I went to sleep last night assuming that well, this article was posted late, maybe they don't have anyone monitoring the comments section at this hour, tomorrow surely someone with sense will take it down, or at least change the headline and picture.

And I woke up this morning to find that this incredibly offensive piece is still here, with the picture glaring at me as soon as I open Salon.

I don't have a premium membership to drop, but if I did I would. I can't say I will never read Salon again, because I think (hope) this article is an abberration (abomination).

But I don't get it. In the face of overwhelmingly negative reader response, and Salon's generally woman-friendly tone, why is this still here? At the very least, I expect an explanation from the editorial staff and Joan Walsh.

And for those of you who say we don't have a sense of humour over it- well, I do think this is kinda sorta funny, in a "Wow, men really do sexualize all women all the time" kind of way. Heck, the sentiment expressed in the article might even be true- I don't know since I haven't read it and won't while the picture is still posted. But to have this image thrown at me on the homepage of one of my favorite websites is just more than I can take.

Shame on you, Gary Kamiya and shame on you Salon for subjecting all of us to this fluff piece that singlehandedly sets feminism back. I am an avid Sarah Palin hater, a feminist, and do have a domme streakm myself, and I was appalled at this article. There is absolutely no reason with the laundry list of terrible stances that Palin presents, that this article focused on the libido of the general voters and the general appearance and demeanor of Palin. Besides, she is far more suited to the standard English governess than the leather maiden displayed in your picture.

"Now bend over, don't you know? I'm gonna give you a spanking there, by golly!"

And I thought the Puritans were easily offended. For people who ostensibly have no problem with almost naked men and women parading around in Gay Pride parades, and who presumably support "Piss Christ", artwork of an extremist right wing nut-job in S&M gear is somehow extremely offensive?

I suppose when art doesn't stick it to the patriarchy or the "good old-boys" club, it's offensive and sexist?

It's that left-wing double standard that turns people away from the environmental movement and the feminist movement, parts of which are equally as scary as Jerry Falwell as some of these comments prove.

Boy, you people sure have some angry hymens! You need to get the sand out of your vaginas and support all free speech, and not just the kind you agree with!

As a woman, I agree with this article 100%. I can tell you that some will call out "Sexist", except that I applaud you for speaking Truth. As a woman, I am embarrassed and ashamed that she is demeaning us all and that McCain has demeaned us by using this woman to win his election that he feels he is entitled to.

There seems to be a large segment of society that is falling for Sarah Same Story. She has repeated the same stuff over and over and over again, as has her running mate whose name we will all soon forget, since he has been pretty much castrated and neutered. And he seems to enjoy it. He stands by, smiling like a child who has been praised, as she extols his virtues. It is unclear here just who is using who!

With his incompetence and her everything, this is a tragic and dangerous prospect. In the face of lies, sex, distortion and empty campaigning, not even bothering to address the issues, one would think that all it would take is to "focus on the pressing issues of today" and the dire need for a Community Organizer Extraordinaire for the national and world community. But if your sole agenda is to prepare for Rapture and salvation in Alaska, then this is the ticket! and the biggest lie in our long national history.

Videotapes of her debate with her two contenders for Governorship of Alaska demonstrate she is quite adroit and capable of controlling her mouth and deftly addressing the little issues of Alaska, while tearing to shreds and insulting her opponents with more class than demonstrated in her debut address and on the campaign trail.

It really is in the hands of the people of this country. All Democrats and all Independents of critical thought and any Republican who is appalled at the state of affairs and at the way this Republican Party has descended into a total lack of principle, integrity, and competence, need to mobilize and send them to a Time Out to reform and rehabilitate on their own time and own their own dime, while we desperately try to repair the country and the world which has been made so vulnerable.

The picture of Alaska that is being presented and their ideology and their agenda is frightening. It seems to be the last holdout of some of the worst of the ideal America for which we all strive.

Offensive article and pictures. Interesting that Obama was protected from this type of venomous attack by the media and you're just having a field day with Palin--Showing no respect for women or a governor. This only serves to increase a number of us democratic feminists to vote for McCain! One more thing if you listen to Palin's speech she does not put down community organizers.She uses it as a way to demonstrate that Obama has no experience governing because communitry organizers have no role in governing -- which is true although they are not "put down" that is the liberal misinterpretation- AGAIN. McCain respects strong women.

...who demand equal images of Hillary, or Michelle, or Obama as a houseboy, etc.... you're missing the point - clearly you lack the intellect to understand the nature of parody. Parody exaggerates a trait to make a point. Sometimes parody is offensive, but it doesn't mean it's inaccurate.

If Obama acted like a houseboy, then a picture satirizing him as such would be spot on. But he doesn't act that way, so an image of him would be simply a racist fantasy (see Limbaugh's characterization of Obama as a man-child, and yes, "boy")

If Obama were dressed as a "dancer" appealing to a certain enthusiastic demographic, the image may be hard to take, but it would be legitimate satire.

If pumas were depicted as a crowd of angry vaginas, that would be accurate. If depicted as a crowd of thoughtful, rational voters... that would be so far off the mark it would be sad.

Had Palin been dressed up in a sheer teddy with a submissive look, that would have fallen flat - it's not in character for her, and would be simply gratuitous titillation.

But that's not Palin. If you deny that she appeals to the gonads, then you have virtually no understanding of sexuality. I'm completely against everything she stands for - but I see her carefully-cultivated "librarian fantasy" persona clearly, and it is not unappealing - on the surface. She is clearly *very* pleased when she's dishing out vindictive invective to the left (or fatal knife cuts to mooses). And if you listen, you will know that the rightist yappers - men and women alike - celebrate her as a dominatrix, hoping she will whip the left into submission, and are obviously sexually energized by this thought. Is this sexist? Nope. But it IS sexual - only a moron misses that fact. It's human nature, and if you will open your eyes, you'll see it playing out.

So right on, Gary and Salon; you nailed her for what she is to the right.

Now, let's make sure everybody knows what a liar, what a fascist, and what a fundamentally nasty person she is as well.