From a Feminist Pioneer: Goodbye To All That (#2) by Robin Morgan

[Tom Rinaldo]

Somehow this seems timely and appropriate to post today. An update on the 1970 classic, this was first posted on February 2, 2008. Quoted in part only:

"During my decades in civil-rights, anti-war, and contemporary women’s movements, I’ve avoided writing another specific “Goodbye . . .” But not since the suffrage struggle have two communities—joint conscience-keepers of this country—been so set in competition, as the contest between Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC) and Barack Obama (BO) unfurls. So.



Goodbye to the double standard . . .

—Hillary is too ballsy but too womanly, a Snow Maiden who’s emotional, and so much a politician as to be unfit for politics.

—She’s “ambitious” but he shows “fire in the belly.” (Ever had labor pains?)

—When a sexist idiot screamed “Iron my shirt!” at HRC, it was considered amusing; if a racist idiot shouted “Shine my shoes!” at BO, it would’ve inspired hours of airtime and pages of newsprint analyzing our national dishonor.

—Young political Kennedys—Kathleen, Kerry, and Bobby Jr.—all endorsed Hillary. Senator Ted, age 76, endorsed Obama. If the situation were reversed, pundits would snort “See? Ted and establishment types back her, but the forward-looking generation backs him.” (Personally, I’m unimpressed with Caroline’s longing for the Return of the Fathers. Unlike the rest of the world, Americans have short memories. Me, I still recall Marilyn Monroe’s suicide, and a dead girl named Mary Jo Kopechne in Chappaquiddick.)



Goodbye to the toxic viciousness . . .

Carl Bernstein's disgust at Hillary’s “thick ankles.” Nixon-trickster Roger Stone’s new Hillary-hating 527 group, “Citizens United Not Timid” (check the capital letters). John McCain answering “How do we beat the bitch?" with “Excellent question!” Would he have dared reply similarly to “How do we beat the black bastard?” For shame.



Goodbye to the HRC nutcracker with metal spikes between splayed thighs. If it was a tap-dancing blackface doll, we would be righteously outraged—and they would not be selling it in airports. Shame.



Goodbye to the most intimately violent T-shirts in election history, including one with the murderous slogan “If Only Hillary had married O.J. Instead!” Shame.



Goodbye to Comedy Central’s “Southpark” featuring a storyline in which terrorists secrete a bomb in HRC’s vagina. I refuse to wrench my brain down into the gutter far enough to find a race-based comparison. For shame.



Goodbye to the sick, malicious idea that this is funny. This is not “Clinton hating,” not “Hillary hating.” This is sociopathic woman-hating. If it were about Jews, we would recognize it instantly as anti-Semitic propaganda; if about race, as KKK poison. Hell, PETA would go ballistic if such vomitous spew were directed at animals. Where is our sense of outrage—as citizens, voters, Americans?..."

http://www.womensmediacenter.com/ex/020108.html

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. For the record, I don't agree with everything that Robin says here

only about 90 to 95% of it. And she has a lot to say. This too:

"And goodbye to the ageism . . .

How dare anyone unilaterally decide when to turn the page on history, papering over real inequities and suffering constituencies in the promise of a feel-good campaign? How dare anyone claim to unify while dividing, or think that to rouse U.S. youth from torpor it’s useful to triage the single largest demographic in this country’s history: the boomer generation—the majority of which is female?



Old woman are the one group that doesn’t grow more conservative with age—and we are the generation of radicals who said “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Goodbye to going gently into any goodnight any man prescribes for us. We are the women who changed the reality of the United States. And though we never went away, brace yourselves: we’re back!



We are the women who brought this country equal credit, better pay, affirmative action, the concept of a family-focused workplace; the women who established rape-crisis centers and battery shelters, marital-rape and date-rape laws; the women who defended lesbian custody rights, who fought for prison reform, founded the peace and environmental movements; who insisted that medical research include female anatomy; who inspired men to become more nurturing parents; who created women’s studies and Title IX so we all could cheer the WNBA stars and Mia Hamm. We are the women who reclaimed sexuality from violent pornography, who put childcare on the national agenda, who transformed demographics, artistic expression, language itself. We are the women who forged a worldwide movement. We are the proud successors of women who, though it took more than 50 years, won us the vote.



We are the women who now comprise the majority of U.S. voters."

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Yes I will kick this from time to time

I think it is worth reading.

[redqueen]

9. I agree.

Thank you so much for posting it.

[Pathwalker]

3. Thank you, Tom. Interesting read.

I appreciate your posts, as they are informative, yet non-divisive.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

4. A very moving piece

Even if one is not a Clinton supporter, or a woman, one can't deny the truth of the comparisons Ms. Morgan makes in this essay.

K&R. Thanks for posting.

[BootinUp]

5. Its an excellent and thought provoking read. nt

[DURHAM D]

6. Thanks for posting.

As a second waver I am often frustrated. Robin captures my thoughts (and anger) so well.

[joshcryer]

7. Sexism is alive and well. Fact.

[redqueen]

8. "—When a sexist idiot screamed “Iron my shirt!” at HRC,

it was considered amusing; if a racist idiot shouted “Shine my shoes!” at BO, it would’ve inspired hours of airtime and pages of newsprint analyzing our national dishonor."

*sigh*

[joshcryer]

10. Indeed. *sigh*

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. I actually saw a DU post defending the "Hillary Nutcracker" a few months back

as simply being funny. I think it actually had been advertized at one of the left leaning message boards (may even have been here - I honestly don't remember) and there was a little discussion about it at the time. That is what stands out for me, not the fact that one individual defended it as funny, but that virtually no one cared. I took on that poster but I don't think anyone else did.

[BlackVelvet04]

11. I never really classified myself as a feminist....

I just went about the business of fighting for women's rights, equal opportunity, sexual harassment laws, abortion and birth control rights, etc. This election has unleashed a more radical feminism in me. I'm sick of THIS SHIT. I'm sick of men ruling and trying to roll back all of our accomplishments. I'm sick of being dismissed because I'm a woman.

When will women actually come together and condemn the rampant sexism in this country?

[Briar]

26. Well

when will women who do all you did define themselves as feminists? The amount of reluctance is baffling. You want to be more than a walking vagina? You are a feminist!

[question everything]

12. See also: I am a woman, hear me snore

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=4297089

k&r

[redqueen]

17. ...

:banghead:

[DDQ]

13. Thank You

[Armstead]

15. Okay but Kucinich was marginalized for being funny looking

Howard Dean was given the kiss of death because he is exurbant.

We make fun of GW because he is mentally challenged, and bears a resemblance to a simian.

Edwards got marginalized because he is successful, wealthy, good looking and male.

In other words, all candidates are subject to underhanded attacks and insults based on some quality or other.

[Tom Rinaldo]

16. Funny looking men were not denied the right to vote for 150 years

And everyone would be outraged if white singers seriously performed in "black face" today like Al Jolson once did without it being meant as a form of political satire.

Your comment:

"all candidates are subject to underhanded attacks and insults based on some quality or other"

refuses to acknowledge that mocking some "qualities" as you call them, have a centuries old tradition of murderous hatred and prejudice behind them. Racism and sexism are two of those. Women got thrown on the funeral pyres of their husband when he died and Africans were sold as slaves.

[Armstead]

19. I'm not defending sexism

I certainly don;t condone, nor engage in, the outrageous sexism that is directed against her. I don't know where the line can or should be drawn between some of the admittedly disgusting examples of sexism cited in that article and the kind of non-sexist criticism that all candidates receive, or even the sexist criticism that is no worse than the sexism directed at males.

But I do think that there's too many kid gloves that are being expected now.

The slams against Kucinich are also based in sexism. The idea that a male politician has to be a manly man and conform to that stereotype to be taken seriously.

Hillary and Howard Dean have both been called "shrill." Why is it that with Howard Dean, that's okay, while with Hillary that is called sexist and somehow off-limits?

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. It is always complex when things must be viewed in a context

Even when it is black and white (literally) as in dealing with racism there are fine lines that must be traced and small dots that must be connected sometimes to see the larger picture. Most on DU feel that racially charged language was used against Obama in this campaign. Let's for argument sake not contest that opinion. Even if that is the correct conclusion to reach, racially charged language was used in the campaign against Clinton also; as when Joseph Lowery charged that Blacks who had doubts that Obama could be elected had a "slave mentality". There are always exceptions to every rule. Yes Dean's message has been called shrill in the past - the word is not fixed in gender, it just sometimes has gender associations.

But you have to step back from the trees sometimes to see the forest, and that is what Robin Morgan has done with this opinion piece; she is showing the forest clear as day, and it looks like Old Growth to me.

[LadyVT]

18. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

Exactly!

[redqueen]

21. Kick. (nt)

[Blue_In_AK]

22. Good points.

I'm kicking this even though I'm "uncommitted."

[Tom Rinaldo]

23. My turn to kick. n/t

[eridani]

24. And all the dead women in Iraq? What about them? n/t

[mrreowwr_kittty]

29. We will all benefit vicariously though the elevation of a privileged white woman to the POTUS

Notice how none of these feminist leaders were out in force for Carol Mosely Braun when she was running.

Notice how they always say that HRC is the first "viable" female candidate but don't want to get into what makes her viable.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

25. Thanks for posting this, Tom ...

She really does an excellent job of shining a light on the hatred and hypocrisy. k&r

[AGirl]

27. BIG KICK.

[paganlib]

28. Kick!