Less Than A Woman to Me
With Sally Field’s recent pronouncement that “if mothers ruled the world, there would be no goddamn wars, I think the time has come to look at Hillary Clinton in a new, critical light. Hillary has maintained a relatively strong foreign policy stance and been a proponent of the use of military, even to the point of supporting her husbands’ wars (Bosnia), expansion of mission (Somalia), and the occasional, awkwardly-timed cruise missile bombing. If Hillary Clinton were president--the first female president--would wars be abolished?
I think the answer is a very obvious no. Would an authentic mom ever urge the bombing of an enemy? Apparently, Hillary did.
So, if Sally Field is--like some black commentators have made themselves in terms of racial politics--the keeper of authentic momminess. If the keepers of authentic momminess have spoken, then it’s a given that an authentic mom could never support military action ("war") under any circumstances. Certain qualities must be adhered to for a candidate to be authentically woman and mommy enough to qualify as a candidate for the authentic mommy vote. Apparently, being a proper pacifist is one of the defining points of a proper mom. Margaret Thatcher need not apply.
In an age of “authentic” identity politics, Hillary Clinton simply isn’t woman enough to be a mother or to be the authentic mother’s choice for the presidency. In fact, if Bill Clinton could be our first black president, regardless of milky white skin tone, then it follows that a man could be our first mommy president. And, as I see it, only one candidate--only one man--fills that role.
Moms of America, I urge you to support Dennis Kucinich, America’s first real mom’s candidate. Dennis Kucinich is woman enough for the job.