Extending the Olive Branch to Mama

It's time for me to stop feeling incredulous about my mother's view of Barack Obama's campaign for president. I didn't understand her support of Hillary--and I admit, in many ways, I still don't. Just three years ago, she was buying his books, thought wonderfully about his political prospects--but I digress.

If you've been keeping up, and reading the comments, you know Mom dukes and I have been battling over this whole thing. It got kind of tit for tat. So I just stopped blogging about it and briefly regretted the whole sharing access thing.

But, Tuesday, as I sat on my couch in my PJ's eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, not only did I reflect on the historic nature of this journey for the candidate I support, but I reflected on the 'rough side of the mountain', that both Senators Clinton and Obama climbed.

And I all the sudden understood where my mother was coming from. My mom identified with Senator Clinton's womanhood, I think. But I also get that she felt like people were dismissing the energy and intelligence that has been garnered from years of experience as a baby boomer woman in particular. I think my mom is keenly aware of the sexism that is not acknowledged in the black community--and perhaps felt like Senator Obama's rise amongst black folks was predicated upon or lack of acknowledgement that we have some pretty serious issues surrounding gender and the 'pimp versus hoe' mem that so many of us seem to embrace.

But I think, in this instance, the latter is not the case. I understand now. At least I think I do.

I hope she sees this momement and in some way feels proud--even if it was not Senator Clinton who is one her way to the nomination. I hope she watched his speech in Minnesota and really listened to it. I hope she just as I, put aside the emotion she feels for Hillary as I have the emotion I feel for Obama, and thought about what a thing we have accomplished on either side of the primary fence and smiled.

I think I better make that call.