Ok, that was funny. But some of the commentary about Sarah that goes on in workplaces and supermarkets and on TV isn’t funny anymore.
Remember what the meme was back when Hillary was running? “I don’t have anything against a woman running for president. Just not *this* woman.” And now I’m hearing the same thing said about Sarah. “I don’t have anything against a woman for VP. But why does she have to be someone like Sarah?”
She’s too:
- pretty
- religious
- Hockey Mommy
- fertile
- executive, she needs to be a senator
- provincial, she needs to see the world
- confused about the Bush Doctrine (like, who isn’t?)
- anti-abortion
Look, she’s running for Vice President. She’s done more on her job than Barack Obama. But she’s not dumb enough to think she could run for president after only 142 days of experience.
So, according to that list above, what kind of woman would qualify for President or VP? She’d have to be:
- not too pretty
- not overtly religious
- not a suburban SUV mom
- not too fertile
- a senator
- well travelled
- confused about nothing
- pro-choice
She’d have to be someone like…
Nahhh, any woman but her.
Dr. Violet Socks has more on the swiftboating of Sarah by her own gender and why it’s got to stop in When Misogyny Masquerades as Feminism. In fact, I recommend the Reclusive Leftist for your morning reading list. Let Violet raise your consciousness.
Wake up, Ladies, the media and the guys are siccing you on the women who could actually give you the power you crave. Stop falling for it.
Filed under: Gender Equity, Presidential Election 2008 | Tagged: Dr. Violet Socks, Hockey Moms, Reclusive leftist, Swiftboating Sarah Palin |
The Confluence 
Another great post RD, thank you . The Dems are in the process of shredding any idea they are for women rights. It seems they are for the rights of women’s organization founded around 1972….but not women. Are you telling me the Dems say a woman can’t be a Mom and do a job??? HUH???
There’s nothing feminist about hate. These women are crazy with hatred toward Sarah Palin, and perhaps they are consumed with self-hate. Sarah Palin poses no threat to the status quo if she is elected. Personally, after all this misogyny toward Hillary and Sarah, I feel it is my duty to help any woman crash through the highest glass ceiling in America.
That hockey mom stuff is hilarious!
Whoever did it, wonderful.
That video was really funny!
Unfortunately, the arguments I’ve been having lately are not. I am sick to death of being told that unless a woman in question is a liberal, she cannot call herself a feminist, as if you somehow have to apply to your local Sisterhood of Feminist Ideals to get your official Feminist ID card, learn the secret handshake and have your name listed in the Official Registry of Approved Feminists.
I am not a liberal. I am a moderate. I always have been. I’m more libertarian in some of my views than anything else. I’m usually the voice of reason in any political conversation. I have always believed that women are entitled to the same pay as men for the same job. I have always believed that the government does not have the right to force a woman to have a child against her will. And I have always believed that a woman who believes in the advancement and empowerment of ALL women is entitled to call herself a feminist if she so chooses.
Hillary is prettier than Sarah. What a profile! Check out her pic on her book, ‘Living History’.
Funny video. (Yes, there are people out there who don’t realize this is satire. They are voting for Obama.)
I am a 70s feminist and the only people more annoying than third wave feminists these days is second wavers riding the unity pony.
I’ve always said that women can be their own worst enemies.
This is what I meant.
There is an unwritten “code” amongst men, that women “don’t have”.
The example I use is this:
-If your out in a social setting & a “guy” is with a beautiful woman; the other men will know instinctively, “HANDS OFF”, she’s with him.
-Women however see a “reverse” setting (good-looking guy,
with another women) ; SADLY the INSTINCT I’ve seen is for the other women to “DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN”…to draw the guy’s attention to them & AWAY from the woman he’s with!!
Whether I vote for McCain/Palin or not as another woman I will DEFEND her right to be judged by the SAME MEANS
that the “guys” in this race are being “judged” by.
PERIOD!!!
People had better stop with the misogyny and superficial sh*t, the war just officially expanded to Pakistan with the bombing of the international Marriott in Islamabad.
RD – you might want to add the bs out of Michelle’s mouth about “she’s cute”.
I am sick of the media. They are garbage.
Ann Curry is actually there.
I saw Newt Gingrich on some cable news show and he is not helping to attract PUMAs. He was saying something like how Sarah is not like those angry feminists, yada, yada… He is so clueless. Sarah’s a generation after “those angry feminists” and the beneficiary of our work. We got Title IX, harassment in the workplace laws, credit cards in a woman’s own name, the right to choose, and more. We don’t expect the next generation to struggle all over again. A little acknowledgment would be nice, though. (Sarah did acknowledge. Gingrich seems to be undoing that.)
They also have, disinvited her to the Iran rally due to pressure from democrats. who are these people. they have lost their damn minds.
Really great post … i cant watch the video until my show is over
but I said somewhere before that so many women are complicit in their own demise , without even realising what they are doing ….and I thnk part of what is happening parallels an abusive relationship on a social and cultural scale . perhaps this election will help open this gaping wound for people to see so we can begin again to heal
Music helps me heal
I think i am going to put the song Fuck You I am Beautiful by Strawberry in the que now
For great music from the WOMEN of INDEPENDENT MUSIC with your PUMA politics
GODDESS RADIO 10 AM til…………
go to the website
http://www.cygnusradio.com
or just
click here to listen
http://audio.cygnusradio.com:8000/cyg1_hi.m3u
if your player wont autostart copy past the m3u link into play url on your player
be there or be mortal
You want beautiful — check this out (I hope the link works):
http://www.stephendcrouch.com/hillaryportrait.jpg
Amen to that, riverdaughter. We don’t have to love her like we adored and appreciated everything “Hillary”, but for heaven sakes….she is one of us…fundamentally..
I may just go to a local McCain/Palin field office wearing one of these buttons!
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2008/09/hillary-sent-me.html
Gingrich is not my idea of a good guy, but he is an extremely acute political analyst. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t grasp the dynamics of this campaign, and tailor his message to appeal to Clinton Democrats the way McCain is doing.
JohninCA: That’s the point I was trying to make (but obviously missed completely) is that Gingrich seems to be trying to contrast the kind of feminist Palin is with feminist Clinton supporters– a divide and conquer job. Palin is not angry. Palin can eviscerate Obama and still look good doing it. Etc. Etc. It seems to me to be designed to calm those on the right who are afraid of angry feminists. I think he should try some attraction tactics instead.
I always spend part of my day at the Reclusive Leftist and love Dr. Sock’s posts. She’s got a great one up now that links to a 5 year old post at the Tomato Nation. I never heard of the post or the Blog but it puts the so-called “Feminists” that are bashing Governor Palin to shame.
http://tomatonation.com/?p=677
There is a special place in hell for women that don’t help other women. And cretins like that Bernhardt twit and all her ilk are hellbound!
All the attacks on Palin are just evidence that the Obamabots and the MSM are doing their best to elect McCain. The bar has now been set so low for her that all she has to do in her debate with Biden is not dress in a bikini, give birth on stage, shoot the moderator, or give a hellfire sermon and she wins. And given Biden’s history of foot in mouth disease, the bar wasn’t all that high to begin with.
If I wanted Obama to win, I’d be really upset with this stupidity.
Really funny satire. I knew it was a joke right off the bat because if those women are in their mid forties, I must be one hundred and ten.
I also think a woman fighting the guys, gets dumped on by other women because she is making them realize their own situation…when they would rather continue to be oblivious. Many who trashed Hill and without a pause , are trashing Palin, don’t want to know just how misogynous the world is….or how misogynous the men in their lives are. So they join in rather than confront and pretend it’s about the particular women. But it’s not .
Dem 2nd wavers like myself who have waited in line like good girls,now see the right wringer getting the goodies and her party standing behind her . Hillary was the Dem 2nd waver that was not allowed her hard won victory. Since the Dems cheated even Hillary out of what she won, you and I will never get any promise fulfilled. I now see we were told to wait….so we would just keep waiting. Well I’m though waiting .
The Dems have just as much invested in a constantly imperiled Roe vs Wade as the GOP has in using it as a scare tactic ….it’s not going anywhere and it’s the height of political cynicism to try and beat us with that stick. Like they give a damn….indeed, the message I’m getting from current Dem leadership is to stay in the kitchen and care for the kids .
Divide and conquer is an ancient patriarchal cultural ploy which helps women compete with and attack each other so they do not threaten the male dominance…….. it permeates our entire culture .. and was the basis of the sisterhood movementwhich was the counter to that very thing in the sixties and seventies .
I am getting very tired of the equal pay for equal work crap. That is a two part problem – the part nobody talks about is the downward pressure on the “equal work” part. Women don’t get promoted the same way men do – even if they manage to be paid close to the same for the same job title.
Look at obama – all men (Oh, there is one woman – I’ve heard) in the top positions. I’m sure he would claim he would have liked to have more women at the top but they couldn’t find any qualified…
Right on, paper doll!
I actually think that the misogyny can be explained quite easily: Palin is running against Obama. It’s not that she’s running, it’s that she’s running against Obama. This was Hillary’s great sin. She challenged Obama until the end of the primaries. Why didn’t she drop out on February 4th? That’s why they hate Hillary and Palin. It’s not rational, no. But I’m convinced THAT’S the reason for the hatred that’s being thrown at Palin, just as it is (still) at Clinton. I fail to understand this VIOLENT devotion to a candidate. But there it is, one of the great mysteries of our time.
SweetSue, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:32 am
LOL!! same here!
This act by Bernhardt brings about this question from me: could any comedian get away with fantasizing about the lynching of Barack Obama by a group of white sisters in Houston, TX?
The vicious hatred being directed at and about Palin is akin to the vicious hatred in the abortion debate. Whatever your view – the other side has an equalling compelling view and neither are right or wrong, just what individual people believe.
I’m off to get my hair done and make myself pretty today! Everyone go out and enjoy the, hopefully, great late summe/early fall weather in your area.
This is just how they keep women divided, so we will never become a voting block.
kenoshaMarge, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:27 am Said:
“There is a special place in hell for women that don’t help other women. And cretins like that Bernhardt twit and all her ilk are hellbound!”
I understand where you’re coming from and your anger at these attacks. Aren’t you, though, a woman, attacking other women yourself – those you think have done wrong? The evidence is overwhelming that some women can behave just as badly as men – like people, in other words.
I do not want to obscure the point – and I do not think you were trying to, to the contrary – that the treatment of Hillary and of Sarah Palin is simply unacceptable behavior for civilized people. The rabid comments we see are truly disgraceful whether from women or from men.
Enough already with bad behavior from these people.
Hillary is intelligent, highly experienced, a leader, and a person for our times
Sarah Palin is intelligent.
John McCain has guts and determination.
BO is a … community organizer, who is well liked in Europe.
(See, I’m trying to be nice).
Oh and here’s the proof: all those of us who supported Hillary and won’t vote for Obama are racists:
http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-obama-race
I still think all of this garbage out of some of these womens mouths is about social class. Every single one that gets bent thinks that they are something special because of wealth, education, social orientation, or privilege. There is something about Palin that simply maddens them. The “who does she think she is” is very telling. Palin is not supposed to question or disrupt the social pecking order so they hate her like she was the new pretty girl at school. Class over gender to these folks and a lot of them are just wannabes and hangers on. Some these attacks are just sucking up to their “betters”.
tdraicer, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:30 am Said:
The bar has now been set so low for her that all she has to do in her debate with Biden is not dress in a bikini, give birth on stage, shoot the moderator, or give a hellfire sermon and she wins.
—————
Thanks for the laugh, tdraicer
“Do Whatever You Must to Trick Former Hillary Supporters into Voting Barack
Eat Crow? Hell Yes, to Win This Election”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lea-lane/eat-crow-hell-yes-to-win_b_126712.html
ROTFLMAO!!!!.. huffblow .. dumb and dumber and more hysterical .. LoL ..guess it’s not enough to have all the dem women running around the country saving Obama’s sorry azzzz .. LoL .. ;))) ..
Someone else posted this here yesterday – wanted everyone to see it today also & it goes along with the Riverdaughters very fine post ..
Don’tcha know ?? .. That post is insulting also .. ! ..+ hysterical !!!!
Obama’s supporters see a real threat in Sarah Palin. It makes them crazy, just as the threat Hillary posed made them crazy…crazy enough to flat out steal the nomination.
The Democratic party I knew is dead.
LOVE THIS POST.
Perhaps NOW would like to use it in some of their mailings….oh, that’s right…they threw Hillary under the ObamaBus
As is so elegantly and succinctly stated in the above post, rationale dialogue on this topic remains fruitless.
Ladies, time to vote your gender.
I did not live during the time of Alice Paul but from what I can see not a lot has changed.
Sometimes women are their own worst enemies.
Have you ever seen a man attacked for his looks or ability to raise a family and do a job by other men?
Some women are afraid, if one woman succeeds maybe they will have to do more.
Somehow even today some women still believe that females are the weaker sex.
We know that is not true and never has been.
Will men love us if we stand up to be counted and express our viewpoint is a fear of some women.
It is ok to do the work and do it well just don’t let the world know how good you are. You may show up a man who is not a good. How long were women taught that garbage.
I had a talk with a women in New Orleans years ago about southern belles.
During the civil war they kept the plantations together, took care of people and did a damn fine job.
But they were supposed to look helpless while doing it. Steel Magnolia anyone.
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS, AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
DYB, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:33 am Said:
“I fail to understand this VIOLENT devotion to a candidate.”
As do I. And I fear the upshot if this candidate loses.
Sophie, on September 20th, 2008 at 11:12 am
that would be 👿 go for it
Swan – your words need to be repeated again and again until women get it.
I was over at HillBuzz earlier and saw the post about the comments from Cho’s blog – just as disgusting as Berhardt’s comments. The sexual violence directed at Sarah Palin is – well, just that, sexual violence. It’s shocking and sickening.
PLease try to get another woman’s voice heard. I sent the following to the Ole Miss presidential debate site:
It would be nice, given Mississippi’s history in voter and citizen suppression, if Ole Miss would take a stand for inclusion and invite Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin, Ralph Nader, and any other candidate who will appear on the Mississippi state ballot for President in November. Ole Miss is a public institution obligated to serve the people of Mississippi. The people of Mississippi deserve more choices and more voices. Demand the inclusion of small party and independent candidates in the debates. Thank you.
The debate is scheduled for September 26th. Here is the link: http://www.olemiss.edu/debate/
Now the media fawns over Sandra Bernhard’s witty show where she promises rape if she comes to Manhattan
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/rangel-calls-palin-disabled/
Does anyone know if someone won Jeralyn’s WWSPQ (When Will Sarah Palin Quit) poll yet?
I thought the hockey mom clip was funny. I saw it as a satire on the petty dirt digging that was being done on Palin by hordes of ‘investigators’ sent to Alaska.
urgetocompute,
I will attack anyone, man, woman or flying fish that thinks anything about rape is funny.
And the “special place in hell” bit was from Madelyn Albright.
“helen, on September 20th, 2008 at 12:03 pm Said:
I did not live during the time of Alice Paul but from what I can see not a lot has changed.”
Me either, probably none of us, but I’ve got to agree. Reading this book (I’m almost done), I’m completely shocked by everything they had to go through, and never gave up, but it almost seems like we’re reliving it, we just don’t know it. Legislation that affects women is stalled, removed, promised, then taken away again, and has been for a very, very long time.
While I’m against government managed health care, I simply cannot grasp a $600 billiion (to start) bailout to a mismanaged corporation, CEO’s get millions in reward for running a company into bankruptcy, and yet, millions of people either can’t afford health insurance, or are not well enough to qualify for health insurance, and you can’t see a doctor if you don’t have it (I would never be eligible now, if I lose my job, I’m screwed).
Things are very upside down.
Thank You Delphyne
.. I wonder sometimes if people realise how deeply in our culture some of these concepts are entrenched and universally accepted .
.as a child it did not even dawn on me to question how many WOMEN religious leaders there are?? Or why women could not be priests ( or if i did i was quickly hushed) …and by religious leaders I mean at the top of the heap ?? and why are there… none?? or next to none …
because gawd is a MAN of course and any other world view would be simply ridiculous ..unless you want to relegate god to a pure spirit and de sexualise “him” which is preferable to feminising divinity.
Just recently the pope threatened excommunication to ANYONE who who is a proponent of women becoming priest … so that *scurrilous idea* was eradicated once and for all ,and even the dalai lama is a well you know …….MAN not a WOMAN
The simple idea of women being equal as so beautifully expressed on TOMATO NATION
http://tomatonation.com/?p=677
becomes subversive in western culture if applied universally .. and
we see very clearly what kind of virulent and violent opposition is engendered to prevent an event which threatens to make even part of that equality a reality .
We are upsetting the world applecart … to attempt make equality for women a reality is revolutionary .
I am so grateful and priveledged to be here among the great people of the Conflunce .. I am grateful every day ..which reminds me
Has anyone heard bo is going to have a concert with the remaining members of
THE GRATEFUL DEAD??
He couldn’t let them rest in peace could he ??
I just got this email from a Hillary supporter now voting Obama. It is written by Eve Ensler. I find this outrageous and disgusting – and much of it is not true.
I am having Sarah Palin nightmares. I dreamt last night that she was a member of a club where they rode snowmobiles and wore the claws of drowned and starved polar bears around their necks. I have a particular thing for Polar Bears. Maybe it’s their snowy whiteness or their bigness or the fact that they live in the arctic or that I have never seen one in person or touched one. Maybe it is the fact that they live so comfortably on ice. Whatever it is, I need the polar bears.
I don’t like raging at women. I am a Feminist and have spent my life trying to build community, help empower women and stop violence against them. It is hard to write about Sarah Palin. This is why the Sarah Palin choice was all the more insidious and cynical. The people who made this choice count on the goodness and solidarity of Feminists.
But everything Sarah Palin believes in and practices is antithetical to Feminism which for me is part of one story — connected to saving the earth, ending racism, empowering women, giving young girls options,opening our minds, deepening tolerance, and ending violence and war.
I believe that the McCain/Palin ticket is one of the most dangerous choices of my lifetime, and should this country chose those candidates the fall-out may be so great, the destruction so vast in so many areas that America may never recover. But what is equally disturbing is the impact that duo would have on the rest of the world. Unfortunately,this is not a joke. In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept,the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.
Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. I take this as a metaphor. In her world and the world of Fundamentalists nothing changes or gets better or evolves. She does not believe in global warming. The melting of the arctic, the storms that are destroying our cities, the pollution and rise of cancers, are all part of God’s plan. She is fighting to take the polar bears off the endangered species list. The earth, in Palin’s view, is here to be taken and plundered. The wolves and the bears are here to be shot and plundered. The oil is here to be taken and plundered. Iraq is here to be taken and plundered. As she said herself of the Iraqi war, ‘It was a task from God.’
Sarah Palin does not believe in abortion. She does not believe women who are raped and incested and ripped open against their will should have a right to determine whether they have their rapist’s baby or not.
She obviously does not believe in sex education or birth control. Imagine her daughter was practicing abstinence and we know how many babies that makes.
Sarah Palin does not much believe in thinking. From what I gather she has tried to ban books from the library, has a tendency to dispense with people who think independently. She cannot tolerate an environment of ambiguity and difference. This is a woman who could and might very well be the next president of the United States . She would govern one of the most diverse populations on the earth.
Sarah believes in guns. She has her own custom Austrian hunting rifle. She has been known to kill 40 caribou at a clip. She has shot hundreds of wolves from the air.
Sarah believes in God. That is of course her right, her private right. But when God and Guns come together in the public sector, when war is declared in God’s name, when the rights of women are denied in his name, that is the end of separation of church and state and the undoing of everything America has ever tried to be.
I write to my sisters. I write because I believe we hold this election in our hands. This vote is a vote that will determine the future not just of the U.S. , but of the planet. It will determine whether we create policies to save the earth or make it forever uninhabitable for humans.It will determine whether we move towards dialogue and diplomacy in the world or whether we escalate violence through invasion, undermining and attack. It will determine whether we go for oil, strip mining, coal burning or invest our money in alternatives that will free us from dependency and destruction. It will determine if money gets spent on education and healthcare or whether we build more and more methods of killing. It will determine whether America is a free open tolerant society or a closed place of fear, fundamentalism and aggression.
If the Polar Bears don’t move you to go and do everything in your power to get Obama elected then consider the chant that filled the hall after Palin spoke at the RNC, ‘Drill Drill Drill.’ I think of teeth when I think of drills. I think of rape. I think of destruction. I think of domination. I think of military exercises that force mindless repetition, emptying the brain of analysis, doubt, ambiguity or dissent. I think of pain.
Do we want a future of drilling? More holes in the ozone, in the floor of the sea, more holes in our thinking, in the trust between nations and peoples, more holes in the fabric of this precious thing we call life?
Eve Ensler
rd,
here’s a site with des moines register endorsements. is it the one for which you were looking?
http://www.dailyyonder.com/des-moines-register-endorsements-clinton-and-mccain
That email letter is pathetic .. perhaps we need to put together a reponse to the “Sarah Palin bullshit” letters for reply email so it wouldnt take much effort to reply to this crap
ok my bad word quotient is increasing I better calm down before I write anymore …
this is OT but i just got back from the local apple festival and a couple of things stuck out…
first – the republican booth was getting way more traffic. true this is rural VA ..but there were lots of women getting and wearing “women for mccain” stickers…. women of all ages and races.
secondly – the dem booth had no obama gear… they were tellling people that the O campaign is pouring all its funds into TV advertising not yard signs or decals…. which of course can be purchased online.
this is their big mistake – McCain/Palin gear is hitting everywhere around here …yard signs and bumper stickers popping up all over.
Mac is already looking like the favorite just from the visual presence,
just a quick report from the ground!
Does Eve Ensler believe that water wells are rape also. Does she think that the people who raise her food do not deserve to have water to their homes. How about water systems for municipalities with wells. Do these idiots live in a comic book world or something? Everything on her back and that goes into her gaping maw is the product of something that comes out of the ground. Water and petroleum are what run this world. The pretension, immaturity, ignorance and simple silliness of these snots is amazing. Just another of the creative class who are too good to touch anything in the production of goods and services that keeps her sorry self alive.
The attitude of so many of my fellow liberal feminists reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon in which Linus asserts, “I love humanity. It’s people I can’t stand!”
That’s what they’re saying: I love feminism. It’s women I can’t stand!
SOD: “It did not have to be that way.” My thought exactly. It’s tragedy on a grand scale that two groups that could’ve joined forces and vanquished together are now at each other’s throats.
Of course, the big boys want it that way.
Since HRC and SP are getting it in the neck from the same people, it can’t be their political stances, as they are quite different. I wonder what it could be?
Maybe the professional feminists just believe that they are the ones who should be in that position and their big problem is jealousy. Sorta like Jesse Jackson and BO.
Laura,
Read Lynette Long’s rebuttal to the Ensler email. Then send a link to it back to the distribution list.
http://WWW.LYNETTELONG.COM/my_weblog/2008/09/ready-to-rumble.html
With regard to Alice Paul – she did not die until 1977. Thus I think a lot of posters here who said they were not alive during her life might be surprised to find out that indeed they were.
She was at an event I attended in the mid-70s. Think she was in her 90s.
Yes isolde
They do live in a comic book world , and I am reluctanct to call them the “creative” class when in reality they are the consumer class . They have probably never created anything in their lives …without a glue gun and glue is a petroleum product ….as are the bottles for bottled water which leech a multitude of harmful chemicals directly into the “pure” water
Swan – I received that email from Ensler a few times from concerned friends. Violet has some information about Sarah that I’ve used when I’ve replied to the friends who sent them. There is also this site that has information:
http://explorations.chasrmartin.com/2008/09/06/palin-rumors/
Not sure those who send these letters are open to looking at the misogyny that drives letters like Ensler’s from being written. Here’s the response I received from a woman who sent me the Ensler letter:
“Respectfully, you shared some very nicely worded thoughts, thank you. But this has nothing to do with Palin being a woman, and everything to do with her being the kind of person I would NEVER want in a position of power. Period.”
gqm — I was wondering about the TL contest just this morning. Should I go over and ask her who’s ahead in the pool? lol.
A lot of 2nd-wavers have made a lot of money, built their own power, or their own fame by locking themselves into a very particular image of feminism. Palin utterly threatens that. Steinem, Jong, people like Bernhardt — these are also mostly pop-culture feminists, not deep thinkers. Every movement needs some group to be the acceptable, nonthreatening face to the world, and they’re either it or they’ve become it. But even there, Palin threatens their primacy — she’s got a great image that’s appealing (I don’t mean her looks) to the general population. So if she’s a feminist, maybe we don’t need faceplates like them.
Years ago I remember reading Andrea Dworkin’s Republican Women. I’m not sure I’m remembering right, but her main these seemed to be that Republican women hate feminists (even though feminists were fighting for all women’s equality) because feminists upset The Deal.
The Deal is (was): I (Rep. woman) marry a man, and in exchange for accepting a subservient, domestic role, you (man) guarantee me economic and social security for life, for me and my children. Feminism f*cked that all up, because it said, women should be able to join the workforce and support themselves, they must be treated equally, etc etc. The rise in feminism with a concurrent rise in divorce only led, in Rep. women’s minds to breaking the deal; instead of lifelong security, feminism offered easy divorce for men, abandonment with having to support children without means, and, a few years later, tradins in the current model for trophy wives.
I never agreed with the Republican Woman model, but I could see how it could be true, and even empathize a little. Feminists (esp. Dworkin) spent years fighting against it and all the traditional patriarchal mythology supporting it, by offering a much better alternative — no need to make the deal. A woman can have all the benefits of social and economic equality on her own, no need to take that sucker’s bet.
Well, now along comes Sarah Palin, energetic, smart and successful as a Republican Woman. No, not the Phyllis Schlafly version feminists were reacting against for years, but one who stole all their thunder — she didn’t make the deal (my guess is her marriage is a lot more equal than a lot of 2nd-wavers’); she didn’t trade her identity or her independence for security.
She scooped their main argument and stole their thunder. That’s why (partly, imo) they are now sputtering with rage and justifying propagating lies about her.
I didn’t watch the video yet RD, because Gary’s piece above is so troubling. This has gone beyond just being a Dem for me now. I’ve never, in all these months we’ve been writing seen anything like this election in my life. Ever, RD & Co. This is FRAUD we are looking at.
Violet had some great things up over the last few days — I’m going, and Palin, even though she doesn’t share our views as Dem women gets my vote strictly on the fact that McC put her in place.
All I can think is this is the heavily medicated 30 something set behind all this…….they aren’t even thinking — it’s like logos and TV shows and none of it is serious. McC will go after what just brought Wall Street down.
Oh, man RD & Co. Never in our lifetimes did we ever witness anything like this.
hugs.
Unbelievable, Riverdaughter. It is.
Thank you so much for that link .. the more I read the more I realise how much and how many swiftboat attacks are out there … Wow some I had not even heard .
I think Sarah Palin will broaden the horizons of many Americans …. and bring them back in touch with the earth and the reality that earth is the place under our feet ..
Earth = the blue ball upon which we get a free ride around the sun every 365 days
I am sure shaking people out of the thier comic book world will certainly cause some upset and ruffled feathers due to some head on collisions with reality …
all the more reason to vote for her …
one tru thing abuot her … SHE HAS FIVE PLANETS in Aquarius
I am not so certain she is not exactly (scuse the double negative ) what this country needs until we can get Hillary back in 2012
The Water Bearer
Modality: Fixed
Element: Air
Ruler: Uranus
Season: Winter
11th Sign of Zodiac
Metal: Uranium
Stone: Amethyst
Color: Sky Blue
Anatomy: Ankles, shins, circulation
Keywords: individualistic, assertive, independent, humanitarian, inventive, original, eccentric, opinionated, intellectual, idealistic, cool, friendly, detached
Comparison with its symbol, the Water Bearer: The symbol for Aquarius is the Water Bearer, symbolically and eternally giving life and spiritual food to the world. The water from the vessel washes away the past, leaving room for a fresh, new start. The sign of Aquarius is forward-looking and growth-oriented. Concerned with equality and individual freedom, Aquarius seeks to dispense its knowledge, and its vision of equality and individuality, to all.
The glyph for Aquarius depicts the water from the water bearer’s vessel, as a symbol of open-ended spiritual energy.
One of the standout characteristics of those born under the Sun Sign of Aquarius is their unwillingness to follow the beaten track. With advancement and progress on their minds, there can be an irreverence to old and outdated ways of thinking and doing things.
Many Aquarians aim to free themselves of personal and social conditioning. Although open to change in theory, Aquarians can be surprisingly stubborn. Their idealism runs strong, but they can be very fixed in their opinions.
Often a bit aloof and even standoffish, Aquarians nonetheless are usually well-liked. They are curious and observant, and tolerant in a broad sense. Prejudice and bias is offensive to the typical Aquarius.
Aquarians are generally very clever, witty, and intellectual. They value progress and frankness. It’s difficult to throw Aquarians for a loop—they’re generally on top of things.
There is a bit of reformer in Aquarius. They’ll try to get you to see through superficiality, and encourage you to be open and forthright. “Be true to yourself” and “Don’t follow the crowd” are mottos we easily associate with this sign.
Aquarians need space and value personal freedom. Any attempt to box them in will likely fail. They’ll happily return the favor; and they will treat people from all walks of life as equals. Equality and fairness are hallmarks of the sign. If you’re quirky and “different”, all the better.
Interesting to say the least
Dee
Thank you for the information about Alice Paul.
I did not realize she lived that long.
What an amazing lady.
I always thought that being “libral” meant being tolerant of different cultures and ideas.
This election cured me of that mistaken idea.
The distortion of the words libral and racist are amazing.
By todays difinition libral = intolerant racist = not wanting unqualified people to run the country.
COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS
PUMAS,BUBBAS, AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE
The saddest thing about this entire election year from primary season through the general election has been that the DEMOCRATs and the LEFT have portrayed women as the ENEMY. From Hillary to Sarah. It doesn’t matter what SHE believes in. It doesn’t matter what SHE has accomplished. SHE is evil. SHE is the enemy. And SHE must be denigrated and abused and banished.
I am so thoroughly disgusted that I doubt I will ever align myself with and a call myself a Democrat ever again.
IronMan: We appreciate your enthusiasm for McCain/Palin but please don’t summarize their rallies in the comments. Use a link. Some Conflucians don’t want to vote for Republicans even if some of them feel they might have to. Don’t make this decision any harder for them or there may be a backlash.
(Operatives take note.)
On Eve Ensler’s idiotic screed, I did a little diffing and found out that several of the “facts” that she (and Matt Damon) quote are from a joke website.
Here’s Eve Ensler:
And this is from the joke website:
Dee: You are very fortunate to have seen her speak. Does anyone know if she wrote a book about her life? I never heard much about her as a kid, or in history classes, or college – it was just women fought for the vote, a few extremists went to prison, blah, blah, blah …
I’m not even sure any more what “diffing” was supposed to mean, but it means something equivalent to “looking around.”
I am the worst typist ever!
I also did not properly close my blockquote. Oh, the shame of it all!
Huh???
“The Deal is (was): I (Rep. woman) marry a man, and in exchange for accepting a subservient, domestic role, you (man) guarantee me economic and social security for life, for me and my children.”
____________________
Almost every Republican Woman I know (that chooses to work) either earns as much as, if not more (as I do), than their husbands. Some are unmarried, own their own business. They must be talking about the older Republican women who didn’t work because women just didn’t work unless it was financially necessary.
One of the reasons I do and have done GODDESS RADIO .. besides the music being great, the thought provoking lyrics from the truly creative women reflect modern thinking and not just
oops i did it again ,,
was and is because the MUSIC INDUSTRY is one of the last great behemoth bastions of machismo , or so i thought until this election my eyes are open …
swanspirit, thanks for posting the link to your program this morning. I have been looking for this kind of music. I will share it with friends.
YOU MUST SEE THIS!!
The past few days we’ve been talking about the 30% solution. Last night I saw PBS’s Now. It was about “Women, Power and Politics”. It covered the 30% solution and used, of all places, Rwanda as an example. After the horror of geneocide the country decided to change course. They had to, most of the men were gone. This African country passed legislation that REQUIRES 30% of the legislature to be WOMEN. The country is on a completely different course now.
The program also contains a story about the New Hampshire senate race between Jeanne Shaheen and John Sununu and the election of Chile’s first female president Michelle Bachelet – who not only is female, is divorced, had a child out of wedlock and is an atheist.
It is a wonderful program, I urge you to watch. The part about Rwanda will bring tears to your eyes. It did mine.
Here’ s the link to the website:
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/437/index.html
Click on the box on the upper right to see the program.
I have been on the receiving end of a barrage of forwards from lifelong friends”Why Sarah Palin scares me”, Why I am a member of the Angry left”,etc. Mind you none of these include any arguments, cogent or otherwise, as to why I absolutely, positively must vote for Obama or finish the sentence.A couple of times I responded calmly with my reasons for why Palin dn scare me. I expressed that the reason she is freaking so many out right now is that Obama lacks something as a candidate which if he had it would neutralize her.I got no response. In fact the silence has been deafening. Does anyone here think Obama’s candidacy has had a deleterious effect on their long standing friendships?
I think it is clear that no woman candidate will pass the bar of acceptibility to some because Palin and Clinton apparently don’t. Both have huge swaths of support it is those who so vehemently oppose them who seek to negate that.
The Vagina Monologues have been criticised before sometimes with valid complaints and sometimes with ( to be expected) right wing irrational objections … now the author by her own hand has permanently and irreversibly discredited .. herself …. in my eyes
“In my lifetime I have seen the clownish, the inept,the bizarre be elected to the presidency with regularity.”
=———————————-
Exactly! That hip-hop routine was clownish, he was pretty darn inept in the debates unless Hill went first and he could say ‘ditto’, you can’t get much more bizarre than O’s church.
gary -Something up there you need to take back – I think Hillary is beautiful. I don’t think Sarah is particularly pretty. Beauty is subjective. I don’t think you should make that comparison.
No comparisons of beauty are appropriate. I don’t care if someone has large moles with hairs coming out of them, as long as they are smart, qualified, ethical, and will to do the job they are applying for.
Inner beauty is the most important thing.
Trig and Piper have spoken 👿
Here is the “disabled” comment from Rangel.
http://wcbstv.com/campaign08/congressman.charles.rangel.2.821541.html
It’s time for these people to hit the road – face first. I am sick of this bad behavior.
CAROL HAKA 👿
“Wake up, Ladies, the media and the guys are siccing you on the women who could actually give you the power you crave. Stop falling for it.”
Amen, sister! And isn’t it absolutely stunning how many ARE falling for it. They get all hung up on “ohhhh, but she is against yadee yadee and I’m for yadee yadee, so I could NEVVVERR support her.” Stop being so damn self-righteous and personally selfish and think big picture here, women! Will you get it already, ok? Ack, I hate small thinkers.
swanspirit: “permanently and irreversibly discredited .. herself …. in my eyes”
Not just your eyes, believe me! And Steinem? Oy. It.makes.me.sick.
As a second wave feminist, I understand that women’s oppression is far reaching and that women have to be outraged about their oppression in order to fight for change .
Until this primary, a lot of that anger was dissipated after Roe vs. Wade even though women’s oppression continued in the US. This is especially true in regards to women’s low pay and the devaluing of women’s traditional roles such as mothering, nursing, and teaching.
Unfortunately, NOW and some young feminists seem to be only passionate about reproduction rights. I think that is why they are so threatened by Palin.
gxm17, on September 20th, 2008 at 1:55 pm Said:
The saddest thing about this entire election year from primary season through the general election has been that the DEMOCRATs and the LEFT have portrayed women as the ENEMY. From Hillary to Sarah. It doesn’t matter what SHE believes in. It doesn’t matter what SHE has accomplished. SHE is evil. SHE is the enemy. And SHE must be denigrated and abused and banished.
I am so thoroughly disgusted that I doubt I will ever align myself with and a call myself a Democrat ever again.
—————–
What is the difference between that and what republicans have been calling Hillary for years? What this election cycle has tought everyone is that what Hillary has been going through was more than about her policies or CDS. Palin going through the same brings it home to republicans. Now they know how Hillary felt all this time while they trashed her. The Democrats proved themselves to be no different. Both parties support sexism. Do you really think the republican party would have supported Palin like they do now had she been in a primary contest competing against the men? They are defending her now because their competitor is the Democrats. I am not too certain they would have been as nice had this been a primary.
[…] Saturday: Women Swiftboating Sarah […]
Violet also does a good radio show with dcmedia girl on blogtalkradio.com- search NQR.
I’ve been looking a little lately at Justin Webb’s BBC blog-which is getting if anything more nasty.
The consensus there (led by Justin himself) is that McCain has made a fateful error in choosing Palin, a woman, one which will lead inevitably to his losing the election.
The fact of the matter is, that if McCain/Palin do lose, male Presidential Nominees will undoubtedly wait another 20 years before considering a female VP.
kitty, on September 20th, 2008 at 4:03 pm Said:
“I love this site sooo much. I only wish I wasn’t so stupid. I might be able to do something constructive!”
Dear Kitty, in my experience beating up on oneself is not a good thing to do. As you can see from the comments on this site there are plenty of mean spirited b*st*rds out there who will do that to you without even being asked. So… what interests you? What moves you?
kenoshaMarge, on September 20th, 2008 at 12:46 pm Said:
“urgetocompute, I will attack anyone, man, woman or flying fish that thinks anything about rape is funny.”
Agreed.
“And the “special place in hell” bit was from Madelyn Albright.”
Thank you.
please scroll down and read the in-depth analysis of the way polls are being skewed for BO:
Wizbang: How Liberal Trolls Are Working To Get McCain Elected President
For this article, I am looking at the Gallup ‘Daily Tracking Poll’ for the Presidential election. For the five most recent weekly reports, here’s where Gallup says the candidates stood:…
So, put it all together, and in the past week Obama has stayed steady or lost support in every party identification group, yet Gallup says his overall support went up four points. And McCain stayed steady or went up in every party identification group, yet we are supposed to accept the claim that his overall support went down by four points? Anyone have an answer for how that is even possible?
Well, actually I do. There is one, and only one, possible way that such a thing can happen mathematically. And that way, is that Gallup made major changes to the political affiliation weighting from the last week to now. Gallup has significantly increased the proportional weight of Democrat response and reduced the weight of Republican response…
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/09/19/how-liberal-trolls-are-working-to-get-mccain-elected-president.php
kitty, on September 20th, 2008 at 4:03 pm Said:
“I love this site sooo much. I only wish I wasn’t so stupid. I might be able to do something constructive!”
Kitty, methinks you are a troll. How many women on this site have written anything like your silly comment? None. We may wish we were more well-spoken, more politcally active, were better speakers, or more succint in our opinions or even that we wish we had more time, but NO ONE here has ever said anything as self-destructive as what you wrote.
I firmly believe that there are 3 things in life that people choose to be: dirty, lazy and/or stupid. Anyone can be poor – we’ve all seen millionaires reduced to poverty because of circumstances. But even the poorest can be clean, ambitious and smart – and work their way into something better.
Stupid is a choice. Get smarter. Start reading, researching and educating yourself. Don’t expect me or anyone else here to pity you because you choose to see yourself as “so stupid”. YOU can change it. Pity won’t.
Thank you ugsome for the link to Lynette Long re the vaginal monologues person.
This is a link by to a post by Cynthia Ruccia on this same topic:
http://www.lynettelong.com/my_weblog/2008/09/a-dark-day-in-d.html
thx ugsome for the ‘ready to rumble’ lynette Long link.
Laurie, on September 20th, 2008 at 4:36 pm Said:
The fact of the matter is, that if McCain/Palin do lose, male Presidential Nominees will undoubtedly wait another 20 years before considering a female VP.
————————
I hope you don’t mean that women are only good for being VPs. There is a woman running as a presidential candidate right now. No one is paying much attention to her but she is there. 2012 will have more women particpating in the presidential primary and hopefully we will have a woman as a presidential nominee and she will win.
I am a personal trainer at a gym in a very affluent neighborhood in “liberal” hipster Seattle. I work in the morning and afternoon when the club is full of highly educated, advanced degree stay at home moms who consider themselves enlightened, liberal, and feminist. The day after Sarah Palin was chosen as McCain’s running mate I was barraged with the most sexist, hateful, mean spirited, sophmoric, nasty, comments about Ms. Palin from the aforementioned feminists. I felt like I had been transported back to the mean girl section of high school. I am compelled to remind these people CONSTANTLY that Ms. Palin is not at the top of the ticket, so why is she getting more scrutiny than any other no name VP pick. Hot head Citi Bank BFF Joe Biden included. Who ever had the post earlier about the fact that it has to be about something other than her politics is right on. There is some kind of bizarre self loathing projecting going on here. No big surprise considering the tone of the culture. Mr Obama is an unexperienced, sexist which are but two of the myriad reasons I would not vote for him. I can’t help but wonder if blacks would feel compelled to vote for someone they knew to be racist. Not only would they not, but it would be considered by the MSM and the culture at large to be a well justified decision. The backlash is here and it’s a big ass wave.
In my experience, it was Obama supporters, and Obama himself, who I witnessed deriding and insulting Hillary. I heard men I work with say they were voting for Obama because Hillary was “unelectable.” I will never forget the way the left and the Democrats have demonized WOMEN, not political positions or issues, this election.
For now, I’m going to adhere to the 30% solution and vote for any woman on the ballot no matter her political party. It’s steam engine time. Time to put more women in office if we want to see any REAL CHANGE.
Valhalla, on September 20th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Excellent post
Professional ” feminists” are going bat shit over Palin because they see their good gig of being ” the voice” of women being taken from them. They of course haven’t done much since the 1970’s, but they sure of hell don’t want the franchise taken away. You think they give a damn about the caribou breeding grounds being ruined by drilling?? LOL! No ,what has them enraged is the Media might call someone else for the ” women’s” angle quote! !!! HORRORS!!
Well, I think Hillary is pretty.
(Off to the new thread.)
Even though I plan on voting McCain/Palin since VA is close, I am still sending Cynthia McKinney money. She is the only candidate running who ACTUALLY voted against the war. For those of you who can’t bring yourself to vote for McCain and are thinking about leaving the top blank, please consider a write-in vote for McKinney. Visit her site and watch her “Grilling Rumsfeld” video. She’s a person who doesn’t back down or stands up for what she believes in.
McKinney08
Downticket, re: “What this election cycle has tought everyone is that what Hillary has been going through was more than about her policies or CDS. Palin going through the same brings it home to republicans. Now they know how Hillary felt all this time while they trashed her.”
Actually, the news media treated Hillary the same way they’ve been treating Republicans for decades.
The way the Democrats are treating Sarah is nothing new to us– just more intense than usual.
Sep 19, 2008 8:10 pm US/Eastern
Sources: Intense Pressure Led To Palin UN Snub
CBS 2 HD Has Learned Democrats Threatened To Attack Jewish Groups’ Tax Exempt Status Over VP Nominee Invite
“This is insulting. This is embarrassing, especially to Gov. Palin, to me and I think it should be to every single New Yorker,” Assemblyman Dov Hikind, D-Brooklyn, told CBS 2 HD.
Read more here (shocking stuff):
http://wcbstv.com/campaign08/clinton.palin.event.2.821565.html
Ha ha, funny! But, hey hey hey, I happen to think Hillary is very pretty. Awesome smile.
lauren, I went back and reviewed all of your comments. are you some kind of Edwards mole? what’s your deal, you’re obviously a troll, but you’ve been around for weeks trying to talk up Edwards…weird.
“sexual” needs to be on the list. Both Hillary and Palin are obviously very sexual beings and, unfortunately, lots of women & men villify that…!
oh yeah – I think Hillary is GORGEOUS! most beautiful smile, eyes full of life and humor and intelligence and even those tiny wrinkles – just beautiful!
kjmontana,urgetocompute,Hey wait a minute, I’m Kitty. Is there another Kitty? Not cool. I’m smart and I read and everything. What gives ? Read my comment at 6:10.
oops, 6:01
First off, Hillary is very pretty. Pretty is as pretty does, and while she’s always been cute IMO, the more I’ve heard her talk, the more lovely I find her. She looks awesome and beautiful as she grows older and wiser.
This year I’m voting for a woman for president. I’m listening to Cynthia McKinney right now and I like her. I know she’s got some oddball things in her past but I really don’t care. I think she is sincere and my vote will send a message.
The reason I can’t write in Hillary’s name is that I’ve heard it would then be given to Obama because they are both Democrats.
The feminist groups have sent a horrible mesasage. The message is that the only thing that counts is Roe vs Wade and outside that, you can pay us less, promote us less, call us bitch and worst. Why do we stand for it? Some of us are still belong to Now, Emily’s list, etc.We should take out some of our wrath on them as well. They appear to be no more than an extension of the DNC. Palin is a good mother, wife, honest, christian, love’s her country, smart, does not have a wart on the end of her nose and takes little or no sh-t from anyone. I am tired of typing. Compare her to Obama. If you like him better, vote for him. You deserve each other.
These female Palin bashers aren’t feminists because they are still letting the MEN tell them who and what they are.
They are also second class citizens because they can’t think for themselves and must follow their male superior’s lead.
They rant over Palin’s lifestyle but see nothing wrong with their chosen candidate paying his female staff lower wages than his male staff.
And since these women are closer to the male power structure they will also be the last to be promoted and the first to be fired – feminism as practiced in the Obama camp will not reward their loyalty.
I don’t know if they realize that they are being used or not but they had better get used to the idea of second class citizenship if Obama does gain access to the Executive branch because he does not practice equality in his own life but condones and practices racism and bigotry against women.
I am a 70s feminist and the only people more annoying than third wave feminists these days is second wavers riding the unity pony.
I agree. I left behind a party that was kissed on the lips by ambition and lost it’s way, I can easily leave behind NARAL NOW EMILYs LIST…It will simplyfy my life actually.
This Catharsis is liberating, no?
It’s disgusting the insults that have been thrown at Gov. Palin. Of course, since the same people hurled the same type of insults at Hillary, it’s not all that surprising. And I think it’s going to end up helping McCain/Palin on election day.
These jaded female journalists are afraid of losing their jobs. They probably also have big mortgages.
That’s what comes of selling your soul to the male power structure, without reserving a corner of that same soul for your female readers.
Yes, Hillary is beautiful-she has an inner shine, which comes from helping people, and thinking about her country.
~”I think it is clear that no woman candidate will pass the bar of acceptibility to some because Palin and Clinton apparently don’t.”~
I agree and have decided even Mother Theresa could not pass the high bar set by the male politicians in our country.
We voters are supposed to forget the many faux pas of Barack Obama, from the 57 states to the finger flip off of Senator Clinton. But in the vernacular of the sports analogy they love to use; what they did to Senator Clinton, and now Governor Palin, is like setting your star player on the bench and letting the waterboy play.