So whom do we vote for?

Unlike Mitt, Obama supports a system where women’s rights can continue to become more and more equal as society progresses.

 
By Tassia Cardona

As women, our votes matter: There are more women in the country than men -making us the majority.  So whom do we vote for?  I say the guy who is going to uphold our civil rights, 21^st-century style.

We all know in our society the struggle women have had to journey through.  This struggle has formed unity amongst us.  As a result, contemporary society has decided we deserve the right to vote, work, and do anything a man wants to do, because we are American people equal to men.  We can now vote, become doctors, engineers, CEOs, financial advisors, professors, mechanics, professional wrestlers, and full-time moms – feeling empowered in all of these roles and more.

Ironically, our collective stance on equality has individualized us independent from one another.  We are torn over our reproductive rights via abortion and contraceptives.  We are straight, gay, bisexual – stay at home moms, career women, and everything in between – religious and non-religious in our own right.  We are all women, but our social identities polarize us.  Can we pick a president based on our unified desire to be ever differentiating individuals?

Yes, but in order to do so we must think to what life was like before we had voting rights.   Back then we were all in the same boat.  With regard to so many aspects of life, we had to rely on the favors of the men who were sympathetic to us - if we were lucky.  It’s because we didn’t have laws that protected our rights as equal U.S.A citizens.  As a privilege decided by men who had legal rights where we had none, strings had to be pulled for us if we wanted to participate with men in societal roles.   Thanks to the 19^th Amendment (allows us to vote), we can pick leaders who have an understanding of this. 

During the presidential debates, each candidate told an anecdote that related to women’s equality.  One candidate, Barack Obama, cited a piece of legislation he supported for equal pay.  The other candidate, Mitt Romney, recounted a time where he noticed there weren’t women in his cabinet, and asked the recruiting team to make a serious women-hunting effort that resulted in “binders-full-of-women.”   If we want a president with the mindset of the 21^st century, we shouldn’t elect a president who is going to notice flaws and make personal changes within his organization out of sympathy.  We don’t want favors – we want equal rights.  In reference to Mitt Romney’s recount, he clearly hoards rights and disperses privileges amongst women, for which he and his men choose.  Unlike Mitt, Obama supports a system where women’s rights can continue to become more and more equal as society progresses.  That is why he (Obama) cites legislation when he speaks about equality instead of feelings of loneliness without women around (Romney).

What is significant about the “Binders-full-of-women” story in the debate isn’t just “the facts,” like those that can be found in articles you can read by clicking here, but also that it shows that Romney and his party don’t understand women’s equality.   This is apparent in the track record of Paul Ryan, the disgusting definition of “legitimate rape” by Richard Mourdock (whom Romney endorses) and more.  Many of them still think that “men-come-first, -women-come-second” is the expected occurrence in society.   

Our country has had some great changes towards Women’s rights that have allowed us to debate our views on a wide range of women’s social concerns.  Now is the time in history to continue to vote leaders into office that will keep our journey to equality trekking forward.  The days of doing favors for the ladies can be left in the last century if we continue to take a stand through this century.  Barack Obama stands for lawful structural changes so that we are paid equal to men and respected as heads of household if that’s the path we chose in life.  As American women, it is our duty to keep in mind the struggle that the women in history fought for us.  If life was good before the right to vote, they wouldn’t have fought for the right.   When we keep this in mind, despite our differences in opinions on women’s matters, it’s very clear that Barack Obama is whom we should vote for.  If we vote for Mitt, we may not have matters to differ in opinion about. 

See Video of Mitt Supporting Richard Mourdock. GOD  
 should suit them for defamation of character. (RMA)