PRESS RELEASE: Letterman: Violence Against Teenage Girls is no Laughing Matter
June 11, 2009
by The New Agenda
This morning The New Agenda issues the following press release:
For Immediate Release
David Letterman: Violence Against Teenage Girls is no Laughing Matter
Apology Talk is Cheap; Action Proves True Contrition
The New Agenda, a national organization dedicated to improving the lives of all women and girls regardless of political affiliation, called on David Letterman to demonstrate true contrition by devoting a segment of his show to some of the insidious ways language puts young women at risk.
“Letterman’s apology talk last night was cheap,” said The New Agenda co-founder and President Amy Siskind. “True contrition would not invite the Palin’s on his show after publicly humiliating them and their 14-year old daughter. If Letterman’s apology is authentic, he should show it by devoting part of his show to address the national crisis of the sexualization of our teenage daughters.”
Siskind said the topic is ripe for a “top ten” list that reveals the stealth nature of teen sexualization.
The New Agenda notes the disturbing statistics on violence against our teenage daughters in conjunction with this sexualization. According to the American Bar Association:
* 1 in 3 female teenagers in a dating relationship has feared for her physical safety;
* 1 in 2 teenagers in a serious relationship has compromised personal beliefs to please a partner; and
* 1 in 5 teenagers in a serious relationship reports having been hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner;
The New Agenda President Amy Siskind said: “Joking about the sexual promiscuity of a teenage girl is not a laughing matter. Our girls are experiencing an escalating rate of the early precursors of domestic violence as our culture increasingly treats them as sexual objects. David Letterman’s comments about Governor Palin’s teenage daughter are a prime example of treating a teenage girl as a sexual object.”
The New Agenda notes that David Letterman offered a lame apology on his June 10th show in which he claimed his remarks were aimed at Governor Palin’s 18 year-old, not 14 year-old daughter. Siskind added: “Our country deserves better than this. Mothers and fathers in this country must demand that our daughters not be treated as sexual objects. David Letterman should be ashamed of his remarks.”
The New Agenda also notes that corporate sponsors are concerned about advertising on The Letterman Show. One alleged corporate sponsor wrote to The New Agenda blog editor to inform us: “I would like to assure you again, that we have no affiliation with Mr. Letterman’s show.” Siskind added: “David Letterman and his producers should know: you might think that sexism sells, but the mothers and fathers of this country aren’t buying it!”
Brava!
Don’t back down, TNA!! This is going to be a long fight. And we are going to win.
The MSM is now trying to portray the outcry as coming from the far right *only.* But we know better. We know that former Hillary Clinton supporters (PUMAs) are among the most vocal in the battle.
SYD
Just want to say, great PRESS RELEASE. Thank you so much for your cooperation regarding this matter. I hope you sent a copy of your Press Release to Gov. Palin’s office and to the Newspapers in AK.
Sometime in the future, even though this matter may have gone out of the public’s eye, you might want to consider asking Gov. Palin to come and be a keynote speaker at a fund raiser for your organization. I know she is probably very busy but I think this might be an organization she would like to help. I for one would encourage all the blogs that support Gov. Palin to support any efforts you think you might want to pursue which includes Gov. Palin or any efforts in the support of women and girls.
P.S. Please send a copy of your Press release to Fox News with a special copy to Greta.
Wonderful! Just Wonderful. Keep the heat on. It is so important. We have to fight back against these public displays of sexism and misogyny.
We need to control the language and stop the denagration of women and girls as the status quo.
His non-apology makes it even worse. So, once a girl turns 18, it is OK to target her for sexual attacks? What a scumbag!
So, once a girl turns 18, it is OK to target her for sexual attacks?
Absolutely agree. Plus there’s the point that neither daughter is a public figure, simply the daughter of a politician. Why should any innocent be targeted by a national TV “comedian”?
The only other politician’s daughter I recall being treated this way is Chelsea Clinton. I suspect that’s no coincidence, especially when compared with the hue and cry in 2004 when John Kerry simply brought up Mary Cheney respectfully to make a point about GOP hypocrisy on gay rights.
Yep, Bristol and Willow Palin are sluts who it’s fine to rape, Chelsea Clinton gets “pimped out” by her mother, rivers of tears are cried if the paid political liaison Mary Cheney gets mentioned. Could it be, I don’t know, that three of these are the daughters of “uppity women”?
OLD Chicken Crap Letterman won’t say a word about Obama’s girls or even the dog for that matter. He is just a grumpy and lonely old man set in his bitter ways. Once a jerk, always a jerk!!!
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Excellent press release! Is there anyway we can learn how many papers carried it?
Below is more indication how significant The New Agenda’s press release is: When I opened the internet screen just now, this Wall Street Journal article popped up. This following is a couple of paragraphs from the article describing a recession proof industry– strip/gentlemen’s clubs. Alas, they now have to downscale a bit to accomodate the financially strapped customers. It is so ironic, it could be a joke. We’re concentrating on a 15 year old being gang raped, Gov. Palin’s daughters demeaned by a televison comic, the daughter of our esteemed Secretary of State having been refered to as “pimped out” by a third rate tv gossip–and what to do to bring about a healthier place for all females–while the WSJ article covers concern that the flesh industry’s profits are falling.
Two years ago, America’s two publicly traded strip-club chains were thriving, reporting big sales gains, buying clubs on a nearly monthly basis and posting three- and four-fold stock-price gains.
Then the recession hit, forcing Rick’s Cabaret International Inc. and VCG Holding Corp. to curb their ambitious expansion plans and focus on bolstering existing clubs.
For an industry often thought to be recession proof, the transition has been sobering. In order to adapt, many so-called gentlemen’s clubs are shedding their upscale trappings and catering to a thriftier clientele by offering less expensive drinks, waiving cover charges and refocusing their marketing. Since …
Well Marjorie, I’m glad that the gentlemen’s clubs aren’t doing so well. Less demand, less supply.
I think that’s a wonderful idea to have Gov. Palin come and speak some time. Perhaps we should send her a t-shirt ; one of the ones that says “We’ve got your back”
It was obvious that Letterman was joking about Bristol (who is 18 years old) having consensual sex with a couple of hot guys. Surely there is nothing worth getting in a tizzy over about a young woman having consensual sex. In fact, the joke was not that Bristol is a sexual object: the joke was that she is very much a sexual SUBJECT–and that that fact embarrasses her pious, conservative parents.
The joke about Sarah Palin’s style sense being that of a “slutty airline attendant”? Come on. I’ve heard much worse on reruns of The Golden Girls.
On HuffPo, Ms. Siskind also criticized Keith Olbermann, for making fun of Carrie Prejean. The problem seemed to be that Mr. Olbermann’s remarks “sexually objectified” Ms. Prejean.
C’mon. Prejean is famous for being a beauty queen, a would-be lingerie model, and for having silicone boobs. Isn’t it just possible that Mr. Olbermann was making fun of Ms. Prejean for sexually objectifying HERSELF?
None of this has anything to do with violence against women, and if you continue to insist that it does, you’re just going to antagonize a lot of lifelong feminists (like me–I still remember my excitement at reading the first issue of Ms. Magazine–I was 11) with better things to worry about.
Sorry, but I think you’re being ridiculous. Worse, I think you’re playing into the hands of a right-wing manufactroversy.
People and Ladies with values should try to end this “Lettermaning of Women”.
Your daughter could be next.
As Rev. Virginia Bergman has so succinctly pointed out:
“And let’s face it, as far as the extreme left-wing blogosphere is concerned, bigotry against straight African-American males is the only form of bigotry to be treated as morally wrong.”
From:
http://katalusis.blogspot.com/.....-many.html
Yes, Ms. Kennedy… we are being “ridiculous.” We want the bigotry to stop. Not only when it is aimed at straight, AA, males. But when it is directed at white women and their daughters as well.
It is time for us, the Feminists who cut our teeth on Ms. Magazine, to take responsibility for what our very own cohort is allowing to happen. Young women are receiving the message that we don’t value their safety… because we are too worried about the “happiness” of some “hot” men we enjoy fantasizing about.
Get a grip. And take a cold shower.
Ms. Kennedy, perhaps it was obvious to you that Letterman was refering to Bristol and consensual sex. If so, I think you need to evaluate your own prejudices regarding Palin. Even NOW agrees that the joke was out of line. This joke was not made off the cuff. It was written, planned, and practiced. There was plenty of time to check which daughter was travelling with Palin and write a joke in an unoffensive way. You are going out of your way to find the most harmless interpretation of the joke (and I say harmless in relative terms- even if Bristol was the subject, it is still out of line).
If you can’t see how the joke contributes to a culture where violence against young women is condoned, then I’m not sure that “antagonizing” feminists with your point of view is something with which we should be concerned.
Does anyone remember Don Imus’ comment about the Rutger’s Women’s Bball team? I though the comment was terrible and he deserved to be fired. Letterman has taken things to a whole new level. Anyone who thinks Imus’ comments were bad, but Letterman’s jokes OK needs to reflect on their own personal prejudices. We stand for all women.
[...] that NOW should have given was instead delivered by a fledgling feminist organization called The New Agenda. “Letterman’s apology talk last night was cheap,” said The New Agenda co-founder and [...]
[...] that NOW should have given was instead delivered by a fledgling feminist organization called The New Agenda. “Letterman’s apology talk last night was cheap,” said The New Agenda co-founder and [...]
[...] that NOW should have given was instead delivered by a fledgling feminist organization called The New Agenda. “Letterman’s apology talk last night was cheap,” said The New Agenda co-founder and [...]
Great press release, Amy! Thanks for the hard work here.
Tell it like it is. Facts are there. Our future depends on it.
If only CBC had a moral epiphany and saw the errors of their bottom-line. To rely on a pathetically dimwitted, talentless misogynist pedo-perv like Letterman to boost its ratings is to eventually lose its sponsors and audience. Short term gain, long term abyss to nowhere.
CBS: Take a hint from NBC when it justifiably fired that other venomous racist-sexist Don Imus, and fire this neanderthal misogynist creep. Unless you feel your own daughters deserve the same treatment on Letterman’s show.
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