Condoleezza Rice
At this point in time the name and image of Condoleezza Rice is commonplace among the majority of informed Americans. As the first female to serve as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States, Dr. Rice was propelled even further into the spotlight following the attacks on America on September 11th 2001. I too, like most Americans, saw a lot more of Condi, as she is known by her many friends and colleagues, after September 11. Clearly she was intelligent and always remained calm and poised in the face of adversity and standing before the cameras. I also noticed and appreciated her articulation and was even moved by what seemed like her stoic yet compassionate presentation. It was not until I read Dr. Rice’s biography, Condi, by Antonia Felix, however that she gained my utmost respect. By the 21st century a black successful black female is not as uncommon as it was fifty years ago. Black women had fought their way to the top in many arenas, including political such as the U.S. Senate. What is truly amazing about Condi’s story is speed and finesse with which she ascended to the top of everything she took on. An endearing friendship and mutual loyalty with both of the George Bushes surely did not hurt her. Condi’s success was hardly limited to the world of politics. She approached music, fitness, academics, sports, religion, and family with the same decisiveness, consistency, and determination that she brought to the public sector. Condi is also no stranger to controversy. Now more than ever she faces a host of critics, especially regarding her supposed knowledge of possible terrorist threats before they came to pass on September 11. Her Republican politics made her less than popular among African Americans although she maintains a more liberal perspective on social issues and remains pro-choice. In spite of her ups and downs it is ultimately her unfaltering character to which she can attribute her success as well as her status as what many call the most powerful woman in politics.
The high academic pursuits of the Rice family did not exactly begin with Condoleezza and her generation. The foundation of this idea can be seen in chapter 2 of her autobiography in which the author begins the chronological record with a look at Julia Head Rice. Julia was born into slavery, albeit house slavery which was h...
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...onsibilities were never ending and she approached them with the same grace and drive as she does everything in her life. Although the book end its documentation in 2002, shortly after 9/11, Condi’s duties have become no less urgent. Since that time she has had to defend her Administration against suggestions that the attacks could have been prevented and has done so quite well. The 2004 elections have just been completed and George W. Bush is returning to the White House for another term. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has submitted his resignation and Condoleezza Rice has been nominated as a predictable replacement. If she survives the Senate approval hearings she will become the first black female and second female to fill the role. While I have full faith in her abilities I am concerned with the fact that without Powell in the National Security Council there will be no dissenting opinions. The proposed administration is politically homogenous. Surely Dr. Rice would understand this concern as she herself is quoted in the opening lines of chapter 8 of her biography as saying “If you find yourself in the company of people who agree with you, you’re in the wrong company.”
“Cheryl C. Smith; Anne Hutchinson and the Dislocation of power in the New World Politics” Journal of American Culture (2006) Print 437-453
Today, the current status of nuclear power, energy, bombs, etc. is only a small fraction of the dangers that are infecting our society. There is a greater network of individualism at play and I think she is trying to show that its not just the American government at fault for holding secrets, but that we as human beings must refrain from remaining passive in these situations. We must open our eyes and see that civilization is not as civilized as we might want to see it. It is time to move forward and change our attitude towards one another. This book is worth the $12, especially considering the strong presence of Dow Chemical in todays’ current affairs. Its size makes it great to for travel and it’s no weekend read. It is sure to inspire you to do some muckraking of your own.
Anne-Marie Slaughter is the first woman director of planning policy at the State Department and the president and CEO of the New America Foundation. She has taught at two of the most prestige schools in the country Princeton and Harvard Law. She is also the author and editor of several books, but the most recent one is called “The Idea That Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World which was published in the year 2007. Slaughters essay is about trying to balance home life and work life, and it first appeared in the Atlantic in July/August 2012 issue and was also on the Huffington Post. This essay argues that women in high power jobs and government positions can have both a work life and also keep their home life. She started her essay with a little information on background about her job.
Educational advancement among black woman is substantially higher than the black man. This displays the inter-relatedness of the problems in the Negro family. The term “knowledge is power” coined by Maria Stewart literally connects to Moynihan’s
The life of Anna Julia Cooper (1858-1964) affords rich opportunities for studying the developments in African-American and Ameri can life during the century following emancipation. Like W.E.B. DuBois, Cooper's life is framed by especially momentous years in U.S. history: the final years of slavery and the climactic years of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. Cooper's eclect ic and influential career mirrored the times. Although her life was privileged in relation to those of the majority of African-Americans, Cooper shared in the experiences of wrenching change, elevating promise, and heart-breaking disappointment. She was accordingly able to be an organic and committed intellectual whose eloquent speech was ensnarled in her concern for the future of African-Americans.
Sandra Day O'Connor Perhaps no other jurist could have come to the Supreme Court under greater expectations. When President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O'Connor in 1981 to be the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, he did so to keep a campaign promise. O'Connor's nomination was quick to draw criticism from both the political people left and right. Conservatives blamed her lack of federal judicial experience and claimed that she didn't have any constitutional knowledge.
Cavallaro, D, 2011. The World of Angela Carter: A Critical Investigation. 1st ed. Carolina: McFarland & Co Inc.
Hillary Rodham Clinton is a well-recognized woman in the United States. Her great contribution as Secretary of State impacted people’s lives. One of many remarkable speeches Clinton gave was the “The Women Rights Speech” on the 4th World Conference on Women Plenary Session, where she used strong words and emotions to appeal the audience. Even though the speech talked about women rights, she wanted everyone including men and children to listen and take action. Her use of ethos, logos and pathos throughout the speech helped people understand women live in a world where they suffer discrimination, and she proposes solutions to solve the issue.
The first African American to run for president. The first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination” (Vaidyanathan, Rajini). Not only did Shirley Chisolm break boundaries for African Americans, she broke boundaries for women being denied access the political arena or discriminated against in political settings because of their gender. “Of my two “handicaps”, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black” (Chisolm, 1970).
Sandra Day O’Connor once said, “The power I exert on the court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender.”1 Here Sandra exemplifies her believes the power she has on the court is not based on the fact that she is a girl, but in the power that comes from her arguments. This example of confidence resonates as people often think that woman cannot do the same thing as men, but from the day she was appointed to the Supreme Court O’Connor changed politics forever. From growing up on a ranch in El Paso, to becoming the first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court, she opened so many doors for women in male-dominated professions that were thought to be unattainable.
Nancy Lee is very proud of who she is and where she comes from. Until the scholarship she received was taken away from her, she holds her head high as an African American and loves who she is and the country she lives in. Even after the scholarship is taken away from her she promises to make a difference in the world. As the pledge comes to an end and the words “one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” are spoken, Nancy Lee thinks to herself “That is the land we must make.” She keeps confide...
hirley kept active in politics following her retirement by co-founding the National Political Congress of Black Women and serving as its founding in 1984 until1992.
Angelina Grimke and Sojourner Truth were both prominent American civil rights activists of the 19th century who focused on the abolition of slavery and women’s rights issues, respectively. While both of these women challenged the societal beliefs of the United States at the time regarding these civil rights issues, the rhetorical strategies used by each of these women to not only illustrate their respective arguments but also to raise social awareness of these issues was approached in very different fashions. Angelina Grimke promoted the use of white middle-class women’s positions in the household to try to influence the decision makers, or men, around them. On the other hand, Sojourner Truth, a former slave turned women’s rights activist,
In the “Declaration of Conscience,” Margaret Chase Smith addresses the American public and the United States Senate during a time of political unrest. Communist accusations and a “national feeling of fear” has brought upon this speech. Even with an upcoming election, the Republican Party decides a freshman woman senator would speak to the public, an uncommon practice at the time . In this paper, I will argue that Margaret Chase Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience” proves her credibility as a woman politician. Smith uses a masculine tone, simple diction, and repetition to prove to Americans and the Senate that she is a strong political figure.
Clinton does demonstrate some of the characteristics of this critical dimension of credibility, possibly partly compensating for her blatant lack of trust and competence. Utilizing her long and successful background in politics, the Secretary has accumulated the experience and knowledge to project herself and her visions of the future as something which many Americans can both relate to and rally