Arizona Mothers Storm Kyl's Senate Office, Denounce GOP as Sexist
PHOENIX -- Dozens of local mothers descended on the office of Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona Wednesday to denounce what they say are sexist attitudes held by Kyl and the Republican Party in general. The demonstration was organized by Phoenix area mothers in response to Kyl's recent quip during a Senate committee meeting that he doesn't "need maternity care."
The protest was organized by local mothers, but a few fathers and children also attended. They carried signs saying, "Maternity Care Is Not a Joke" and "Women Are Your Constituents Too."
The protest comes at the same time Democrats across the country are denouncing Republican leaders for holding what they see as outdated views of women.
Chris Christie, Republican gubernatorial candidate from New Jersey, has come under fire for a remark he made that critics say equates preschool to babysitting. In Virginia, gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell is drawing fire for his college thesis, written in 1989 when McDonnell was 34 years old, in which he seems to call working women detrimental to families.
On Tuesday, 30 Republican senators voted against an amendment put forth by Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.), that would have barred companies that discourage female employees from filing sexual harassment suits from securing government contracts. This coincided with a press release issued by the National Republican Congressional Committee saying Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be "put in her place."
A Democratic Party spokesperson said today, "These are not isolated incidents. This is a view and an attitude that the Republican Party has toward women," adding, "Kyl is the second highest ranking Republican in the Senate.
Representative Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona, said at the Phoenix protest, "This is just outrageous. When Senator Kyl scoffs at the importance of maternity care, it begs the question, who does he represent?"
"Women all over Arizona are paying for health insurance policies that do not include maternity care," she said. "Senator Kyl and Republicans seem to be against everything these days, including something as basic as medical care after a woman gives birth."
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said, "I think they have an outdated view, sometimes an extreme view, and a lack of understanding of what women's lives are like today."
The Democratic National Committee also launched Facebook ads on Wednesday drawing attention to the sexist views expressed in McDonnell's college thesis. The ads now appear wherever McDonnell's name appears on Facebook, and they link to a webpage that details what the DNC calls the "far right wing views on women and families" espoused in his thesis and votes for his dismissal as a public official.
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Jon Kyl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kyl: 'I Don't Need Maternity Care.' Stabenow: 'Your Mom Probably ...
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So the protesters that stormed Kyl's office are just now figuring out that the GOP is sexist ?
Geez, I thought everyone knew that ?
I had always assumed that the women involved in the GOP or wives of husbands that are,
were happy to be the "little wife".....
But wait ! How does Sarah Palin fit in to their barefoot, pregnant, stay-at-home, view of women....?
There are too many contradictions in the GOP fantasy view-of-the-world that no longer exists on this planet.
Why on earth this Cro-Mangon or Neanderthal party still exists is beyond me.
Stop voting for them and they will no longer be in a position to make laws.......Hello ?
Ya, EVERYONE must be come a Democrat or else!
The Republicans watch "Mad Men" and yearn for the good old days....
the republican party lives in the 1850s when women, children, and slaves were considered personal property of their owner, much like livestock or furniture.
.
i see that not much has changed since then, nor do i expect ANY changes in the future.
.
One quick comment. Sen. Jon Kyl would not be sitting in the senate if his mother had not been insured. This is why I have been drumming Republicans do not have INTELLECT.
Republicans never want change. They want things to stay exactly the same. The only thing they can agree on is war, making the rich richer, making themselves richer and making the middle class poorer. How many of us are fed up with being stuck paying taxes to bail out the rich? The republicans want the rest of us to sit in the back of the bus and that includes women, blacks, gays, hispanic, asian, and anyone else who are different from them. Their way of thinking is old and stale and they will oppose any progress that will make our country a better place to live in for all of the people and not just the privileged few.
If men had babies, there would be an abortion clinic on every corner like a Walgreen's. Having said that, I live in AZ and will work tirelessly to see that neither one of these idiots is re-elected. Anyone from AZ should start by volunteering at the Democratic party headquartes in downtown Phoenix. You can go anytime to pariticipate in data entry, phone banks, etc. They are having a family night on the 15th of October starting at 530pm. Bring your kids, there will be activities for them while we're all working against people like Kyl and McCain.
Hey escapepa, wish you all good luck at the family night. Hope you have a huge crowd congregating there and taking on this issue. Please make sure the two bums to the senate are thrown out during their respective coming elections. Make a lot of noise. I would love to be there but unfortunately cannot. Please post the outcome of this night the following day. Would love to read. Thanx in advance.
Gloria Steinem said it first and said it best: If men had babies abortion would be a sacrament.
Today's Republican party wants to drag us all back to their idea of the good old days. My question; good for whom? They are trying to do to Christianity what the religious head cases who hijacked Islam did in the middle east.. John Kyl is, at best, a man out of step with the rest of the world, narrow-minded, backwards and ignorant. How did he get elected to anything?
Fight the Taliban at home so we don't have to fight them there.
EXACTLY. The Rethugs are the American Taliban. Religion forced down your throat and NO RIGHTS FOR WOMEN.
OK, so obviously Kyl was never born of woman. This is the first thing to remember. So where did he come from? As for the remark made by the guy from NJ about pre-school care being nothing more than babysitting, clearly that's all HE ever got. So sad, because those of us who choose to actually CARE for children and help them find their true identities and talents and their own sense of security inside themselves that NO ONE will be able to destroy get more satisfaction out of life that this New Jersy-ite can even begin to imagine. Though this was not always the case, most politicians now ooze from every pore the impoverished care of their early years. And those who promote and vote for them without being able to see who they really are? Alas, the same.
The day MUST come when the words 'WOMEN' and 'ALLOW' are NEVER called upon again in the lexicon of struggle and rights!!!
McCain has propped himself up on a platform of "character' for far too long. His revolting treatment of his first wife, his deplorable remarks assailing Chelsea Clinton during her adolescence, his vulgar dropping of the C-bomb on his present wife before a phalanx of reporters divulge his toxic demeanor toward women. Bereft of sincere introspection...he perfunctorily apologizes. INTOLERABLE from a man who basks in the glow of the word 'hero'.
His 'nay' vote against the Franken - Jones amendment exposed all that needs to be revealed.
There is no reflecting pool in the putrid swamp of Republican lawmakers.
Kyl stagnates and stills any conceivable current for change.
This is not about mere politics. Lett those who dare propagate or perpetuate the present bile within the ole boy Republican cesspool know they dare not suffer the day women are forced to raise their prevailing might against them again.
It took this long for the Lilly Ledbetter bill.
Maternity…the very essence of humanity. An ISSUE? Never again!
You go, Arizona moms!
More power to you ARIZONA MOMS. Vote them out of office and your prayers will be answered.
Just remember to vote them out next time around!
Ladies, Kyl and McCain have no shame,,,we are Arizonians stuck in the Muck of Republicans known
as Nomen
WELL SAID!! Vote Them Out!
I called Kyl's office for a reply for my web site as to why he voted "NAY" on SA 2588, which would assist victims of crimes like Rape and abuse while working for government hired private companies by ending their funding immediately if they didn't stop the forced arbitration cases instead of a criminal court case, where the suspect/s could be held accountable.
I need to get at least 1,000 signatures soon. Please help me. This cause is very important to me and many others. Especially after the Haliburton/KBR rape case and SA 2588 introduced by Sen. Frankin that followed. I'm ready to hand deliver this petition with all signatures intact but I'm not there yet. I'm going out today to get "physical" signatures as well. Please help me. The link is: http://www.change.org/actions/view/demand_congress_stop_funding_private_armies_in_the_middle_east
You can also send people to: http://www.leftofcenter44.com/
Where they can find this petition along with others too.
Thank you so much.
"A young, inspired, optimistic idealist who's ready to change the world through progress."
Aaron M. Norcia
Please sign Aaron's petition. It takes about a minute. We need this for women.
Note to LeftofCenter44;
Hi, Lefty, thanks for the great resource! I've been looking for something exactly like that.
Most woman recognize that the typical GOP white man is N angry, dangerous beast. Look at the greed,
recklessness and arrogance displayed as they ginned the "so call free market system" to enrich themselves beyond anyone's wildest imaginings -- with debt! Look as this same arrogance in dealing with women - minimizing maternity care, recklessness in relationships with women in power -- Clinton and Pelosi. and lust ( a form of greed) -- see how many notches on my belt boys! Dare you to bet that! White GOP men are the worst. The are hypocrites -- only understood when true selfishness is understood. And so glad the women are taking Kyl to task for his outrageous behavior and the rest of the GOP. Talk about family values? The GOP prostitutes the family -- while getting it on side..... You go girls. I am behind you 200%. Smack their asses and send'em to the whore house in the hills whining, crying and begging for sympathy.....
and "owleye" I wonder how they go to sleep at night with their wives by their side. Also what is the reaction of these wives when they hear their husbands talk so demeaningly about women? Are they controlled by these freaks OR are they just plain ignorant?
Clearly most women know that the average white GOP male in the US is a dangerous beast. They are greedy
reckless and arrogant ---
TRUE! TRUE!
Look at these guys. Do you notice any similarities between them? That's right. They're white, paunchy and old. We're witnessing the death throes of the privileged white male. Did anyone think they'd go down without a fight? I say their political demise can't come soon enough! Take him down, Sisters!
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