The Choice Is Ours

Below the Belt: By NOW Action Vice President Melody Drnach
Note--Drnach is taking a turn at President Kim Gandy's Below the Belt column this week

February 1, 2008

As feminist and progressive activists, we have a collective responsibility to ensure that the fight for women's rights and social justice for all remains at the center of everything we do and say. Right now, there are many women and men who are volunteering and committing precious time and dollars toward electing the first woman president of the United States. There also are feminists and other social justice advocates who are working to elect other candidates.

The National Organization for Women's Political Action Committee, through considerable debate and discussion, came to the strong conclusion that Senator Hillary Clinton's experience and record as a changemaker offer the greatest hope of success in taking on the tremendous challenges facing our country and our world.

As a result of NOW PAC's endorsement of Hillary Clinton, and the desire to change our country for the better, many feminists have thrown their hearts, hands and energies into winning this contest. We dream of that January day, standing together in front of the Capitol, watching Senator Clinton being sworn in as this nation's 44th president. This dream brings tears to many eyes, and brings hope both to those who are new to the feminist struggle and those who will feel a sense of ultimate accomplishment for a lifetime of work.

There are also those who dream of seeing great historic change through the election of the first African-American president. Devoted feminists, who have similar reasons for throwing themselves into the contest, dream of standing in front of the Capitol on Jan. 20, after a lifetime of struggle, and feeling a sense of accomplishment. To challenge those feelings and that commitment does not serve the women's movement, or the tireless struggle for social justice and equality.

Having the honor to serve as Action Vice President of NOW provides me with an opportunity to witness this historic election from a unique vantage point. I have heard from many NOW activists about why they are supporting one candidate or another. We have received numerous calls from reporters asking why this contest matters to women and raising the issue of race versus gender.

We also receive questions from allies and others about NOW PAC's endorsement and statements made by leaders of NOW's state and local affiliates. Many people do not understand that NOW is democratically organized, with local members electing their own leaders and working independently on issues important to women in their local communities. NOW encourages independent thinking and action from our chapters, just as we do in our members, but opinions expressed by our chapters don't always reflect the opinion of our national office. This simple fact makes us a strong and spirited organization.

Through conversations with supporters and non-supporters, reporters and legislators, my pride in NOW grows as I hear the tremendous respect those outside NOW have for our organization and our grassroots activists across the country.

Unfortunately, discussion during this primary season sometimes has taken a tone that is not conducive to our common goals. We must not fall to the idea that one oppression is greater than another. Race and gender are inseparable. Those who seek to drive a wedge between allies using race and gender are missing the invaluable lessons of the history of this nation. Using this same history as a foundation to claim that gender is more important than race is damaging and does not have a place in any movement for social change.

Today, women's rights advocates are working to bring varied, experienced and new voices to every discussion we have about the ideals of feminism. We are building bridges, linking arms and standing on the front lines to hold back those who would deny us our rights. We all must fight together to resist letting anyone turn this contest and our conversation into a fight among women. For in the end, we will have learned nothing from history. We will have fallen prey to those who would divide us, bringing about irreparable harm to our cause.

The choice is ours. I trust that we all will keep fighting to make history and to achieve social change so that in the end, on inauguration day next January, we are all there -- together.

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Read national NOW's response to Sen. Kennedy's endorsement of Barack Obama.

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