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Kim Gattas’ The Secretary gives us an interesting insight into Hillary Clinton’s tenure as the US Secretary of State.
By Sandhya Renukamba
Hillary Rodham Clinton – a charismatic, intelligent and accomplished woman who has doffed various hats during her life. In 2008, when the US was ready to overthrow the Republican Bush government that had given it the war in the Middle East, Hillary lost the vote as the Democratic Party’s candidate for the post of President to Barack Obama.
However, Obama recognized the power of Hillary Clinton’s unique position and experience, choosing to align her alongside, offering her the post of Secretary of State – the President’s representative around the globe. It was a shrewd move, as Hillary proved to be a well-informed, driven and loyal ally, who took on the challenge of restoring America’s diplomatic relations with touchy states and its reputation as a world power.
Kim Ghattas is a child of war-torn Beirut, where politics was a daily staple of discussion; where people stood afar watching American motorcades, and cursing the inconvenience caused in their already fractured lives. As an outsider coming from one of those ‘problem nations’, she also has an insight into the expectations of global populations, as most nations think the US can solve their problems just by willing it, “as if by waving a magic wand”.
Now, as an insider in Clinton’s ‘Bubble’ (the name given by a bunch of journalists to the plane that the Secretary of State travelled in), a BBC correspondent who travelled everywhere with the group of journalists accompanying Clinton on all her overseas visits, Ghattas’ vantage point both as this ‘outsider’ and a woman, throws up an interesting perspective of Clinton’s years as Secretary of State, the most visible cog other than the President himself in the Obama administration.
The Secretary is a story of two journeys. One – the journey of Hillary Clinton as the US Secretary of State, which is one roller coaster ride. One in which there were daily challenges, that the lady met head on, in her inimitable style, that won her and consequently the US much cheer and goodwill around the world. Second – the journey that the writer makes from her war-torn childhood to an understanding of the working of the world’s superpower, and the making of peace with her roots.
It, however, does not have much for the reader who wants to find out about a woman Secretary of State’s policies and actions on women’s issues. India too, is missing from the book, except in relation to the problems of Pakistan or China. Like naughty children monopolizing a mother’s attention, the focus is more on the countries that have traditionally been viewed by the US as troublemakers – China, North Korea, Egypt and the Middle East right up to Pakistan.
It is a book both for the interested lay reader wanting to find out more, as well as the politics aficionado who gets a more comprehensive view of an interesting and turbulent period. We realize what the author understands towards the end of the 4-year period, from 2009 to 2013, that there is no plan. The Americans are trying to figure this out day by day and manage it as best they can. Kim Ghattas’ book is representative of that; most of it is about the damage control, and misses out on delivering what it could do: speak more to women readers wanting to find out what the world’s most powerful and influential woman in politics had to say about their issues. These are, after all, not merely women’s issues in today’s world, but humanitarian issues that affect everyone.
Publishers: Macmillan.
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In her role as the Senior Editor & Community Manager at Women's Web, Sandhya Renukamba is fortunate to associate every day with a whole lot of smart and fabulous writers and readers. A doctor read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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