CALL IT OUT
October 13, 2008
by The New Agenda
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Are you sick and tired of women bashing other women?
C’mon, ladies:
Issues are fair game. Sexist or other degrading attacks are not!
The New Agenda plans to speak out against these personal attacks.
We’re starting a new initiative…
CALL IT OUT
BOO: When we observe women making personal attacks on another woman, we will call her out and provide her email address for all of us to contact her and ask her to stop!
YEAH: When we see a woman agree or disagree based (appropriately) on issues, we will also speak out to commend her.
Our hope is to open eyes and minds to the fact that personal attacks—sisters on sisters—must stop! Stay with the issues!
If you spot examples women making personal attacks on other women, please email us at: ReportSexism@yahoo.com
This week we would like to call out for actress Annette Bening for insisting that Gov. Palin “deserves our respect”.
Bening is adamant that even though she disagrees with Palin’s political views, the Alaskan governor doesn’t deserve the harsh treatment to which she’s been subjected.
American Beauty star Bening told Fox News:
“We really want to hear her views … She’s obviously a very accomplished woman. I’m a Democrat, I’m a supporter of Barack Obama but she certainly deserves our respect.”
A big YEAH for Annette Bening!!
One the other side, we want to call out a big BOO for Jenny Backus for her fluffy bunny comment.
“It’s a giant changing of the subject,” said Jenny Backus, a Democratic strategist. “The problem is the messenger. If you want to start throwing fire bombs, you don’t send out the fluffy bunny to do it. I think people don’t take Sarah Palin seriously.”
Email Jenny Backus at jenny@backusconsulting.org and let her know: Issues are fair game. Sexist or other degrading attacks are not!
Cafepress has these lovely products.
http://shop.cafepress.com/sarah-palin-is-a-cunt
Just thought you should know.
Oh, to the above poster – how immature.
Well, I think this is a great idea. I’m impressed with Anette Bening, particularly as she is an Obama fan. And thanks for the email! I’m going to drop Jenny a note.
Madamab is a contributor to this blog. She’s just drawing out attention to the offensive t-shirts, as many others have done via email and other comments. I’m getting a post together about these shirts. It will be up shortly.
okay, got it!
Here’s my email to Jenny Backas:
Jenny,
There is a famous quote by Madeleine Albright that you might have heard: “I think there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
Perhaps you should give some thought to how you speak out against other women. Issues are fair game. But personal attacks and diminishing another woman is a plain out betrayal! You need to do some self-introspection. Imagine if a group of women were to take personal pot shots at you – how would you feel?
Stick with the issues Jenny!
Amy Siskind
BRAVO, ANETTE BENING! A real sister….
I’m sending a respectful email to Jenny reminding her that we want to see, Governor Palin, Hillary Clinton and all women respected as candidates.
Grace.
I read something that Chris Hedges of the N.Y. times wrote recently. It has helped me to understand women and men in my party who have embrassed the new elite culture of misogyny in America. It also speaks to the way I feel about my party under the leadership of OBAMA, DEAN, PELOSI, FRANK, DODD and BRAZIL.
“I place no hope in Obama or the democratic Party. The democratic party is a pathetic example of liberal bourgeois impotence, hypocrisy and complacency. It has been bought off.”
My god, Maureen Dowd needs her own page here.
See “Women against Women-Americans” at http://www.womenamericans.com/.....twomen.htm for a list of women who deserves BOOS!
Has Katie Couric commented on what Terry Tate has done to her interview with Palin?
A thundering “BOO!” should go out to Sandra Bernhardt for her warning to Sarah Palin that she would be gang raped by Bernhardts “big black brothers” if she ever came to Manhattan.
Not only an appalling comment with respect to Palin, but also an appalling comment with respect to African American men !
I just sent Jenny an email that I will copy below. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Jenny, this in in response to your comments about Sarah Palin. I, too, am a dem. But I am also an old style feminist who believes that women being represented fairly in our country looks like this: 51% of all elected seats are women and then some of those will be conservative, moderate, and liberal like me. I’d take that reality any day. A woman isn’t a sell out to her gender just because she’s conservative. We will have equal rights when we have equal respect for our voices no matter what we espouse them to be. Please check out my website, http://www.herfamilyjewels.com
I started this company to UNITE women and remember from where we started. I etch on every piece of jewelry we make, the name of a woman who never had the right to vote.
I have to tell you that despite Obama’s agenda lining up with mine almost entirely, there are two things that remain as my own personal hurdles: first, I believe in the greater good of having more women in higher office and don’t expect that we will be anything other than all ages, with great color, texture and warmth. And, secondly, I still shiver to remember how much Obama was affected in the campaign with Hillary’s “3am WH telephone ads” and his response (which all in the media missed). When it came time for him to announce that he wasn’t choosing H as his veep, he sent out the 3am cell phone text. Guess he showed her how to answer the phone at 3am. We’ve all dated guys like this so please, stop bashing women free style and pay a bit of attention to the narcissism that may be right in front of you when it comes to taking women seriously and respectfully.
Sarah may not represent my views but she still may have earned my respect, … I’m still torn regarding my vote, however. For a guy who wanted to unite the party he sure left that to us rather than showing us he’d also suck it up and unite with the other half of his party – which BTW put the entire platform in a vulnerable position. I think he really wants us to do the whole thing of turning the country around and I actually support and accept that as one way to go, albeit not the only way. It is our job to move this country forward. Obama’s job now is to lead and if elected, I will do my part to help.
Ali
For many generations, parents tell their children “if you study and work hard, you can be and do anything you want”. Here we have a perfect example in Governor Sarah Palin. She worked hard and with the approval of 80% of Alaskans she was elected the first female governor. Gosh, if we had more ladies with half her experience, we would have a better society. I cannot understand the vitrol I hear about her. Her resume is impressive. I commend and applaud her and stand up for what she respresents. Senator Obama has lost a vote. By the way, Senator Obama if elected wants a civilian national force just as powerful as our great military. What??????? Is this an extension of Cuba/venezuela. I think not.
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