Eloquent D&C LTE on, Why NOT Palin?
This beautifully penned LTE by the director of SUNY Brockport Women and Gender Studies program, says, much better than I why Palin is a step backwards in time as far as women’s rights goes:
Clearly, McCain and the Republican Party purposefully chose Palin as their VP candidate because they believe the answers to these Hillary Clinton/party hopping/female unity questions are yes. Their efforts here couldn’t be more transparent — and their logic forever flawed. Placing Palin — a conservative, inexperienced freshman — on the Republican vice presidential ticket to woo female Hillary supporters away from Obama is not only strategically faulty, it insults the intelligence and decision-making power of women nationwide. As a former Hillary, and now an Obama follower, I couldn’t possibly consider Palin as a legitimate substitute. And I am certain Hillary supporters nationally would agree here. I believe in democratic ideals, and I battle the front lines daily in the effort to achieve parity between the sexes. As a champion for gender equality, I do not, nor could I ever, support McCain/Palin.
This is why the whole idea of a Palin vice-presidency is so insulting, and Palin’s speech last night was just so much continued “Yee-haw” rhetoric. Watching the faces of those in the audience at the RNC last night, I was reminded of the extremely white audiences and the coiffures of the Lawrence Welk show. That’s right- several steps back.
I urge our readers to check out the whole letter.
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Not to mention she is condescending and arrogant. If Palin were to become VP and something happened to McCain, leaving her as President, she would absolutely flounder. Her failure would be seen as an incapable woman. She is taking women many steps back.
So diversity is a good thing normally, but diversity of thought is not?
She is as ready as Obama is, maybe more so.
What diversity of thought? She wants to take women’s rights away. She wants to keep equal rights away from the LGBT community. Again I ask, what diversity of thought?
The diversity that maybe there should be parental notification, maybe the government shouldn’t pay for abortions. Abortions will never be against the law again, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be regulated more.
Parental nitification? That’s rich. A girl is raped by her father, step father, what ever. Gets pregnant and asks his permission for an abortion. Yeah, that’s beautiful.
Huh, I never realized there was such an overwhelming percentage of pregnant girls/teens walking around, all raped by a relative. I’d like to see some actual numbers on that to support your argument. I would hope there is a corresponding number of arrests of those same individuals.
Hypothetically speaking, if you were a parent of a teenager, is there anything at all he/she was about to do that you would like to be advised of and if so, why that and not this?
BTW - if you are really into equal rights you should let the father “abort” his legal responsibilities to the mother and baby if he doesn’t want to have to deal with it for the rest of his life. I think the idea sucks, but that would make things equal.
Frankly, Elmer, when it comes to questions that involve a woman’s reproductive rights, I don’t think men should have any say. No uterus, no opinion.
And just how does that make things even? I really don’t get the correlation.
A woman has the legal right not to have a baby and the associated expenses and responsibilities involved raising the baby. Why does a man not have the same rights to avoid the expenses and responsibilities?
Remember - you are the one that wants equal rights for all.
“A woman has the legal right not to have a baby and the associated expenses and responsibilities involved raising the baby.”
In which case there is no baby for the father to abdicate his responsibilities for, so moot point. Problem solved. The father already has equal rights. It is certainly his right not to provide for the baby that wasn’t born.
What if the woman wants the baby and the man doesn’t?
He walks away. End of story
What about child support?
While I agree that it is her decision, I don’t feel that the man involved is entirely removed from the situation once the initial act is completed.
That is entirely up to the 2 parties involved. That’s why we have this amazing ability to communicate with each other through the English language (or whatever language you speak). It’s called making choices, I believe.
And no, I’m not being snarky here. I believe this to be true.
The man cannot legally walk away from the child as the woman can. He will be responsible for child support. His life will be affected for the next 18 years because he does not have the same rights as the woman. In other words, it is not equal.
Sorry - you are 100% wrong - the man can be held legally responsible to support the child, even if he did not want it.
The mother can walk away from her child? And in the case where they are not married, I’m not aware that the man is legally responsible? Is that true?
And basically, we’re way off topic here, anyway. And since I have the floor, I would just like to reiterate-Palin does not move women forward. She puts the whole movement in reverse. This is the point I’m making. The rest of this conversation is irrelevant to the point.
I’m wrong??? People can’t have conversations and work this out? I don’t think I like Elmer’s world.
No - a man can want nothing to do with the baby, but the woman can FORCE him to pay child support. Would you like to see a law passed that would excuse a man from paying child support if he doesn’t want to?
I am pro-choice, but as much as it hurts me I have to say, Elmer has a point which has caused me pause. I don’t agree however that financial responsibility is equal to physical responsibility. Meaning, since a man can’t get pregnant, it is not his body that is affected.
I also believe that a man does not owe child suppot until paternity is proven and there is a way to avoid proving paternity.
Perhaps the way to make it equal would be to allow a father a grace period to deny involvement in the babies life. Perhaps 9 months from the time he finds out he may be the father. I don’t think there is an easy answer here and I am not really sure I agree with my solution (imagine that) but, there should be some way to make it more equal without denying a woman the reproductive rights that she deserves.
If it is determined that a man does not want the mother to have the child and is not interested in that baby, then, yes, I think that man should be able to opt out of paying support and abdicate any rights to the baby.
This is what makes you a good republican and a poor conservative.
Conservatives believe in personal responsiblity.
The man acted, now he is responsible for the consequences of that action, whatever the woman chooses.
Trying to make the “equality” argument is bogus. He is equally responsible, he can not try to weasel his way out by forcing his wishes on another person.
Publius -
Did I ever say that the man should not support the child? I have supported 3 children and would have supported any more that I had in our out of marriage. I would have it no other way. The equality argument is not bogus by any means. Equality under the law is an important issue and if a woman can “abort” her responsibility to the baby, then a man should also be able to abort his responsibilities. I think equal to you means a definite advantage to one group over another.
Diversity of thought is a good thing. When that thought is based upon fact and reason.
Here’s one of Barbie Palin’s diverse thoughts…
About 6,000 years ago Jesus created the earth just as it is today. He then immediately created man in a secret place exactly as he appears now. Standing upright, opposable thumbs, the whole bit.
Fossils and other so-called scientific evidence of evolution were placed here to test our faith.
And people who don’t believe this, as she does, are doomed to burn for all eternity in hell.
That is one of her diverse thoughts.
Not based on reason or evidence, but on her something someone told her and her gut feelings.
When thoughts are based upon superstition and not fact their value is diminshed.
We’ve had eight years of this, that’s enough.
“We’ve had eight years of this, that’s enough.” - The voters will decide that in November.
She is as ready as Obama is, maybe more so.
There’s no way you really believe that. You’re just trying to push buttons.
No I am not just trying to push buttons - she may have little experience, but Obama has less.
Quantify that experience as mayor and governor. I think you will see that as the idiotic Republican talking pont that it is. She is a joke.
Obama does have less experience than Palin. Palin has less experience than Biden or McCain.
Obama has a lot of things going for him, but experience is not one of them.
There you go again, with the Rovian tactics making stuff up as you go along.
A man assumes equal responsiblity when he engages in sexual congress with a woman.
Equal is different than “the same as”.
If it’s not clear to you how a man and a woman are different put the pipe down and ask Mrs. Elmer. Maybe she can explain it to you…
Of course if she went to school in Alaska she wouldn’t know either since Governor Barbie doesn’t allow sex ed to be taught…
Ok - I give up - a female can dump her responsibility and a male can’t - that sure is equal and fair (if you are female)
Elmer - It’s not a perfect system by any means, and I do understand your point and respect your position on the issue. But, a male can only be held financially responsible. He can be forced to be emotionally and physically there for the child like the mom is when she makes the decision to keep the child. Every man knows the risk he is taking when he engages in sexual relations and every woman knows that she risks a potentially agonizing decision and change of life that could occur to her should an unwanted pregnancy occur. If she chooses to keep the baby she is taking on the responsiblity for the daily care and love of that child (not to mention financial in most cases). I hope most men would choose to be involved in that, but they don’t have to be if they don’t want to be.
oops…meant to say he “can’t” be fored to be emotionally…
Oh Elmer it’s you who are wrong.
When a man has sex with a woman he already made his choice. Unless the man was raped or doesn’t know where babies come from.
Do you know where babies come from Elmer?
Elmer,
A man can give up his responsiblity…wear a condom or bahave himself.
Doesn’t have to be an overwhelming percentage. Just one makes this a bad idea.
You don’t have to speak hypothetically, either. I am the parent of a teen. I am aware of what my child is doing. I would hope that my child would come to me, and I believe that would happen, if an abortion was being considered. But if they wanted to deal with that on their own and not tell me. I’m ok with that too. And no, I can’t think of anything that I would want to be notified about that is not currently required.