her "I am woman" feminist opinion, brings up a frustration I've had with the 2008 election for some time.
Eight Belles wasn't a feminist symbol; she was one of God's creatures, one who may or may not have been ridden beyond her endurance and her capabilities. And Hillary Clinton isn't the answer to the woes of women in this country simply because of her gender. I don't believe in voting for, or against, someone because of the individual's gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors. And I worry about the macho politics that Clinton is waging: bragging about her exploits with guns, tossing down whiskey shots with beer chasers, constantly striving to prove how tough she is.
One of my biggest fears in voting for a woman for president has been that she would be pushed into an ill-considered war to prove that she's "just as tough as the guys"; and after Clinton's recent statements about "massive retaliation against Iran" for an attack against Israel--forgetting that Iran is a nation of 63 million men, women, and children who have little or no say in the policies of its leaders--should give any sane and compassionate American citizen pause. If we are ready for a woman president, do we really want someone in office determined to promote the kind of macho politics that has caused centuries of warfare, or do we want someone with the courage to defy the male-dominated, aggressive policies that have gotten the human race into so much trouble, and instead work for the kind of humane, peaceful world that we all desire?
As we mourn the death of that beautiful three-year-old filly Eight Belles, let's reflect on what feminism truly means. Does it mean scoring points and proving ourselves as tough as men, or does it mean allowing ourselves to find our true places in the world, based on our capabilities, our intelligence, and yes, perhaps our love, compassion, and kindness? If we are going to insist on our place in the White House, shouldn't it be with someone who embraces the best of what women represent, rather than some whiskey and beer-drinking, macho broad? If we as women are going to attain the White House, does it have to be with someone determined to prove how much of a man she can be?
Yes, it's time for a change in Washington. And maybe that change starts with rejecting macho, aggressive, war-mongering politics--whoever decides to promote it.
