(no subject)

[sparklypoof]

**helping spread the good news that leli sent me this morning**
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The National Organization for Women (NOW) has endorsed Barack Obama for President.

This is unprecedented - they do not endorse candidates.

They stated in an interview with NPR this morning, however, that Pallin is an "anathema" to everything their organization champions and they could not stand idly by and watch her being touted as a "woman's rights" candidate.

Link to the interview:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94658965

Link to NOW:
http://www.now.org

I'd pass this on to as many women as you feel comfortable passing it on to - we need to vote.
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PS: this shirt is awesome

PPS: why you should vote for mccain

PPPS: ALSO!! count the lies

Comments

[samaritan1975.livejournal.com]

Makes you feel a little better about your concern over folks voting for Palin just based on gender, yesno?

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

it at least gives me some hope.

pass it on.

[technicrat.livejournal.com]

I passed this on to a single mom I know. She didn't apreciate it. She asked me why it is that only "liberal" women are supposed to be able to have career and family and be a success? she said that to her Palin looks like everything that women have been claiming they want.
I dunno I am not a woman much less a single mom, But it was interesting take on it. I respect her. She has been raising both her daughter and niece by herslef with no help from the family or the gub'ment. So I guess that earns her the right to have what ever view she wants.

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

Is this single mom voting for McCain because of Palin? Was she undecided prior to the announcement of the VP? If she is voting for the GOP based solely on the fact that Palin is a woman, then the GOP's pandering to gain the female vote by having a female nominee has worked. And that is really, really sad.

I hope that this single mom you know looks at the issues, not just the candidates, and certainly not just the VP nominees, before she casts her vote. Because voting for the GOP just because there's a woman on the ticket is just as bad as NOT voting for the democrats because Obama is black.

And that may all be well and good w/her opinion of Palin - but do we really want 4 more years of the same party running the most powerful nation in the world? Look where we are today, compared to the Clinton era - certainly that stark contrast in the economy, among many other things - is enough to make anyone sit down, read the issues and the stances each party has on them, listen to the debates, and make an informed decision on November 4th.

I just hope that the "I'm voting for the GOP because there's a woman on the ticket now!" mentality is representative of a small minority of voters... and I am still holding faith that Americans are smarter than the GOP thinks they are - ESPECIALLY the women!!

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

PS:

She has been raising both her daughter and niece by herslef with no help from the family or the gub'ment. So I guess that earns her the right to have what ever view she wants.

And I am a young woman, following a career path, traveling a lot for work amid planning our wedding and fixing our home. Just because I haven't had children doesn't mean I am not also "earning my right to have whatever view I want." That's all part of being an American - and that's what makes this country so great! Her viewpoint is different than mine, as she is a different person and is at a different place in her life. But that doesn't make her opinion or view any more or less "valid" than mine, or anyone elses.

Re: pass it on.

[technicrat.livejournal.com]

I didn't say it was more or less valid than anyone else's. Just that she comes by her views honestly and from her own personal experience. I only mention her situation because she has children and a career and is doing well at both. So I can personally respect what she says when it comes to being A. a woman B. a single wage earner, C. a single mom , and D. a conservative.

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

but can you not also "personally respect" what I am saying based on my social and economic status? I assure my opinions are formed honestly and based on my own personal experience, too. I get what you're saying here - that she's speaking from someone who could relate more to palin than say, me, since while I have a career, I do not have children. but we're both women. and successful. yes.

there's no accurate "formula" for figuring out who is gonna support whom based on their sex, race, or social or economical status. 'm sure there's plenty of single, never-had-kids career women who support the GOP right now, as much as there's plenty of single moms who have 4 kids that all play different sports who vehemently oppose palin and her viewpoints. and it is all based on their personal experience.

I guess 'm just frustrated that women are being lumped into groups of "have had kids" or "childless" (I HATE that term) - and based on THAT status, that gives them more or less "weight" in an argument when it comes to women's rights. I know everyone's opinion counts - but seriously, being a woman who hasn't had kids and being around women who have had 'em, it's... it's this weird elitist "you haven't been there so you couldnt know" kind of bullshit vibes that come off of some of them - and I am frankly sick of it. just becuase I haven't popped one out doesn't mean I don't know what the hell I am talking about, or make my viewpoint any less worthy of discussion or valid.

in conclusion: I support the right to choose, palin does not, and I will not be voting for the GOP ticket this November.* /tangential rant

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*this is not the ONLY reason I will not be voting GOP, but it's a long list, and I dont feel like writing the whole thing up right now

Re: pass it on.

[totallypinkrock.livejournal.com]

Totally right there with ya, hon.
I suppose the Clinton years will have to do :) for a recent era of relative prosperity: Reagan and Bush gave us "trickle-down" economics, and before that, we had the recessions of the 1970's.

But yeah, seriously: there *are* people out there who a) think Obama is Muslim and b) have said they wouldn't vote for him b/c he's black. Argh! A friend of mine was in Richmond recently, and her once-liberal friend was now a GOP 'bot who said, no joke, that Sen. Obama was a Muslim, had been sworn in on a Qu'ran, etc. Ack!!

There was a Daily Show clip about West Virginia voters - it might be under the heading "West Virginia Douche-Off", but I'm not sure. :D In it, three different white women from WV said, in effect, "He's black and Muslim. He doesn't have my vote!"
There might be a tiny minority of people out there who get suckered in by stuff like this, but they're still out there, and that's worrying.

Re: pass it on.

[samaritan1975.livejournal.com]

It continues to astound me, how ignorance can be so prevalent and yet truth- delivered by the very same medium by which many of the falsehoods we're seeing are- continues to elude so many. I worry that sometimes it's because people will listen to only what supports their pre(mis?)conceptions.

My father-in-law, for example. Great guy. Love him to death. I'd even say brilliant, on a number of subjects. But he is convinced beyond any available evidence that Obama refused to meet with soldiers during his overseas trip, based on what he's read/seen. When I brought to his attention that the soldier who wrote the original letter suggesting such retracted his own statement, and that there are pictures of Obama meeting with soldiers, he stated that it was all a staged photo op afterwards, since he knew that 'it would look bad'.

Re: pass it on.

[technicrat.livejournal.com]

No not really, she is more scared of the socialist message of Obama's side. She doesn't beleive in wealth re-distribution, and believes that she can manage her own afairs without the govn't help thank you very much. She says the less the government does the better. Frnakly she is sick and tired of the women who are on state assistance showing up to pick up their kids from day care ( that the state pays for) in thier lexus' while she stuggles to keep her '96 isuzu on the road. She just started making a decent payroll and found out that she is "rich" meaning any tax breaks she was getting for having 2 dependents is pretty much gone. She said all she has to do is get rid of everythign quit her job and then she can be on the "plantation" too.

I asked her about the whole " take from the rich and give to the poor" message. Her take was that whe has never gotten a paycheck from a poor man.

So I gotta say that her views are not just based on the fact that Palin is a women. She is just a little miffed that all of the sudden the same women that have been saying "women can do anything" are saying "get back in the house and take care of your young'uns. I have to agree with her that it looks a little double standard-ish

I was talking to a young woman the other day who said it pretty well. She said having strong opinions and being successful is great " but she is a republican" So I said " So you can be a successful woman and have it all.. as long as you aren't a conservative right?" she said " you just don't understand . .. . your not a woman" I guess maybe she was right.

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

She is just a little miffed that all of the sudden the same women that have been saying "women can do anything" are saying "get back in the house and take care of your young'uns. I have to agree with her that it looks a little double standard-ish

Where is that coming from? I haven't heard anything on this... ???

Re: pass it on.

[ihvpave.livejournal.com]

While feminism has certainly afforded Palin the opportunity to acheive sucess, her stances aren't supportive of it in return. I have an extremely difficult time supporting a woman simply because she has the same bits 'n pieces I do - particularly when that woman espouses a lack of choices for OTHER women, but which she has taken full advantage of.

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

that is so well-put I can only say that that is very, very well-put. *clapclapclapclapclap!*

Re: pass it on.

[steevi.livejournal.com]

This is my favorite quote from the AP article regarding the NOW endorsement (as well as 7 other womens organizations)

"We don't think it's much to break a glass ceiling for one woman and leave millions of women behind," said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

nice. I like that. :)

I would also like to mention here, though it will probably go un-read by everyone but you - that even if you're a single mom raising kids on your own and thus you can relate somewhat to palin on a personal level - THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR HER BAESD SOLELY ON THAT! we don't have to LIKE the people we elect into office (though that certainly helps) - but we DO need to agree w/them on the issues that are important to us.

THAT is where the dumbed-down political games come in to play. they get all emotional and folk-y w/people who're ignorant of the issues, and get them on "their side" by being relatable, vs. being up front about where they stand on the issues (which, in palin's case, is a stance that would set women's rights back 30+ years).

buh! this is why I dont post about politics much - it just gets me riled up! (but I guess thats a good thing?)

Re: pass it on.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

Also also also - did your single mom friend listen to the interview? Because it wasn't about liberal vs. conservatives - it was about the issues and supporting Obama based on his stance on the issues.

And, as of the time of this post, I still don't know Palin's stance on a lot of the big issues - she may be able to make pretty speeches, but neither she nor McCain have given us any of their plans for fixing this mess that the GOP got us into in the first place.

[totallypinkrock.livejournal.com]

Um, how in God's name is anyone saying Sarah Palin needs to get back in the kitchen? (Take the shoes off, hon, thanks!)

Techni, it sounds like the GOP's false psuedo-feminist message has already gotten to your friend - the 'publicans have been saying over and over that if you don't like Palin, you must be a sexist asshole.

I think that's exactly what NOW is trying to say with this bid of support for Sen.s Obama and Biden: "That message is a crock! They picked her to capture the moderate Hillary supporters! This was a political ploy only! ZOMG!" [of course, how many people who like Palin right now also listen to NOW's press releases? I ask you.]

Also: who said that Gov. Palin represents everything women want? A buncha kids, gov't work, a husband, and all of it in Alaska? Certainly it's a good thing that nothing about her womanhood has prevented Palin from becoming a governor, from receiving the honor of a VP nomination... but who's to say to *anyone* that she is some kind of ur-woman, the "everything for everybody" woman?

If I were a lady, that's not the life I'd want. No, sir.

[sparklypoof.livejournal.com]

exactly. thank you.

some women would love that life, others would not. everyone's different, and touting one person as a representative for an entire sex is a horrible, horrible notion. 'm sure obama isn't being representative of every black man in the country, by a long shot. and he's not claiming to be.

oof, I have more to say on this, but have to step away from the computer.