Playing the Gender Card in Politics

The gender card is sparking some big controversy within this presidential election and is guaranteeing that anyone who is not white or male will be able to pull out full house stakes in an attempt to win a political election. Being a registered Democrat, and a part of the female race, it seems that my vote is automatically deemed to go to the one female of my generation running for the presidential election. My vote for Barack Obama is looked upon as a "surprise," especially considering my views on the rights for women.

Despite all these expectations of my voting demographic, I refused to go to the polling booth just to prove a woman right. Instead, like a good American should always do, I reviewed the facts in their entirety, and came upon my vote by choosing the best candidate to stick up for my rights, and the rights of my countrymen and women. Hillary Clinton does not hold the values that I hold dear, and just because she is a woman, she is not guaranteed my female vote.

The gender card is playing up to be a big joke and makes feminists look ridiculous. I am a firm believer in women's rights and will support all who strive to give us equality, and who promote a fairness and equality among everyone. Hillary Clinton has not embodied all of these rights, and I refuse to vote for her just because she is a woman. Among my close friends and family, many of us refuse to vote for Hillary. The press is playing up the gender card and trying to sway female voters to step up to vote for a woman. Unfortunately, Hillary is one of the last women I would vote for to be President of the United States.

Many of us have been hoping and praying for a minority, such as a women, to step up to the plate with hopes, dreams, and a knowledge that will bring fairness to the table of American dreams. The woman that chose to run for this Presidential election is merely just a woman playing the "man" political game. She is not a woman that I, nor many others, look up to with respect. It has nothing to do with her gender, and everything to do with her lack of personality, character, and a realness to herself.

I choose, as many others do, to vote for a candidate that promotes my beliefs and values as a voting citizen. To me, neither race, nor gender, factor into the equation of my vote. Whichever person brings the most traits of a strong political candidate, is going to get the vote. But instead of this being the deciding measure, the press is inflaming gender and race to the public to help determine who will win the race to the White House.

This race should never be able to race or gender. America, the land of the free, is holding on to the tensions of the 60's, the tensions of the 40's and further beyond. While most of the public has moved past these tensions that held women and blacks back from succeeding, the press is fanning the flame of those few outspoken voters who are against freedom to all. This fan is not welcomed among most people, and the public is not embracing the argument of gender or race. Voters want to see a positive change: anything that will bring this country out of the mess of a recession and war. People want to see positive things happening, and a majority of voters do not care whether the person making those decisions is black, nor female. America is pleading for a positive change.

We, as a country, have moved past these indiscretions, but unfortunately, the select few who haven't are causing a big stir among this political campaign. As the final votes are counted, the most important thing that needs to happen is for there to be a unification among the candidates to promote a positive social and economic reform. The citizens of the United States are demanding this change. Although this vote is going to be one that changes our country drastically, the most important thing that needs to happen is for there to be a healing of the divide among Americans. The political campaigns, at this point, are furthering the rift, and causing more damage to their reputations in the process.

Asking for a special exception due to race or gender will not further one's campaign. Americans will not stand for there to be a person leading this country just because they are of the right color or the right sex. We are a fairly liberated country who has moved past the turmoils of racism and sexism. It is time to prove that we, as Americans, can make such a drastic and important decision, without being swayed by the negative media and political riff-raff.