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Women, Can We Hold Up a Minute?
I have been watching and listening to the hype around Gov. Sarah Palin with great interest, and, frankly, I am disturbed.
Evangelical women were the target, as the stories go, and it seems that the GOP strategy was brilliant, right on.
But what in the world does this mass acceptance by women (Evangelical and otherwise) say about us as women?
I have heard women say, "She's just like us."
I have heard pro-Palin men say, "She's attractive."
And I am stumped, stupefied. What does being "just like us" or being "attractive" have to do with running a country, the greatest country in the world?
I am wondering why there isn't a groundswell of protest from women who fought so hard for women's rights. Gov. Palin is being so controlled by the male GOP power structure that she is not even answering questions given to her from news media.
How can it be OK for anyone to accept and support a person, male or female, who will not answer questions?
Has the GOP figured out, or concluded, apparently correctly, that the American public, and specifically Evangelical women, are mindless? Has the GOP fed into a weakness in this country which not only painful to think about, but dangerous to the life of this nation?
I repeat, I am stunned. When all is said and done, are we, women, still nothing more than objects?
It's like women are in la-la land, just delighted that "a woman" is on the GOP ticket. We are silent about how she's being manipulated and controlled by men. What do you mean, she's "sticking to a script and not answering questions?" How can anyone be all right with that?
And I don't think her being manipulated will change if the McCain ticket wins. My mother always said that the way you start out is the way you'll end up.
What happened to "I am woman! See me roar?"
I am not anti-woman. I am a woman. I am a single mother pastor. I raised my two kids alone while trying to run a church. I admire and respect working women. I admire women with guts and with chutzpah; I like to think I have both.
I have never been a bitter, angry feminist or womanist. I have taught my daughter and the young girls in my church that they can do anything.
But I think the GOP showed a reckless disregard for America in picking her. This decision reeks of the scent of desperation, even though politically it was brilliant.
Can we just hold up a minute? Take a breath, give Gov. Palin the kudos she may deserve but then get serious and examine her as a possible president of the United States?
In my church, I teach that you should not vote for a candidate just because he or she is an African American. We have an obligation to hold candidates accountable.
It goes the same for women. Just because someone looks like us does not mean that she is good for us.
Women, if there was a time to roar it is now.
By
Susan K. Smith
|
September 10, 2008; 12:13 PM ET
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Posted by: Caroline | September 25, 2008 1:21 PM
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Thanks for the article Rev. Sue, I have been insulted with Sen. McClain Vice-President selection form the very begining. She was first introduced to us as someone like Geraldine Ferraro and Hillary Clinton only in her wildest dreams. These two are women who knows politics and can't or won't be held up as puppets. They had a message and it was there message. Sarah Palin's message is John McCain's message and if it disagrees with him or her then she will still repeat it!! Governor Palin has some growing to do and to have let John McCain push her into something she herself knows she is not ready for. I get so angry when I see women who will let there ego rule there common sense. Governor Palin this is not your time and if you continue this race you are doing a dis-service to females around the country and especially to yourself!!!
Posted by: DIANE | September 16, 2008 5:43 AM
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Pick one ladies for women, ladies against women, women for women like them, women against smart women, women against dumb broads, women women for manipulated smart women, women for political bimbos and such >
I am woman hear me roar
I am woman hear me meow
I am woman hear me purr
I am woman hear me growl
I am woman see me bimboed
I am woman see me babied
I am woman see me cossetted
I am woman see me dumbed down
Cheers
Posted by: Jihadist | September 14, 2008 12:46 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
The bottom line is, we need to stay away from all the hype, and vote for a candidate because of their stance on the major issues, not because of their gender or race. It's true, we are making history during this election with a black man and a woman both being in the running for the presidency and vice-presidency. And that is something that should not be taken lightly. However, after all the hype dies down, one of them will be leading our country, making decisions that will affect us. And I wouldn't feel comfortable choosing a leader that is going to represent me that I know nothing about. John McCain knew nothing about Sarah Palin before he chose her, which shows his lack of intelligence in that decision. I will not make that same mistake in my decision on who to vote for. Palin might be "just like me" in the sense that she is a woman, and that is where the similarities stop. I don't agree on a lot of her policies, and that's what I'm focused on, not her gender.