Sexist? Not So Fast
Sexism: (noun) discrimination, chauvinism, gender prejudice, gender bias. (i.e. "Your hiring practices have generated numerous complaints about sexism.")
The Republican party handed out buttons at their convention that said "Hottest Governor from the Coolest State." On almost every TV courtroom drama ever made there's a moment when a lawyer utters the phrase, "The witness opened the door, Your Honor."
I wrote something that a few people call offensive in a post of mine today. Granted, it's pretty offensive. But if you think I'm going to apologize for it, you're out of your mind. In case you missed it, the offending line is, "I want to have sex with her [Palin] on my Barack Obama sheets while my wife reads aloud from the Constitution." In my business there's an old expression, "Never cut funny." And, excuse me, but that one's kinda funny. The debate over whether I'm sexist is somewhat more serious.
"Sexism" is discrimination or unfairly diminishing someone based on gender. I haven't discriminated against Sarah Palin based on her gender and I haven't diminished her based on it. She's diminished based on her intellect and experience and hubris and because they're using her gender in such a crass and cynical manner. I'm discriminating against her based on that fact and that she has as much business on the national political stage as Alice from the Brady Bunch.
I don't give a damn whether Palin has a penis or a vagina. When I wrote about Hillary Clinton during the primary I didn't comment on her gender. I don't care about her gender. Let me point out that I wrote an entire movie about sexual harassment (North Country -- click on the link over there on the right side of your screen). Don't you get it? I'm not insulting Sarah Palin, SHE IS INSULTING ME.
In the first part of her debut interview, she has let us in to a very small, ignorant and reckless mind. If she is going to tell me that the reason she's qualified to follow up on her threats of war with Russia and its thousands of nuclear warheads (that's n-u-c-l-e-a-r, by the way), is because on a clear day she can actually see Russia from her igloo window, then we have every right to take her on in both a serious manner and in the form of boundless ridicule. And, yes, even commenting on her appearance. Frankly, it's all she offers.
Imagine for a moment that McCain had picked the latest winner of The Bachelor as his running mate. Would we be sexist if we commented on her looks? Of course not. Sorry if you don't like it, but in my mind, there's not much that separates Sarah Palin from the attractive yet vapid winner of a reality show. As far as I'm concerned, she IS the attractive yet vapid winner of a reality show.
I'm not required to take her seriously simply because she's a woman and I might offend some people by tearing her down with irony and satire. I'm not required to take her seriously simply because this crotchety old man has insulted all of us, women and men, by smugly assuring us that he is the arbiter of experience and readiness. I'm not required to take her seriously when she actually was chosen, not because of her experience, but because of her appearance.
This is a woman chosen because of her attractiveness, both physically and ideologically, to a particular type of person. That person is not looking for depth. Not remotely. That person is looking for things that are just plain wrong. Not different, wrong. And one of those things is a padlock on your uterus. Now let's talk about sexism.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Michael,
First of all, in my book you're a lot hotter than Sarah!
Second of all, don't ever stop talking. We desperately need voices like yours. Too bad you're not on someone's ticket as VP, you'd have my vote!
Palin and McCain are insulting us and running a vulgar, immoral, obscene and disgusting campaign. I never thought I would say this but Bush and Cheney might not be the worst we've ever seen.
I'm going to fight to take back our country!
Peace!
Albert in Miami
I think its great that the democratic party has taken such a great interest in experience. Its interesting though, that the media types think its so important now that Hillary is out of the race. Wasn't too important in the primary, was it? Then it was about 'Judgement'.
Sarah Palin is making the same argument against Obama that Obama made against Hillary. Yes, Obama is better educated than Palin. Yes, he's probably smarter.
But NO, he is not significantly more experienced. Thats why this thing is over. Look at how ridiculous this is. Everytime we discuss Palin's record, Obama's comes to mind. The guy was in the Senate for two years before he started running for President. The media is angry that Palin's only been governor for two years. Obama was a state senator for 8 years before that, compared to 6 years of Palin becoming mayor. So what do we argue, that State Senate is more significant than being a mayor? Of course not.
It was so obvious that Hillary should have been the nominee. ATLEAST VP. Kennedy offered it to LBJ, Ford was said to have offered it to Reagan, Reagan offered it to Bush. When primaries are THAT close, you have to atleast offer it. But no. After 8 years of Bush, the democratic party under the careful direction of DailyKos bloggers and Keith Olbermann, nominated a guy with 2 years of Senate experience. Yeah, we REALLY take this election seriously, as opposed to the other side.
This is THE most unintelligent line of reasoning for supporting Palin - comparing the number of years of experience. What, do you think that each day they were on the job they had the same focus of trying to make America a better place? Or do you believe the constitution is so messed up that you would trust Palin's dismantling of it over the wisdom of the founding fathers? Banning books? Abuse of power? Cover-ups? Loyalty Oaths? Comparing "years" of experience is like comparing the years in school of 2 people - one going thru kindergarten and first grade, the other thru a post-graduate program.....but HEY! They've both had 2 years of school so they MUST be equals. Yeah, but the other person also has been learning for 17 other years. How do you answer the ridicule of Palin's foreign policy experience with Russia? Does your simplistic logic and understanding of the world make perfect sense of "on a clear day I can see Russia, therefore I've got foreign policy experience."
Experience goes way beyond years you've held office. Palin makes that point herself every time she brings up her family or her PTA tenure.
While Obama was getting a BA in political science from Columbia with a thesis on Soviet nuclear disarmament, Palin wast trying to figure out which party school to stay in for more than 13 seconds. When Obama was making his way towards a magna cum laude JD from Harvard and running the Harvard Law Review, Palin learning to walk a catwalk with Vaseline on her teeth.
To reduce either of their life experience to a four-year snapshot in time is small-minded and absurd. Obama is about as qualified as it gets. Palin? Not so much. Meaning McCain, not so much either.
Awesome piece Michael. Bravo. I wish more people weren't afraid to talk about this.
I really do not know how to reply. Are the American people so stupid for continuing to say Obama should have chosen Hillary. Hillary and Obama had a meeting and I am quite sure this topic was discussed. So move on. These 2 folks has the same ideas about running the country. What upsets me so is some of the American People. For the last 8 years all we heard about was we need a change in Washington. With medications hitting record highs, 43 million or more people without health insurance, thousands of jobs going over seas and McCain spouting off about more free trade and his advisiors not letting him choose his running mate and the polls are this close? I submit I do not want to hear , if McCain wins, about the state of the economy of job lossess. Tell me, the economy can not be as bad as reported, homes are not being lost, banks are not failing, because people, reps or dems would not be supporting this rep. ticket
So 12 years as an elected official in state and national politics means he is LESS experienced than Palin, who has been in office only 8 years, with 6 of that being mayor of a town between 7,000 and 9,000? As for beating the dead Clinton horse again, if she should have been the nominee she would have won the primary, which means she would have been cognizant of the rules of the primary and run her campaign accordingly.
Senator Biden has vastly more experience than Senator Clinton. Obama's Illinois State Senate District has more people than the entire state of Alaska, so he obviously was responsible to many more constituents than the tiny population of Wasilla. Palin's resume is padded with several years in a part-time small town council seat, which is tantamount to chairing a PTA bake sale committee. Q.E.D. she's obviously much less experienced in every conceivable way than Obama and your argument is ludicrous -- moreover, Senator Obama has more experience than Abraham Lincoln could cite in 1860. I know small town council members, I know mayors who are elected figureheads for hired professional managers -- I respect and even like them for who and what they are, but I know they have absolutely no business being first in line to replace a deceased or incapacitated President of The United State of America.
I don't blame you for trying to kid me, but please stop kidding yourself!
The comment by Palin about picking HRC as VP is being used just to keep the pot stirred. None of us know what went on in the secret meeting Hillary & Obama had. I would not be the least bit surprised if Obama was up front & honest w/her then and told her outright he was not going to select her. I kinda think that's why she has not jumped right into campaigning for Obama. I think she just needed to re-energize. I have never been a HRC supporter. Can't stand Bill never could. But personally if I were HRC I would be after Palin, not for Obama not that it wouldn't hurt but for Hillary & other women. After how hard she fought how could she want this beauty queen just watlzing in like the most popular girl in school and taking over just because she's cute. I can't imagine any intelligent women voting for her. I would love to see a woman in this position or as pres. but by no means do I want this Palin chick in. I don't want anything to happen to McCain, but what if just what if he has more medical problems? All these people voting for him are you honestly looking at the big picture here? Same goes for Obama. Just because he's young doesn't mean he can't have medical problems in the future. I'm elated w/who he chose as his VP.
No one out in the real world is talking about Clinton any more. I've been to several parties in the past few weeks and all the Democrats are supporting Obama and no one is expressing regret about Clinton, even those who supported her in the primary.
She may be letting them manipulate her now, but I can quarantee if she gets in the WH she will stab them in the back so quick their heads will spin. I also wouldn't be a bit surprised if she walks all over McCain. At least if Obama/Biden get elected every eye will be on their every move. People will be standing on the sidelines waiting to impeach. At least the democrats will hold them accountable. If McCain/Palin get in the republicans will just let them do their thing and no one will hold them accountable. After it sinks in they just continued the the 3rd sequel to the 8 yr story they will all crawl back in their holes. I for one will not listen to one complaint from anyone that votes M/P in. This country is so divided and no thanks to them. They like it this way, it's the only way the can win along w/the lies. Oh what a tangled web we weave.
True, McCain is sexist, but he's currently hiding behind Palin's skirts. A "real man," so to speak, would run against Obama on the issues rather than shield himself and his campaign with Palin. Thank goodness for him she's not into pant suits.
He must be awfully short if he can hide behind Palin's skirts.
Couldn't agree more, and please NEVER apologize for telling the truth. The truth isn't sexist.
(Not to mention that the entire GOP actually agrees with you, they just aren't free to say that the Emperor, is in fact, naked).
Loved the analogy of a pretty contestant on a game show. I admire myself for expecting way more than a pretty face to DICTATE how I get to live my life. "Good thing she's purty," has never been truer.
While I think McCain's pick of Palin says more about him and his lack of integrity (if he wanted Lieberman, he should've picked him) than anything, Sarah Palin is clearly a pawn for the Republican Party. Sadly, she knows that but is still a willing participant. She has been sequestered by the
campaign and allows herself to be manipulated in the worst dog and pony show we've ever seen. She has been put on a leash and her handlers tell her when to speak and force feed her the words she is supposed to speak. When the McCain campaign cries wolf about sexism, Palin has every
opportunity to debunk that claim by stating that "vetting" is part of the process when asked to be on a presidential ticket--asking questions about policy views is not sexism, it's a part of politics and clearly she knows that. Instead, Palin stays in her protected bubble and allows her own voice to be silenced. She'll never speak for me even when she is allowed to use her voice.
How naive are you? Do you think Obama chose Biden because that's who he really wanted as VP? You think the Democratic Party didn't weigh in on this decision, just a bit? You think the Dems weren't a little nervous about Obama's lack of experience? Obama was encouraged to chose Biden in the hope that Biden's experience will give the ticket gravitas. Biden too is a pawn in this campaign and that's okay. He signed on for it. My advice to you is pay less attention to the issue of whether or not Palin is being manipulated and pay at least a little attention to how the Democrats and Obama are manipulating you. You may be a "willing participant" in this campaign for change which offers no change but for some reason you chose to stay in your protected bubble. I doubt that Palin has had the luxury of living in a protected bubble. When you're a wife, a mother (with five children, one a special needs child) and you're running a state, living in a bubble is not an option. She may not speak for you but she speaks for a lot of women who are too busy working hard for their family and their country to daydream about the fantasy future Obama promises but can never deliver.
This is the problem, she does and does not speak for a lot of women. I could care less. If the party did help with the pick of Biden, they did a great job. At least I would be able to sleep at night, forget about the sneaking terrorist, but about Russia bombing the h*** out of us.
And what will she do for all these hardworking women? Raise their taxes like she did in Wasilla? Charge them for rape kits if they are raped? Take away their choices about their reproductive rights? Make their children noncompetitive in the world by forcing them to learn about creationism rather than evolution? Fire them if they don't do exactly as she tells them to do?
.
Some seem smitten with Palin.
Fond and smitten with what?
Palin is our reflection in the mirror. There is nothing there but inexperienced self centered enthusiasm.
It's all about us. We don't want reality and issues, they are too frightening. We don't want the news from the mid east, only the oil.
"Drill!"
The world is too big. We are fond only of our reflection.
.
Sarah Palin is convivial and down-to-earth, just like our current President. Given her position of Governor of Alaska (population 670,000) for the past 20 months, you could say that she is the political equivalent of Bush Lite.
The same lack of intellectual curiousity, the same dogmatic ideology, the same lack of honesty, the same smugness, the same abuse of power.
The only difference is she will be worse than Dubaya.
Convivial?
I agree with the early comment the Palin was a sexist pick. Now, McCain camp is hiding behind the sexism excuse. Thus, anyone who challenges Palin and her record will be label sexist. However, Hillary confronted sexism, Obama confronted racism, and McCain confronted questions about his age. But, these candidates did not stop doing hard interviews, interviews they knew they were going to be grill on any subject matters. McCain boldly stated, Sarah would not let anyone tell her to sit down, he is wrong, he has told Sarah to sit down by not letting do as many hard interviews as possible. So, the question must be, can the pitbull with lipstick stand up for herself and take the heat without crying sexism when anyone challenges her??
umm... I think McCain stopped doing interviews a few weeks ago.
I believe Obama used sexism and racism just as Clinton accused him of, remember?
this is the exct quote from the transcript.....
Palin on what it would take to invade Russia:
When Gibson said if under the NATO treaty, the United States would have to go to war if Russia again invaded Georgia, Palin responded: "Perhaps so. I mean, that is the agreement when you are a NATO ally, is if another country is attacked, you're going to be expected to be called upon and help.
"And we've got to keep an eye on Russia. For Russia to have exerted such pressure in terms of invading a smaller democratic country, unprovoked, is unacceptable," she told Gibson.
"Perhaps so?" Like she's blithely commenting if it's going to rain or not? As Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota points out, this question from Gibson, one would think, should include "some discussion of diplomacy."
"Bomb-bomb-bomb-perhaps-so-you-betcha!"
Why are the women of America so smitten with Palin, what happened to Hillary?. Come on ladies the world is too daqngerous now to pit the women against the men. It looks as if the American women would vote for Betty Boop if she were on the ticket. I raised ed 4 children, worked hard and made a decent life for myself, that does not mean I would vote for a woman just because they are a woman and feel it's time to have a female in the white house. I know we have the right to vote for whomever we choose, but we are in grave danger. The only reaon why Russia bombed Georgia was to flex their power and here is palin spouting off about us helping Georgia if they are attacked. The US military doesn't have enough troops, we can barely stand alone in Iraq, we have to stop, this madness. People Please!
Why does no one speak of the fact that Georgia provoked this by going into Ossieta? And the Ossietans, if they can't be independent, would prefer to be part of Russia rather than part of Georgia. Shouldn't this at least be reported more regularly when speaking of this issue? We have been pushing Russia's borders for 20 years and they have finally poked back. Shouldn't we be glad we've gotten away with so much over the years? Remember our reaction when Russia wanted to put missiles in our backyard back in the sixties? What do we expect?
John McCain is insulting all of us.
I agree with the early comment that Palin was a sexist pick. Now, the McCain camp is hiding behind sexism excuse. Anyone who challenge Palin will be label sexist, However, Hillary confronted sexism, Obama confronted racism, and McCain confronted questions about his age. But that did not stop these candidates from doing interviews, interviews they knew they were going to be grill on any subject matter. McCain say Sarah would not let anyone tell her to sit down, he wrong. McCain has told her to sit down by not letting her do hard interviews. So, the question must be, can the pit-bull in lipstick stand up for herself and take the heat?
Michael ...I am a female and I agree your comment was pretty funny. Now as to what she said about Russia I think a bright (horny) guy like you should concentrate a little more and stop Ralph from taking over the blood supply to your obviously large brain.
Here's what she said precious...
She said we would be obligated to go to war if Georgia were a member of NATO, which is true. She doesn't say she wants war.
She also said less war like comments such as trade sanctions. Le's not start pushing lies that need not be pushed. She has enough sub par qualifications for VEEP.
Okay now if you have read this go back to your brillant writing. And Ralph. but let's keep it honest.
Ok, lets keep it honest. Do you really think Russia cares about how she stated her answer? She may not want war, what about Russia. Those people know how the US is squabbling back and forth and they love i ! Something could very well happen to Obama, but would you not feel safer if Biden was at the helm. Do you people not realize, the middle east recognizes women as second class citizens, they are not going to talk to Palin or McCain, Palin is a woman and they think McCain has the same ideas as Bush. Women this is not only about your issues and wanting a female in the white house. Well maybe we want have to worry about any issues if Russia bombs the h*** out of us. By the way, what was Putin doing in South America?
sarah palin also fired the sheriff of wasila for sexism after he opposed her policy of making their town a destination hot-spot for drunk-drivers by allowing the bars to remain open later than the bars of neighbouring towns. Won't someone please think of the children; Hockey Moms Rock!.
Apparently Palin's older children were regular in the bars. Let's think of them when voting for someone who can't even control her own family.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
