The Sentinel

Issue date: 9/24/08 Section: Commentary

I am having a difficult time trying to figure out exactly what a feminist is…or has become. My perception of a feminist was one who is independent, capable, smart, adaptable, and often most of all, proud of her individuality. But ever since the end of the Democratic primary, it appears that the definition has changed… radically.

With hardly a spit's worth of policy difference between the Democratic primary candidates, Hillary and Barack, why did the feminists choose the male? Is it because he is black? Wouldn't that make feminists racist? Or is it because he is a smooth-talking dream-boat? Wouldn't that make feminists shallow?

Perhaps they hitched to the Obama band-wagon just because they thought he was going to win. As long as he was going to beat the Republican, why not vote for him? Wouldn't that make feminists simply conformists?

When John McCain selected Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska, for the VP slot, I expected the feminists to be ecstatic. Here is a gal that hunts, fishes, shoots (as a life member of the NRA), got a degree in journalism, played basketball, got married, is raising five kids, joined the PTA, sat on the city council, became mayor, took on the corrupt REPUBLICAN establishment and won, finally beating Democrats and Republicans to become the governor of the largest state in the union. Elation? Praise? Support? None, at least from the left side of the street.

Maureen Dowd pronounced her "Vice in Go-Go Boots." Susan Reimer referred to her as 'a skirt on the ticket.' Shamelessly, she went one step further (and over the line) when she said; "You want to look good to the evangelicals? Choose a running mate with a Down syndrome child." Lisa de Moraes of the Washington Post said; "John McCain will have to do better than naming Tina Fey his vice presidential choice if he expects to attract 38.4 million people to watch his acceptance speech next week, as Barack Obama clocked Thursday night." (By the way, Sarah had 41.2 million viewers on seven networks^1, compared to Obama's ten networks^2). So, in order to be a "true" feminist, you have to be whiny, petty, and without accomplishment in order to destroy someone with a résumé a mile long.

John Roberts of CNN fame said, "Children with Down's syndrome require an awful lot of attention. The role of vice president, it seems to me, would take up an awful lot of her time, and it raises the issue of how much time will she have to dedicate to her newborn child?" Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton said, "If she becomes president of the United States of America, I think we would have someone who is pretty fragile at the helm."^3 In other words, to be a "real" feminist you have to be hypocritical and sexist to the point of misogyny.

Continued...

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