Many of the conversations I have been having about the Palin as VP choice have been stunning, not so much because of the actual sides- which, quite honestly have become tedious on both sides, with some decidedly "liberated" women almost fanatical in their hate of her supposed "anti woman's right to choose" and the "next best thing to Hillary" side which matches the anger found on the other side. . .yadda yadda yadda. . .
What has been most telling is the compartmentalization of the debate, and people like me, who see gender/women's issues as transcending politics. . .are attacked from both sides, but mostly from those who would most likely describe themselves as liberal, and who are TOTALLY Democrats. . .the party of tolerance. . .
I even had someone tell me, with a straight face, that they have never been the kind of person who supported women, just because they were women, but who were at the same time telling me I needed to support Obama. . .for women. Huh? Puleeze, if you want to sell your soul for party unity, go right the fuck ahead, I will not be doing so.
What this debate shows me that after, if ever, gender discrimination is addressed in the social structures, it will only happen when women can look beyond their own politics and party and see the big picture.
Is anyone really worried about Roe v Wade? Seriously? Puleeeze, get your head out of the poisoned spam about Palin and use your brain! You believe EVERYTHING your listserv says? And for those who forward this unsubstantiated crap without conscience, what kind of scholars ARE you??? You are no better than the people who do the same things about people that YOU identify with. . .do you LIKE this treatment? Do you love it when people loop lies about you, and send it to everyone. . .and never care if any of it is true? If not- STOP DOING IT, otherwise, if you are going to continue spreading the smear, then STFU when people do it to those groups you identify with. . .you know who you are. . .stop. . .you do
Ellie M, in feminist theory class, taught from the perspective that, well, if you look at the waves of the movement, you see the ebb and flow- and there was a thought, a theory, that one of the greatest threats to the success of any movement, but especially the women's movement, is the inability to give a shit about the issues of women outside your group. Working mom, special needs mom, gay mom, single mom, liberal mom, conservative mom. . .pick your group. . .advocate for your cause. . .and face the wrath of women. . .who want you to vote for one thing, want you to be pro choice, pro life. . .and continue to fragment the issue of gender issues further. . .and so long as you cannot or will not recognize the common ground between your groups. . .you will distract yourself with attacking Palin rather than asking what can this do for women.
I am no expert, and to be honest, there are many things I have yet to puzzle out. . .but
I do know this, no working mother has ever had the chance to try to do this job, and on the off chance that she get the chance, I am much less scared having her for a VP. . .Obama as president is much scarier, and before Palin, many of those now attacking me were as horrified as I about him . . .but, hey any Democrat is better than a GOP woman. . .
If she get elected, and she becomes the universal worker of Acker, and is able to continue on in a credible way, I can only hope that this will help women everywhere. Even better, if she brings "credibility" to the role of mother. . .beyond the sound bite "of course motherhood is important, even if we, as women devalue it on a daily basis. . .until we become mothers" and seriously, how can society really come to value motherhood, if women, as a group, do not support that credibility. . .no matter what, THINK of the effects on what it means to be a working mom in society, what would the world look like if the VP had the freedom to be a mom and be proud of it? Not weak or less of a success because of it?
Will we, as a society ever get beyond "of COURSE mothers are important, that is why we have Mother's Day" and really value the work? The attacks on Palin reveal that my time spent raising baby humans will mean nothing. . .to society when measuring my worth. . .shouldn't it count for something?
Letterman, you are an ass tool, really.
Sigh, thank G-d for Shabbos!
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