Shuster Proves Lennon Was Right: "Woman IS The Nigger Of The World"

I don't think David Shuster's comments about Chelsea Clinton "being pimped out" were necessarily borne of political mendacity or Hillary-hatred. I think they come from something far worse than that.
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***Woman Is The Nigger Of The World

Yes she is... think about itWoman Is The Nigger Of The WorldThink about it... do something about it

We make her paint her face and danceIf she won't be slave, we say that she don't love usIf she's real, we say she's trying to be a manWhile putting her down we pretend that she is above us

Woman Is The Nigger Of The WorldYes she isIf you don't believe me take a look at the one you're withWoman is the slaves of the slavesAh yeah... better scream about it

We make her bear and raise our childrenAnd then we leave her flat for being a fat old mother henWe tell her home is the only place she should beThen we complain that she's too unworldly to be our friend

Woman Is The Nigger Of The WorldYes she isIf you don't believe me take a look to the one you're withWoman is the slaves of the slavesYeah think about it

We insult her every day on TVAnd wonder why she has no guts or confidenceWhen she's young we kill her will to be freeWhile telling her not to be so smart We put her down for being so dumb

Woman Is The Nigger Of The WorldYes she isIf you don't believe me take a look to the one you're withWoman is the slaves of the slavesYes she is... if you believe me, you better scream about it

- John Lennon & Yoko Ono (1972)

***Those offended by John Lennon's lyric should be aware that Lennon's song - and its use of the "N" word as a device to express how shabbily women were treated in society - was a cause actively championed by a plethora of African-American civil rights activists in 1972 - including humorist Dick Gregory and Ron Dellums - Chairman and Co-Founder of The Congressional Black Caucus.

"If you define 'niggers' as someone whose lifestyle is defined by others, whose opportunities are defined by others, whose role in society are defined by others, then Good News! You don't have to be black to be a 'nigger' in this society. Most of the people in America are 'niggers'. - Ron Dellums - Co-Founder and Chairman of The Congressional Black Caucus. US Congressman 1971-1998. Currently Mayor of Oakland, CA.

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I don't think David Shuster's comments about Chelsea Clinton "being pimped out" were necessarily borne of political mendacity or Hillary-hatred.

I think they come from something far worse than that.

I think they come from the systemic misogyny in our society. Every bit as pervasive as it ever was...

And in particular from the atmosphere of dripping disdain for powerful progressive women that is a hallmark of the MSNBC culture - especially Chris Matthews and Tucker Carlson.

Quite what is missing emotionally (and perhaps physically) from those men that causes them to be so angry and snide about strong women - one can only speculate about.

But it certainly fosters a culture in which David Shuster can spew his comments blissfully unaware that they might be deeply unpleasant and offensive.

Not just to all women but to all fair-minded men.

I hope that women have had enough of this and will speak - and vote - truth to power.

Part of me can't wait to see America's first African-American president. I think that Barack Obama will be a superlative president. I am deeply impressed with his integrity, acumen and aspirations.

But another part of me can't wait even more to see America's first woman president.

We've seen what men have done to this nation since 1776.

(Pretty much what Richard Nixon and George W. Bush both did to the constitution.)

So it's time to see what a woman can do.

it certainly can't be worse than what men have done over the last 232 years.

And I suspect it will be a lot better.

In order to see a woman fulfill the destiny of America's promise - I CAN wait for the first African-American president. But not for long. In fact no longer than 8 years.

Obama 2016!

Right now it's time for a woman to lead this nation.

And teach Shuster, Matthews and all the other misogynists what women and enlightened men have always known. Women are equal to men and deserve our full respect.

Have I just played the gender card? You bet. It's a card that has been played AGAINST women for over 200 years. Turnabout is fair play. I think John Lennon would approve...

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