I've been putting miles on the Prius lately driving up and down the Wasatch Front for work. Company policy prohibits operating a vehicle and talking on a cell phone, even with a hands-free device, so this has given me plenty of time to listen to news radio. I heard my first Hannity Show last week, enjoyed the superior reporting of BBC World News, and just today got to listen to a "Talk of the Nation" session focused on Sarah Palin and how women voters feel about her.
I listened to two females support her and one woman argue against her. No matter how often they, or the callers, said that it wasn't about her being a woman, I became quite certain that it was/is. This made me explore my own opinion of her and whether I had any underlying sexism in my ardent opinion of her candidacy. My findings... I don't. I'm certain that most others who share my opinion also do not. Let's think about it...
Had John McCain produced a man who was the former Mayor of a town of around 7,000 and the current twenty month governor of Alaska, who had: spent a large part of his time as Governor growing his family; used his office to wage personal wars; hired in a preferential and nepotistic manner; left his small town $20 million in debt; forced rape victims in his town to pay for their rape kits; sought vast federal earmarks for projects the State was unwilling to fund; sued to remove polar bears from the endangered species list; did not believe global warming is caused by humans; hunted wolves from airplanes, and offered a bounty for others to do the same; was a "creationist", anti-abortion even in cases of rape and incest, and refused to teach anything other than abstinence to children; attended 5 different colleges, finally gaining a degree in sports journalism; lacked the intellectual curiosity to travel, read, and pursue other cultural and creative growth opportunities; who could not respond to questions on the current "ethos"; believed he had strong foreign policy experience because you could see Russia from his State; etc. etc. ... I would be HORRIFIED, and so would more than 50% of the American public.
What is happening is actually the opposite of sexism. Worse than "white privilege" it is "white WOMAN privilege." So, for today, another film recommendation - "Burn After Reading" - a film where no matter the damage... an entitled white woman will get what she wants.
4 comments:
Preach it.
Actually for two weeks since she was selected, I have had trouble sleeping. Her selection makes me angry beyond words. And the women who support her break my heart.
I am, as they say, (in regards to the basic decency of Americans) losing my religion.
Sigh...
Much love to you and Steve
-Debbie
That is a good way of putting it, "the women who support her break my heart."
Be glad you are ex-pat. Though it sounds like none of this looks any better from a distance.
Wait, aren't you a white woman? This whole election year has infuriating. What American (in his or her right mind) would look at the state of our union and say "Wow, I really like the direction our country is going, I wish we could vote for Bush again!" (Because we all know that McCain is Bush's twin policy wise).
I just don't get it.
I want to have faith that woman are smart enough to see through this very cheap ploy to garner their votes.
I want to have faith that Americans will stand up at the polls and say "NO MORE!"
I want to... but...
(Did that quell your need for a comment-- because that is all I can give, it upsets and disheartens me too much to dwell on. It also makes me want to do something with my frustration that is positive for change.)
BTW- it should read "has BEEN infuriating" and "evil twin policy wise" That is what I get for trying to comment at 1 am
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