Subject: "uptight white suburban bitches"
John,
Don't know how much response-if any-you've gotten on your comments today, but as a first time listener, I have to admit a "punched in the stomach" kind of shocked feeling when I heard you say these words.
Here's the deal. I am lifelong Democrat who thinks we're living in the most disastrous administration probably ever. I am also a lifelong supporter of abortion rights, race and gender equality, unions, gay rights etc. I also have some expendable income to spend on Air America advertisers. I am the kind of listener your station wants. The last thing you should do as a radio host is insult your base. (There's enough of that on right wing radio.)
So why the knee jerk comments and the use of the word "bitch"? In case you forgot, here's the context:
First hour of your show today: Female Presidential candidate from Kenya. (Great guest). You mention to her that over half your demographic is women.
Second hour: Bioethicist from UVA on stem cell research. Again, great guest. Great issue. He leaves. You point out that Resident Bush signed his idiotic stem cell bill in front of "adopted embryo" children, ALL of whom were White. Great issue: speaks to race, class, and the Fundamentalists' view of who God's children actually are.
Then you stick your foot in it:
You explain to a caller that Black women don't need fertility treatments (which eventually create all those embryos). Only--and these are your words, dude --"uptight white suburban bitches" need fertility treatment.
Damn!
So many insults in one little phrase.
For Black women: Your comment perpetuates the stereotype of black women as breeders (with an endless fertility so feared by Ronald Reagan's right.) AND it's WRONG. Black women DO seek fertility treatment. Some fellow posters on Democratic Underground gave me the following links for you to look at:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2512 (You should remember this story)
http://hometown.aol.com/lovie571 /
http://www.harrissextuplets.net/extreme.shtml Seeking fertility treatment is about money. The infertile but poor end up not seeking the (very) expensive help. Your knee-jerk comment ignores the economic disparity that prevents some black women with fertility issues from seeking help. It also ignores the fact that black women with some means actually do seek fertility treatment, just like their white counterparts.
For White Women: Not only does it denigrate white women's sexuality (which conversely reinforces the stereotype of black women as being oversexed), but it also ignores the fact that poor white women cannot seek fertility treatment either. Of course by putting the "suburban" in your comment, you insult a lot of your base. Democratic women of all colors run the economic gamut: we're rich, poor, middle class--and even suburban sometimes. Insult the suburban woman at your peril: she's busy donating to political campaigns, PDA, NARAL, Greenpeace, etc. I'll bet you have some white suburban female donors to Air America.
There's a lot more I could say, but it is boiling hot in San Diego and I don't have air conditioning where I am staying. So here's the deal: Think before your speak or you'll end sounding as stupid as the guy who stole the White House.
And, no I didn't listen to the rest of your show. That was enough for me. As Queen Latifah would say, "Whoya callin BITCH!"
Nikki Stone