Saturday, October 8, 2016

From An Interview With Shirley Chisholm May 7,2002




Her prediction that within 25 years that the United States would elect a woman as president could come true this year.   Her discussion of her experience in the House of Representatives and as a presidential candidate in 1972 are worth considering, especially in light of what Hillary Clinton has had to go through and put up with.  

You should listen to her talking, especially, about how she dealt with the white, racist men she encountered and, even more so, her relationship with George Wallace.   It's hard to imagine that the country wouldn't have been a far different and far better place if she had been elected that year.   If you wanted to choose an anti-Trump, she would have been it.  Here is what she said led her to run:

I had gone to the Congress as the first black person to be elected to Congress and I had gone on a number of speaking engagements through the country, and there was a fantastic

development for me as an individual, and people were encouraging me, you should run. You should run because you're a woman – we've never had a woman president. You're black – we've never had a black person for president. You speak Spanish. You have a lot of things…. And you have a knowledge of the issues. Run! And that's what motivated me.

Shirley Chisholm has always been one of my political heroes, one who I have to go back to every so often to gain perspective. I wish her autobiography was printed in large print because I've got to use a magnifying glass to read my copy, now.   I'd never be able to type from it. 

I hope in her inaugural address a President Hillary Clinton would remember to mention her.   

Update:  Sorry for the html problem with the quote.  I can't figure out what's wrong with it. 

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