Girl Power
Rita Papazian
Norwalk-Citizen News
Article Launched: 06/13/2008 

Is "Sex and the City" a metaphor of sorts for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign? While women in droves filled the movie theatre, Hillary's presidential bid was nearing its disappointing end. Both recent events, simultaneously have garnered reams of analysis in the media. Somewhere there may be a message.

Many see the film, as well as its very successful HBO series upon which the movie is based, as a frivolous frolic about fashion and sex. I saw the series and film as a statement about the importance of female friendship in a world where the American female role in society continues to evolve.

On screen, no matter what Carrie, Samantha, Miranda or Charlotte faced in their lives, each supported the other. And they came together en masse. Whereas, Hillary's support was more splintered within the genders with the "Bill" factor and her original vote to go to war a detriment for some.

However, one observation is very clear: Hillary faced a biased unrelenting media, both male and female. Add to that the May 25 unleashed tirade of the Rev. Michael Pfleger, who was a guest speaker at Trinity United Church of Christ. This is the parish where Barack Obama and his family had been members until the fallout of Pfleger's pulpit portrayal of a whining Hillary over the rise of Obama.

As a result of Pfleger's insult to Hillary, Cardinal Frances George of the Archdiocese of Chicago suspended Pfleger from his pastoral duties for two weeks. Big deal. The priest should have been kicked out of the church.

Misogyny is all around us. And just as Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda rallied around Carrie following the nightmare of all nightmares that a young woman could face, women need to say, "enough is enough."

I still can't forget Brian William's and Tim Russert's biased moderating of NBC's presidential debate. And they, by no means, are members of an exclusive club. But, the Pfleger episode is just a reminder how far we have come in this country to continue to disrespect women. Maybe the issue was Hillary's personality and past record. Maybe the issue was her husband. The point is we have to demand better from the media and religious leaders have to be reminded that they role is not to incite but to inspire.

Personally, during the Connecticut primary, I was torn between candidates. Both Obama and Clinton are attractive candidates raising a curiosity as to how each one's presidency would turn out. Maybe we can still get a hint of their leadership if Obama wins the election and appoints Clinton Secretary of State.

In the meantime, I wish we could see more of Hillary without her husband. At times I wish we had had the opportunity to see Hillary Rodham rise through the ranks of public service unencumbered. Some say she would not have achieved what she has achieved thus far if she were not married to Bill. I disagree. She had early signs of embarking upon a journey to the White House, but then made the decision to marry Bill and take a backseat to his political ambitions. Hillary never has been just Bill Clinton's wife.

If I had my dream team, it would have had Hillary as president and Obama as vice president. It would have eased the racial issue that may start to show its nasty head. Also, he's young. He has years ahead of him. He could have served eight years as vice president and then eight years as president. At the completion of his presidency, he still would have been a decade younger than McCain is now.

Hillary may no longer be in the running for president, but we all have our work cut out for us. We need to have less egos in the media and in our churches and synagogues. We need to demand more from those in the public spotlight, whatever their role be public service or public information.

As Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda and Carrie held firm to their friendship despite personal upheavals, as a voting public we need to adopt a little of that take-charge attitude and not allow others to dictate to us their prejudices in whatever forms they are presented.

Rita Papazian is a freelance journalist who has covered Norwalk extensively. 
E-mail can be sent to ritapap@comcast.net .