[I have mailed this message to my congressional representatives and the DNCC. Feel free to do likewise... I also donated to the Obama-Biden campaign.]
Please actively stand up to the Republican attempt to define feminism in the discussion of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. She is anti-abortion, anti-gay, anti-gun control, anti-environmental protection, and anti-science. In addition her ethics are dubious, despite her self-characterization as a reformer. Those positions aren’t part of any feminism I recognize. Feminist values are inclusive, egalitarian, serious about social welfare and environmental stewardship, rational, fair, and never demeaning of others.
Sarah Palin is a brilliant political weapon: She wraps discriminatory, regressive policies in a palatable, mediagenic package, and she has demonstrated that she can get off a zinger with the best of them. Not only do cultural conservatives love her, but she also appears to be seducing moderate undecided voters.
On the first Wednesday in September, the Republicans sent out a phalanx of women to loudly decry the sexism of attacks on Palin. The extent to which Palin’s family life is a prism for her policy positions and therefore is fair game for scrutiny is debatable, but the crying of sexist foul was aimed at seizing the discourse, stifling debate, and throwing up a smokescreen to divert attention from what Palin has done in office and would do as vice president. It was a calculated tactic used by the Republican leadership, and they won’t hesitate to use it again.
Shrill, righteous indignation isn’t the style of liberal Democrats, but please quickly, forcefully, and publicly counter these attacks. Don’t let them redefine feminism. We need a strike force of women Democratic leaders to fight the smears and misinformation. Please show the country at this critical moment what true experience and leadership in office—and true feminism—look like.
