I agree with and respect the notion that there is a lot of hurt out there, and that there is a lot going on that is sexist. It's pretty easy to take my commentary as a denial that it is happening, but I have reread what I wrote quite carefully a number of times to make sure that I never said, nor even implied any kind of denial that there is sexism, and that it is happening.
I still, however, deplore the notion that simply supporting Obama is sexist, as though he has somehow become a symbol of everything that is wrong with our society right now, because he is in a position where all of that hurt and anger and fear (fear that things won't ever change) is getting redirected at him because at the moment, he's a very convenient target. And then there's the guilt by association. I recognize that Obama is not perfect, and that he is an ambitious politician amongst other ambitious politicians, but I'm not ready to believe for one minute that because sexism pervades the media that Obama is in any way responsible for it any more than any other candidate would be.
I realize that right now, tempers are high and nerves are frayed, but there are people out there LOOKING for excuses to be able to label people sexist so they can ignore or belittle ideas they don't agree with, or worse, make sure those ideas are obscured by the angry rhetoric. It's pretty hard to see through the cloud of emotion, especially since this kind of thing devolves to name calling pretty much immediately.
Just like eyelessgame's post did, where he opened it by writing mocking sentences making what I said into stereotypical sexist stuff. Which, btw, is exactly how the republican attack machine operates. It's exactly how liberal gets turned into a dirty word.
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Date: 2008-06-24 03:44 pm (UTC)I still, however, deplore the notion that simply supporting Obama is sexist, as though he has somehow become a symbol of everything that is wrong with our society right now, because he is in a position where all of that hurt and anger and fear (fear that things won't ever change) is getting redirected at him because at the moment, he's a very convenient target. And then there's the guilt by association. I recognize that Obama is not perfect, and that he is an ambitious politician amongst other ambitious politicians, but I'm not ready to believe for one minute that because sexism pervades the media that Obama is in any way responsible for it any more than any other candidate would be.
I realize that right now, tempers are high and nerves are frayed, but there are people out there LOOKING for excuses to be able to label people sexist so they can ignore or belittle ideas they don't agree with, or worse, make sure those ideas are obscured by the angry rhetoric. It's pretty hard to see through the cloud of emotion, especially since this kind of thing devolves to name calling pretty much immediately.
Just like eyelessgame's post did, where he opened it by writing mocking sentences making what I said into stereotypical sexist stuff. Which, btw, is exactly how the republican attack machine operates. It's exactly how liberal gets turned into a dirty word.