Of Feminism, Special Needs, BOOoooobs and Lactating on the GOP
Hoo boy...I think this is headed under a cut, because I feel a rant coming on.
I've been doing a slow burn since I woke up grumpy because of Palin's sound bytes on the NPR-uh. It's been about a week now, and instead of feeling any better, I'm getting more and more pissed off.
Not that I mean to scare any one, it's just that my feminazi rage has been tipped off and I can't be silent about Ms. Palin anymore. I'll get this out of my system and then shut up and vote like everybody else.
Let me start by saying to you that I am a staunch Hillary supporter. And there was nothing better than taking my Mom to shake her hand last spring, and watching her face light up as she explained to Senator Clinton that she was there for her Mother and 90 year old mother in law. (BTW, my mom's mom told me about voting the first time. Her father hated the 19th amendment, but ordered her into the buggy and drove her to town to make sure she voted, by God. She only got a little shirty with him, and said she wasn't going to vote the way he said. There, at least, he admitted he had no right to tell her what to do once she got into the booth.)
So apart from some deeply held feminist roots, I do not care for Obama's flip, media-savvy and substanceless answers. Many of you will adamantly disagree with me, but I heard too little substance in the primary and too much hope without a course of action. We've done that bit; the same sort of BS was used to push the current administration eight years ago. I grow weary of media games and want some action taken. I felt Senator Clinton had the advantage on him there.
I'm also very angry at the process used in doling out delegate votes for certain states, and feel that she was passed over in a very strange way. Not saying what the motivations might be, just that the process was undeniably strange. SO, Biden takes the VP nomination and I'm heard to mutter around the house: "that ticket has far too much penis on it." (I may be a professor now, but in my heart I will always be a punk. deal.)
My husband has been threatening to vote McCain. I may have smarted off that way once, but I didn't really mean it. BUT it's been hard to consent that Obama should have my vote.
Then Palin opened her mouth and paraded her "unwed, pregnant" daughter around the media--without any apparent effort to shield the child--and yes, she is still a child in my book. In fact, it she seemed to invite the scrutiny at this most difficult time in her daughter's young, inexperienced life. A loving parent would take time out to assure that her daughter, who needs her more than her country at this time, has the support and help that she needs to raise the next generation of our society. She's going to have to grow up really damn fast now, poor kid.
Not only did Palin NOT make any effort to protect her offspring, she almost seemed to hold her up for further scrutiny in the media microscope. This is not modeling good parenting behavior in my book.
And, let's be clear, I'm not electing someone for a parenting role.
In theory, this person could be the worst sort of parent and still be highly qualified for the job. (One might even argue that the level of focus required to gain experience, networking links, fundraise and skills to perform well in the political arena may actually preclude one from being an active, attentive and loving parent.)
That said, why are we holding this person up as the woman who has it all--when clearly, this is no mommy. Biologically, yes, she is a mother. That doesn't make her a good mother. If her dedication to motherhood is what makes her such a crackerjack candidate...let's just slow down for a second.
A five month old special needs infant should not be paraded across every rag at the grocery store checkout nor subjected to the hours of photo opp'g journalists. (And, I've really wrassled with myself over my next point, because it hurts my feminazi way down deep.)
A five month old special needs infant needs Mommy. Not Daddy--although Daddy is needed--but the first need is nourishment and nuture and, sadly, Daddy's boobs don't work. Nor do the nanny's or grandma's or anyone else's.
God, how I wish they did! I'm still not over the rugged lack of justice in that.
Now, before you throw stuff, hear me out. Research is quite clear that breastfeeding is the best form of nurturing your infant--physically, mentally, emotionally--that there are benefits for baby that cannot be had any other way. Sure, it doesn't work for everyone, and some people can't, and thank God for formula.
BUT, when it comes to someone who may have additional health difficulties, issues with failure to thrive, and needs all possible help from the outset to become functioning, independent members of society--that decision to breastfeed suddenly becomes less of a choice and more of a prescription in my book. If she were seen poking her blind baby in the eyes so it would never be able to see despite a possible treatment that might possibly restore a bit of sight, we'd be furious.
This isn't quite the same, but some of the same underlying issues are there. Having an infant with special needs (whether those needs come from prematurity, a heart condition, a chronic disease or Down's Syndrome) is not the time to plunge head first into work--it is a time to regroup and do everything you can for the one who cannot do for themselves (and I mean you Mom and Dad, help your baby).
So, GOP, if you want to prove to me that Palin is a good mom and a woman who has it all? I want to see that bitch lactating and pausing in her acceptance speech to nurse her special needs baby right there at the podium. We're not going to see that, though, are we? Because it's all about the hypocrisy, the smoke and mirrors and saying it makes it true.
My heart cries for that little one, and the teenager, too. Just as I fumed over Edwards putting himself out as a good family man, then pressing on with his campaign despite his wife's inoperable cancer (and I'm not even going to mention the thing about the affair...gol). Again, I really couldn't give a rat's ass about these folks in their personal lives--but when you stand on private virtue the same way you would a political platform, better be sure it's something you actually have if you want to convince me its a reason to vote for you.
Yeah, so one hell of a ramble, to say this: the GOP picked Palin for me and other folks like me who weren't going to vote Obama because they felt Hillary got the shaft. But you know what? It backfired. Somebody send me an Obama icon, I just joined the team...
I've been doing a slow burn since I woke up grumpy because of Palin's sound bytes on the NPR-uh. It's been about a week now, and instead of feeling any better, I'm getting more and more pissed off.
Not that I mean to scare any one, it's just that my feminazi rage has been tipped off and I can't be silent about Ms. Palin anymore. I'll get this out of my system and then shut up and vote like everybody else.
Let me start by saying to you that I am a staunch Hillary supporter. And there was nothing better than taking my Mom to shake her hand last spring, and watching her face light up as she explained to Senator Clinton that she was there for her Mother and 90 year old mother in law. (BTW, my mom's mom told me about voting the first time. Her father hated the 19th amendment, but ordered her into the buggy and drove her to town to make sure she voted, by God. She only got a little shirty with him, and said she wasn't going to vote the way he said. There, at least, he admitted he had no right to tell her what to do once she got into the booth.)
So apart from some deeply held feminist roots, I do not care for Obama's flip, media-savvy and substanceless answers. Many of you will adamantly disagree with me, but I heard too little substance in the primary and too much hope without a course of action. We've done that bit; the same sort of BS was used to push the current administration eight years ago. I grow weary of media games and want some action taken. I felt Senator Clinton had the advantage on him there.
I'm also very angry at the process used in doling out delegate votes for certain states, and feel that she was passed over in a very strange way. Not saying what the motivations might be, just that the process was undeniably strange. SO, Biden takes the VP nomination and I'm heard to mutter around the house: "that ticket has far too much penis on it." (I may be a professor now, but in my heart I will always be a punk. deal.)
My husband has been threatening to vote McCain. I may have smarted off that way once, but I didn't really mean it. BUT it's been hard to consent that Obama should have my vote.
Then Palin opened her mouth and paraded her "unwed, pregnant" daughter around the media--without any apparent effort to shield the child--and yes, she is still a child in my book. In fact, it she seemed to invite the scrutiny at this most difficult time in her daughter's young, inexperienced life. A loving parent would take time out to assure that her daughter, who needs her more than her country at this time, has the support and help that she needs to raise the next generation of our society. She's going to have to grow up really damn fast now, poor kid.
Not only did Palin NOT make any effort to protect her offspring, she almost seemed to hold her up for further scrutiny in the media microscope. This is not modeling good parenting behavior in my book.
And, let's be clear, I'm not electing someone for a parenting role.
In theory, this person could be the worst sort of parent and still be highly qualified for the job. (One might even argue that the level of focus required to gain experience, networking links, fundraise and skills to perform well in the political arena may actually preclude one from being an active, attentive and loving parent.)
That said, why are we holding this person up as the woman who has it all--when clearly, this is no mommy. Biologically, yes, she is a mother. That doesn't make her a good mother. If her dedication to motherhood is what makes her such a crackerjack candidate...let's just slow down for a second.
A five month old special needs infant should not be paraded across every rag at the grocery store checkout nor subjected to the hours of photo opp'g journalists. (And, I've really wrassled with myself over my next point, because it hurts my feminazi way down deep.)
A five month old special needs infant needs Mommy. Not Daddy--although Daddy is needed--but the first need is nourishment and nuture and, sadly, Daddy's boobs don't work. Nor do the nanny's or grandma's or anyone else's.
God, how I wish they did! I'm still not over the rugged lack of justice in that.
Now, before you throw stuff, hear me out. Research is quite clear that breastfeeding is the best form of nurturing your infant--physically, mentally, emotionally--that there are benefits for baby that cannot be had any other way. Sure, it doesn't work for everyone, and some people can't, and thank God for formula.
BUT, when it comes to someone who may have additional health difficulties, issues with failure to thrive, and needs all possible help from the outset to become functioning, independent members of society--that decision to breastfeed suddenly becomes less of a choice and more of a prescription in my book. If she were seen poking her blind baby in the eyes so it would never be able to see despite a possible treatment that might possibly restore a bit of sight, we'd be furious.
This isn't quite the same, but some of the same underlying issues are there. Having an infant with special needs (whether those needs come from prematurity, a heart condition, a chronic disease or Down's Syndrome) is not the time to plunge head first into work--it is a time to regroup and do everything you can for the one who cannot do for themselves (and I mean you Mom and Dad, help your baby).
So, GOP, if you want to prove to me that Palin is a good mom and a woman who has it all? I want to see that bitch lactating and pausing in her acceptance speech to nurse her special needs baby right there at the podium. We're not going to see that, though, are we? Because it's all about the hypocrisy, the smoke and mirrors and saying it makes it true.
My heart cries for that little one, and the teenager, too. Just as I fumed over Edwards putting himself out as a good family man, then pressing on with his campaign despite his wife's inoperable cancer (and I'm not even going to mention the thing about the affair...gol). Again, I really couldn't give a rat's ass about these folks in their personal lives--but when you stand on private virtue the same way you would a political platform, better be sure it's something you actually have if you want to convince me its a reason to vote for you.
Yeah, so one hell of a ramble, to say this: the GOP picked Palin for me and other folks like me who weren't going to vote Obama because they felt Hillary got the shaft. But you know what? It backfired. Somebody send me an Obama icon, I just joined the team...