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Stereotypes
Let the white men protect you
BY DAVID S. BERNSTEIN
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2004, NEW YORK – Monday night’s convention theme was "A Nation of Courage," or more simply, protecting the country. Tuesday night was "People of Compassion," or helping the needy. In case you didn’t notice, protecting the country is a job for white men. Feeding and serving people is – dare I say it – for the womenfolk and colored help. Counting from after the roll call, when the real show begins, there were a full dozen white males at the microphone (including one Hispanic, the Reverend who gave the Benediction) Monday evening. That includes the musical talent. Yes, there were women – damsels in distress, mostly: wives of 9/11 victims, and an Iraqi émigré thanking the President for rescuing her country. US Representative Heather Wilson spoke, so that’s one. And actress Angie Harmon appeared with NFL stud Jason Sehorn. (Oddly, the official convention web site provides a transcript of Harmon’s remarks but not Congresswoman Wilson’s.) The bulk of the night, though, was a procession of Dennis, Dexter, Ron, Bernard, Robert, Jason, Darryl, Lindsey, John, Daniel, Rudy, and Max. Man’s work, fighting terrorists. Tuesday night, though, the tables flipped, and 12 of the 19 who took the stage were women: Senator Elizabeth Dole, Congresswoman Anne Northrup of Kentucky, Miss America Erika Harold, Survivor/The View celebrity Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the Bush daughters, First Lady Laura Bush, Congresswoman Candice Miller of Michigan, and Rebetzin Esther Jungreis, and all three musical artists were female vocalists. Chicks are all about compassion. Of the seven men who got onstage, two were black, two were Hispanic, one was wheelchair-bound, and one was an Austrian immigrant. (Although I think Arnold would have fit on Monday night’s bill just fine.) Apparently Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist counts as compassionate because he’s a doctor. Tomorrow’s theme is "A Land of Opportunity," aka getting rich. I notice that noted white man Mitt Romney is on the speaker’s list. Hmmm…
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