Mar

9

Offensive Remark of the Week: Obama is Like an Abusive Spouse Edition

Filed Under 2008 election, assholes, media, misogyny, offensive remark of the week, patriarchy, politics, social conservatives, violence against women and girls | 9 Comments

I try to stay as far away from World Net Daily as possible, but via Media Matters comes this outrageous excerpt from a column that appeared on the site on March 4. After explaining why he thinks that Obama is already a completely colossal failure, Burt Prelutsky writes:

Frankly, I don’t know why anybody continues to hold Obama in high esteem. Maybe it’s like those women who marry charming fellows only to discover after the vows have been exchanged that he’s an abuser. In spite of the black eyes and split lips, the ladies are just too embarrassed to call the cops and have their friends and relatives discover what a dunderhead they’ve been.

Prelutsky’s bio at the end of the article describes him as a “humor columnist.” Har har. Har.

Well then, we now have President Obama, who we have no reason whatsoever to believe has a history of abusive behavior, compared to a perpetrator of intimate partner violence.  And then, much worse, we have women who end up in abusive relationships being called “dunderheads” — not to mention the reason that more women don’t report such violence being written off entirely as “embarrassment” rather than, you know, fear.  And of course, there’s no self-reflection over the fact that statements such as these are indeed the very reason that many women do in fact feel embarrassed and to blame for the abuse.

I know I’m laughing.

Jan

21

Change

Filed Under 2008 election, Barack Obama, Democrats, politics | 2 Comments

I have absolutely nothing to add to the abundant commentary that has been made so far about Barack Obama’s inauguration.  All that can be said has been. It was a hugely historic moment that I feel privileged to have seen.  But it’s not the end of our problems, economic, racial or otherwise.  And so on.

However, though I did let the day pass without a blog post (I was very busy watching abundant television coverage and updating my Twitter feed — inaugural tweets currently start back here), I couldn’t just let the moment go by entirely without any sort of acknowledgment.  Even a late one.

We have a new president.  He’s one who I have more faith in, limited and cautious though it may be, than I’ve ever had in a president in my lifetime.

And right now, for this moment.  That’s enough.

Dec

10

I Laughed; I Cried

Filed Under 2008 election, abortion, anti-choice extremism, assholes, class and economics, education and schools, misogyny, patriarchy, politics, reproductive justice, sexism, slut-shaming, women’s health, work | 13 Comments

From the NY Times Letters, Why Is Abortion Still a Political Issue?

To the Editor:

For some people, abortion is a nonnegotiable issue. A nation that runs out of people cannot perform the activities of a sophisticated society.

We have a shortage of primary care doctors. There are other skilled-worker shortages. You cannot kill the future population of a nation and then wonder why that nation does not have the people it needs to do the jobs it requires to function.

Our nation needs to face up to the 48 million lives lost through abortion since 1973. I think at least some of that number would have become the skilled people we need now and will need even more as our population ages.

Abortion is at the very center of a host of our troubles.

Elinor Hite
Carrollton, Tex., Dec. 7, 2008

It’s the fault of the women! It’s the fault of the women! It’s the fault of the women!

Why, it couldn’t possibly be the fault of the fundamental equalities that we face very day, particularly those oppressions based on sex, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability.  It couldn’t possibly be the fault of lack of access to education thanks to exorbitant costs and a government that sees no need to subsidize the future, or a lack of quality pay and/or benefits in the fields in question, or a simple lack of desire to do the work required.  All of that is ridiculous.

It’s the selfish women!

And by god, it’s impossible that if those “48 million lives” had been brought into the world, they would have followed the same employment trends as the rest of us, meaning that we’d have more doctors but still a shortage thanks to a higher population of people.  And it’s not like women who have abortions tend to skew towards lower incomes, meaning that the percentage of those people actually able to reach the position of primary care physician would likely be even lower than it is now.

Goddamn those women!!!

And thank you Elinor Hite.

Nov

24

SD Anti-Choicers are Sad that Women Still Have Rights

Filed Under 2008 election, abortion, anti-choice extremism, assholes, legislation, misogyny, parenthood, paternalism, patriarchy, politics, religious fanaticism, reproductive justice, sexism, women’s health | 18 Comments

*Sniffles*

I was at Planned Parenthood seven different times. I also was at the Campaign for Healthy Families’ place three times, where a young lady from Black Sheep Coffee shop brought me a cup of its great coffee on a cool day. She was a real sweetheart.

But all our efforts failed. The good people at Vote Yes For Life did the best they could but again were defeated.

The morals in this country have been on a slippery slope for many years and are getting worse, and with the liberal Democrats in full control, there is little chance of overturning Roe v. Wade for several years.

I have asked many people: “Did your Mother abort you?” Before they could answer, I answered for them, saying, “No, she did not. She gave you life.”

I have met many people who inspired me and also some who swore and gave me the middle-finger salute, but I expected that and remain fully committed that abortion is evil.

The end time is coming. The book of Revelation tells that all will be judged. The bad will be thrown into the fiery pit, and the good will live forever. I believe abortionists will be one of the first to go.

Well maybe if you weren’t wasting your time harassing people who are actually doing something — rather than, you know, convincing voters by knocking on doors and making phone calls like the people you harassed were — you might have had a better shot at winning.  Not that I’m giving advice, mind you.  Please, dear god, keep up your current dumbass tactics.

You know, I was posting this out of amusement to begin with, but I also just had a little realization.  The “well your mother didn’t have an abortion” argument is a common one, and it’s dreadfully stupid.  But the thing is, it also tells us an awful lot about how those who make it think about women.

The people who make this argument don’t consider that the woman wanted that pregnancy.  Or that maybe the woman wasn’t able to access abortion and was miserable about having to carry the pregnancy anyway.  There’s nothing in there at all about why the woman didn’t have an abortion, or it would ruin the whole already-miserable argument by suggesting that yes, the woman did have a choice.  Being a woman, in these people’s eyes, has nothing to do with what we want.  It has to do with what we do for other people.

My mother “gave me life.”  She didn’t want children.  She didn’t try to get pregnant and act excited because she always wanted to be a mother.  No, she just did her womanly duty, all that she’s good for, according to this guy.  Oh, he didn’t just insult me by saying that since I’m alive I have no right to an abortion or to support the right to abortion.  He didn’t just heavily imply that a woman who gives birth can’t be pro-choice.  He also insulted my mother by suggesting that her motivations for giving birth to me had jackshit to do with her.  He said that my mother’s wishes, wants, happiness and very life don’t mean all that much so long as they support his agenda.  And he said the same thing about your mother, too.

Of course, in the end, none of this matters.  All us heathens ought to be concerned about is finding a way out of getting thrown into that fiery pit!

Nov

18

Condescending to Michelle Obama

Filed Under 2008 election, Democrats, assholes, media, politics, sexism, stereotypes, work | 17 Comments

The other night, Steve Kroft interviewed Barack and Michelle Obama on 60 minutes.  He asked the two of them about their “personal transition” to the White House. Right towards the very end of the segment, this question really jumped out at me as being particularly condescending:

Kroft: I know you’ve said that your first priority is to be mom in chief.

Michelle Obama: Yes.

Kroft:You’re a Harvard Law School grad yourself. And a Princeton grad. You were a high-powered executive. How long do you give her, knocking around that big house, before she starts to want to imprint on the job of being first lady?

What the hell is that?  First of all, don’t dare ask Michelle how long she thinks it will take before she decides that she wants to start acting officially in the office of First Lady.  Let’s ask Barack!  Secondly, how long do you give her?  Knocking around that big house?  If you watch the video (around 12:50), you’ll see that Kroft has this little grin on his face that says “women, eh? Oh, them and their opinions!” I have to say I’m annoyed that Barack laughs as well.  In contrast, Michelle kind of clenches her lips and lets out a stifled, forced laugh.   Third, why the suggestion — while simultaneously pointing out how smart she is — that Michelle is making a poor decision and doesn’t know what she wants?  If Michelle decides in the end that she’d prefer to focus her efforts on policy, then she’ll do that, and she doesn’t need Steve Kroft to tell her as much.

And no, I’m not willing to give Kroft the benefit of the doubt, seeing as how just a few minutes later, Barack had to call him out on comparing Michelle’s mother to the Obamas’ future dog.

The good news is that Michelle, in the beginning of her response to Kroft’s stupid question (to Barack!), got in a good dig at the nature of the inquiry:

Michelle Obama: Well, the thing we’ve learned, you know, as we’ve watched this campaign, is that people, women, are capable of doing more than one thing well at the same time.

Crazy concept, isn’t it?

Nov

14

Obama Is Funny

Filed Under 2008 election, Democrats, media, politics | 4 Comments

Newsweek has been running a “Secrets of the Campaign” series. The magazine was allowed extra access to the campaigns in exchange for the promise that they would not report on what they learned and witnessed until after the election. I’m fairly uncomfortable with the concept, even if a large majority of the information has thus far been inconsequential, because I really don’t like the idea of the media making this sort of “we promise not to report on things that might embarass you” deal with those in power.

That being said, a lot of the stuff that has come out is pretty amusing. Like this:

The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for them during the Democratic primaries, Obama was recorded saying, “I don’t consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, ‘You know, this is a stupid question, but let me … answer it.’ So when Brian Williams is asking me about what’s a personal thing that you’ve done [that's green], and I say, you know, ‘Well, I planted a bunch of trees.’ And he says, ‘I’m talking about personal.’ What I’m thinking in my head is, ‘Well, the truth is, Brian, we can’t solve global warming because I f—ing changed light bulbs in my house. It’s because of something collective’.”

It’s funny because it’s true.

h/t BFP

Nov

13

Vote Obama! (Or: What Do I Have to Live for Now?)

Filed Under 2008 election, Barack Obama, Democrats, fun, politics | 4 Comments

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are


h/t Sudy

Nov

12

Olbermann Speaks Out on Prop 8

Filed Under 2008 election, LGBTQ, bigotry, discrimination, homophobia, media, politics | 8 Comments

Like Jill, I find that Keith Olbermann can really get on my nerves, but I also think that he sometimes deserves credit. This is one of those times. I particularly appreciate it because one of my biggest criticisms of Olbermann is that he’s one of those liberal white guys who thinks he’s super leftist, but doesn’t seem to care too much about those “identity politics” issues. Here, he takes the time to care and act like he means it. If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out.

I only wished he’d said something like this before the election.

Nov

10

Yoko Ono on Barack Obama

Filed Under 2008 election, Barack Obama, Democrats, Gratuitous Beatles Blogging, feminism, fun, politics | 4 Comments

This morning, Yoko Ono — who previously refused to take a stance on the election, saying that she preferred grassroots organizing — posted an open letter showing that she too has gotten caught up in the Obama craze.  She gets the catchphrase wrong, but I think the sentiment still holds true, certainly enough to get me crying with her.

Dear Friends

How I reacted the night Obama became president:

Just crying…like most people on the streets of N.Y, or in the world that night, from joy…and other complex emotions which had to do with the work we all did for the longest years trusting in miracles.

I had a strong urge for John to be here, physically, to give me a hug. I got over that urge a long time ago, since I knew that John was with me in spirit, and working with me all this time. But this night was different. I felt John and I needed to hug each other physically. I cried hardest when everybody started chanting WE CAN DO IT!

Then I retreated to a long, long silence – In the end I saw a little candle lit in my heart.

Yes.
We are not abandoned – if you even had the smallest doubt.
Miracles do happen.
It keeps on happening. Daily.
We are the miracle.
This time it was spelled out to us in a big way.
To even the dimmest, the most cynical – to all of us, to the world.
Yes.

Read the full letter here.

I too think that John would be very happy right now, don’t you?

Nov

7

And This is Why I’m Glad I’ve Never Voted for Ralph Nader

Filed Under 2008 election, Barack Obama, assholes, bigotry, discrimination, politics, race and racism | 17 Comments

Because even Fox News is smart enough to call him out on being an ignorant, racist ass for saying Barack Obama is an “Uncle Tom.”

For more, see Bint. And hey Nader? Fuck you.

Next Page →