Saturday, June 07, 2008

I Supported Hillary

Stay with me, dear readers, especially those of you who I know supported Obama. I read your missives; surely you can deal with this singular post of mine.

Don't worry; I'm still on the moderate-to-left side of the political spectrum. My vote will reflect that, regardless of candidate.

However, if your must comment and it as hate-filled as your own posts about your distaste of the female population have often been, don't waste your time here. A few of you, whom I used to read regularly but don't visit so often now because of your obvious distaste for your mothers, wives, sisters and daughters as portrayed in your venomous diatribes against the woman who would be president, can just go on about your day elsewhere. Come back tomorrow for the un-political me.

First, I will say why I supported Hillary. She had substance. Here are the points she made that I appreciated:

She noticed that there is a class war going on and that the middle class is under siege.

I liked her health care plan better than anyone else's, although I don't think it goes far enough. Our health care, to put it simply, is terrible. It needs a complete overhaul. We'd be better off bartering for chickens.

I appreciated her willingness to confront the Iraq issue. Yes, I know she voted for the war. I also think that she and the majority of Congress were spoon fed the BS that the Bush Administration put forth to get this war started so the good ol' boys at Halliburton could have their fun. I give her the benefit of the doubt on this issue because I think she voted based on the misinformation that was available at that time. And as for Obama, well, he wasn't in the senate when the vote took place, so you can pretty much say whatever you want after the fact when you're not there in the hot seat.

I felt like Hillary Clinton would take a lead on women's issues, which have been seriously neglected and indeed stomped on and shoved beneath the table by the Bush Administration.

Which brings me to the main reason for this post. I have been utterly appalled at the media sexism in this primary season. The lack of respect for Hillary portrayed by the media, and by various bloggers, has shown me that many men out there still believe they should be king of the castle, without a queen, and are badly in want of only a scullery maid to wash their clothes and soothe their poor little minnow-sized manhood.

I am not sure what to think about the women who bashed the first potential female candidate for president. I think perhaps they feared the loss of their position as scullery maid because they weren't ready for the promotion to queen. Maybe they like it down on their knees.

Please note that I am referring only to Hillary-bashers of both sexes. If you didn't support her because you disagreed with her issues or whatever, but still managed to respect her run for office, that's something else again. I have no quarrel with you; that is your right.

But the bashing was intense. Many men in particular and this mostly-male driven media, should be ashamed of themselves. I daresay they hold their chin up and go on about their day because they think they have won. Well, they may have gotten their candidate but they have certainly lost a great deal of respect not only from me but from a good portion of the population - the female side, that is.

I know we don't count, of course. We are, after all, the inferior sex in your mind.

If this primary has shown anything, it is that the women of my generation failed miserably by not picking up the reigns on the issues of women's equality. Obviously lip service only has been paid to this idea for the last 30 years.

True equality among the sexes in this country has been shown for what it is - a farce. The glass ceiling is as solid as it was in 1950. For every instance you can give me of a woman at the top, I can give you 1,000 of a place where she is not.

Sexual discrimination is a very real issue. White males in particular have never experienced this and so are clueless as to the very real pain this can cause.

I have experienced it and continue to experience it nearly every day of my life, and let me tell you, it is incredibly frustrating and demoralizing to be held back simply because you're female.

And it is humiliating to be grabbed up and fondled by the computer repairman just because he thinks he has that right. (Yes, that happened, and yes, I attempted to prosecute; he fled the state.)

To be dismissed simply because you can have a baby is extremely discouraging. It does nothing for your self esteem, let me tell you. It's not like we can change it.

The treatment men have given Hillary - calling her names, telling her to go home and iron their shirts - has only brought all of this sexual discrimination home. I see it everywhere, from the way I am treated by my physician to the way I am dismissed when I have a complaint at the supermarket.

It has not been pleasant to be reminded so constantly and consistently by the media that all I apparently am good for is doing the laundry.

It is not okay for the media to be so sexist. It's not okay to joke about pantsuits or how a woman laughs or to make fun of the women who so passionately supported Hillary Clinton for president.

I don't need a daddy to take care of me. I need a strong and powerful leader who would champion the people, not just their rich and powerful friends.

For me, that was Hillary Clinton.

As far as I'm concerned, the Democratic party has been completely disrespectful to women, and frankly, it owes us all, everyone of us, and in particular Hillary Clinton, a very big and heartfelt apology.

9 comments:

  1. Although I've never been a Hillary supporter I agree that she definitely got short shifted, not just from the media but more so from her own party.

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  2. Bravo. Entirely true, and very well said. Women's rights are civil rights too and they've been put back a generation at least by this disgraceful display of misogyny. If Hillary had been defeated on the basis of the issues - fair enough. But this whole thing has been a clash of media images, and hatred of women who "don't know their place" was the decisive factor.

    What's more - it is still going on! The media which set this disgraceful tone are still bashing away at Hillary - for not giving in to the "lightbringer" fast enough to suit their tastes! Apparently they prefer people who stop when they tell them to and give in at the first whisper of criticism...

    I'd have thought Democrats had had enough of that!

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  3. What cannot get over is the intense level of hypocrisy. When it comes to lopping arrows at the right, scrutinizing what the right says and done, the left is all for it. But when it comes to our own party, suddenly criticism is unacceptable. Everyone is on board, like the Bush’s you are friend or enemy, nothing in between. The DNC cheated Clinton. Donna Brazile told the base to stay home, that they (we) are not welcomed, that they want a new type of party, one that does not include us. The DNC stole four delegates from Clinton, stole. The DNC gave Obama support based on a hypothetical “what if.” Clinton was robbed. 18 million voters were robbed. We, as women are told, once again you will make way for the junior inexperienced man for the good of the team. I’m sick of it and I will not reward it. My vote is all I have and it is not free and will not go to abusers.

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  4. Exactly - I felt we had gone backward decades.....Amazing media blitz..sad to see really//I aad to roar for I Am Woman !!

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  5. I missed Hillary's speech yesterday, but I understand she did a bang-up job with it.

    Speaking of female politicians, I still get sick to my stomach when I think about just how much we lost when Emily Couric died. I always had her pegged as our first female president, and this would probably have been her first run at it.

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  6. I agree with most of what you said, however don't forget Hillary was guilty of a few missteps and ill advised statements. Of course, I'm not entirely sure what happened to Bill in the last few weeks, but he's acted totally out of character and made some really ignorant and untimely remarks. I'd like to think as a woman that I have the same rights and privileges as men, but it's evident that we're not thought of in the same way as our male counterparts. I heard it said the other day that the exceptional story of Hillary's campaign just happened at the wrong time in that it occured at the same time as Barack's.

    I will admit that I was enamoured by Barack at the 2004 convention. He brought youth, excitement and enthusiasm to the podium that night and continues to deliver speech after speech with a rallying cry reminiscent of speeches of the Kennedy's and Dr King. I am concerned about his inexperience, but I figure that's what all of the advisers are for. This inexperience kept me for casting my primary vote for him, but now that the race is settled, I will support my party and support our candidate.

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  7. Good post. I'm a John McCain supporter, but have ultimate respect for Mrs. Clinton. I liked her comment about the glass ceiling that now has 8.5 million cracks in it. You're right on the money with women's issues. I'm not a man hater - I adore the men in my life. However, growing up feeling like a second class citizen has been hard to overcome. God has used Hollins University in my healing process, and for that I will forever be grateful. God created men and women to compliment one another - giving both sexes mutual respect. Witholding respect is dishonorable. My heart breaks for oppressed women everywhere. NBC News covered the Opium Brides in Afghanistan last night. I cry everytime I hear it.

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  8. Yikes, whose blogs have you been reading?

    I never experienced sexual discrimination but I know it's out there, just like racial discrimination is. Even one of my own girlfriends said she wasn't going to vote for Hillary because she's a woman and she would be emotional. I was shocked. This is a single mom who is a career woman.

    Hillary came across to me as the same old politcal machine--giving stock answers and being a phony. If she was running against McCain, I'd vote for her--there's a lot more about her I like. However, I love Obama. He is for the poor and the middle class. I have never been so excited about an election. He reminds me of Kennedy and Lincoln. Please don't penalize him because Hillary didn't win. If McCain gets in, we will go into a real Depression--mark my words.

    www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

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