Will it take a woman?

On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white passenger and precipitated a 381-day boycott of the Montgomery Bus Company that led to the historic decision of the USA Supreme Court in November 1956, outlawing segregation on public transportation. Seven years before, Madame Rose Leon had a seat of honour on the stage at the Ward Theatre as the newly elected chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party.

In 1851, the renowned ex-slave Sojourner Truth gave a famous speech, “Ain’t I A Woman” to the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio. Over 100 years before that, Jamaica’s only female National Hero, Nanny of the Maroons, was leading a battle against the British, the First Maroon War from 1720 to 1739.

Jamaicans certainly have kept pace with their American sisters as women of colour proudly took their place in history. Over the past 20 years, there has been an unprecedented rise of this minority grouping in the most powerful country in the world. The black woman has outpaced her male counterpart in the USA, and I attribute it to the power of television in a country where some seem more passionately connected to the screen than to the folks down the street.

To the question, “How did this happen so fast?”, I would hazard a one-word answer: “Oprah”. Oprah Winfrey has wooed audiences from the entire American spectrum, then started a glossy magazine, which every month features a cover picture of.Oprah. Her book club sparked a renaissance in publishing and her Angel Network has created a new wave of philanthropy. As she won the battle of the bulge, she made celebrities of her chef and her personal trainer.

With Oprah in their living-rooms telling them what to read, eat and buy, Americans of all shades embraced her and others like the majestic poet Maya Angelou who became a regular visitor on her set. This probably smoothed the way for Condoleezza Rice to be easily accepted as US secretary of state. Like Oprah, Condi is immaculately clothed and coiffed and while the jury might still be out on her foreign policy, we have to agree that she cuts an impressive figure.

But put the charismatic Portia Simpson Miller beside Condi Rice, and that dazzling Jamaican smile would totally eclipse her. Every poll was telling us that Portia was the popular choice to succeed Mr Patterson as PNP president and eventually to become prime minister. There are numerous stories and strong opinions as to why or why not Mrs Simpson Miller should be president.

The constant criticism is that she is not as academically qualified as her three competitors, all of whom sport “handles” on their names: Dr Blythe, Dr Davies and Dr Phillips. But Portia-watchers have been remarking on her increasing poise and presentation. “Have you noticed how fit Portia is looking and how good she is sounding?” remarked a friend recently. “She is grooming herself for the part.”

We have not forgotten, as well, the principled position she took in abstaining from a vote supported by fellow party members in the House, approving limited funding for our struggling fire services. Portia was proved right in the months that followed. While a few may have looked down at her outbursts on the podium, many regard them as a sign that she is a living, breathing human, as responsive to provocation as the next person.

Above all, the Portia Simpson story is one which inspires the ordinary Jamaican. A young inner-city woman, with neither pedigree nor fortune, becomes a steadfast member of the PNP, serving in almost every capacity before being elected Member of Parliament and party VP. She then falls in love with Errald Miller, one of Jamaica’s brightest corporate stars, and has a fairy-tale wedding at the picturesque University Chapel.

The buzz now is that if she is not elected by the PNP delegates as their new president, the party will stand little chance of winning the next general election. But interestingly, there is also a theory that the unexpected financial support being received by “Team Portia”, is to make her PNP president, setting her up for embarrassment in a national debate against Bruce Golding, thus making him a shoo-in in the next general elections. Interesting!

There is no doubt that the four PNP presidential candidates have distinguished themselves in service to party and country. But as the country mourns too many deaths of our men, women, children, even babies, people may look not only at degrees, but also to the comfort of a mother-sister as leader.

Claude McKay created what many regard as his favourite character, Bita Plant, in his novel, Banana Bottom. She is the daughter of humble folk who excels in her studies, but returns to her roots and marries a solid, simple farmer. She is a highly evolved character, who reads philosophy and dances the Kumina – McKay’s vision of the Oprahs, Maya Angelous and Portia Simpsons of today’s world.

As we consider Portia, a woman on the brink of history, we recall the famous speech “Ain’t I A Woman”, given by the spiritual leader Sojourner Truth at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851:

“Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? (Member of audience whispers, “intellect”.) That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights? Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”

Powerful words, spoken over 150 years ago and resonating in our troubled land. Will it take a woman to take a stick to evil and dry our tears?

-lowriechin@netscape.net