Letters to the Editor
TinyBubbles
Published Letters: 102 Editor's Choice: 15
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The double standard is frightening
[Read the article: Quote of the day: Obama on Clinton ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, Bill Clinton is accused of using racist coded language in South Carolina, but no one sees or acknowledges the sexist coded language being used by many people in this campaign? This is the reason older women feminists are getting angry about this. Once again, people just don't feel the need to be as careful when talking about a woman as an African American man.
I must say, I am not surprised, I said 20 years ago we would have an African American male President before a woman. I am surprised (pleasantly) that they are actually running against each other. But let's face it folks, sexism, blatant and subtle, is still pervasive and acceptable. If this campaign doesn't show that, I don't know what does.
BTW, I am an Obama voter, but not a Kool-aide drinker.
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New..Change..a New Way Forward
[Read the article: Clinton: "This campaign goes on"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Ok, I have heard it and one can make lots of arguments about Obama's experience. But please remember, he is the one touting his inexperience ("I haven't been in Washington long enough for the hope to be stewed out of me." paraphrase)
The experience in Massachusetts with Deval Patrick, our governor and Obama's good friend, has been disaster. I won't go into the long list of problems cause by his inexperience. It would be far too long. I am actually surprised that Obama keeps up the comparison because of the problems Patrick has had here.
Now, I voted for Obama, but I am worried. I don't mind 4 years of stumbling around and trying to get it right on the state level (hell, Mitt Romney putting us in such a bad place, it would have been hard to make it worse). However, it worries me for a president, especially now. I am quite afraid that Obama's administration will be a disaster (re: Carter) and we will them be subjected to 12 or 16 years of PUTATIVE republican rule. I hope I am wrong, because if Clinton is the nominee the republicans will line up to defeat her. Obama creates more problems for them now, but perhaps makes it worse for the rest of us 4 years hence. Sorry to be a worry wart, but lord knows I've seen it!
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Agreed Firebird44 --
[Read the article: The quest for universal healthcare]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]could not have said it better.
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History tells the story
[Read the article: Women and Clinton: Damned if they vote, damned if they don't?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Look, African-American men got the vote first in this country (granted, it was quickly taken away). So, I for one am not surprised we are seeing the assent of a black man before a woman. Twenty years ago, I predicted we would see a black man in the White House before a woman based mostly on this history.
That is the context I see this race and as a way to explain the frustration on the part of feminists in this election (I am a feminist who voted for Obama and never had ANY issues with my Clinton supporting friends, so I really don't get all this divisiveness stuff.) We have gotten to the place, finally, that we can recognize racism, blatant or subtle, but sexism continues to go unnoticed.
Case in point, last Friday Bill Maher reported that a poll showed that 6% of Americans wouldn't vote for a black person, but 12% wouldn't vote for a woman. "So," he said, "Hillary may have a point, but..." and he and his panel proceeded to trash her in very sexists terms for the rest of the show.
Keith Olbermann last week asked Tim Russert about Dee Dee Myers' ascertain that Hillary and indeed any female candidate needs to be tough, but not too tough. That she has a very narrow opening to squeeze through. Russert and Olbermann were both dumbfounded, "She's tough enough," said Russert, "She's just maybe too tough, she needs to show her softer side, like the planned crying in NH."
Now, in both instances, both groups of men dismissed the charges of sexism and then proceeded to act in exactly sexist manner they claim doesn't exist.
This is the real source of the anger and frustration. Everyone called Bill Clinton on his use of racially coded language in South Carolina, but when Obama or one of his supporters uses sexist coded language, we women are told to get over it. Or, as someone on this board wrote that he would "will continue to ignore you" until we women take the same meaning and interpretation of things as him. Sorry, folks, the whole point of feminism is that my feelings are just as valid as yours and I should not have to change my perspective on the world to be treated like a human being.
However, on the bright side, I think of the young woman who fought in the courts to get into the Citadel. She washed out in her first year, but the next class was FULL of women. So, Hillary is our sacrificial lamb. For that, I will forever be grateful.
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Hillary periodically gets down
[Read the article: Women and Clinton: Damned if they vote, damned if they don't?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]He said it. He and his supporters claim there was no subtle sexism. Problem, I here similar things at work form the boys just about every day, so it doesn't wash.
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@-- stackey-dackey
[Read the article: Women and Clinton: Damned if they vote, damned if they don't?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are currently 16 women in the US senate, and there have only been 35 since its conception in 1789. There is a women's congressional caucus, but they only meet in the house, like the congressional black caucus.
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@little lord baltimore
[Read the article: Women and Clinton: Damned if they vote, damned if they don't?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Remember, "my candidate" is Obama.
I disagree that Bill Clinton was using racists, coded language in South Carolina, but I can see how some people would read it that way, so he should have been much more careful (oops, veering into political correctness their.) But my point is, very few people are willing to see how hurtful that comment is towards woman who have to hear it everyday (an worse.)
We are only asking for understanding, or is this Oleanna all over again?