goddessing

I understand my hopeful friends who think an Obama button will change America. But I'm sticking with Hillary. I trust her because all her life, her pro bono work has been for mothers and children. And mothers and children -- of all colors -- are the most oppressed group in our country. I trust her to speak for our children and grandchildren -- and for us. She always has.

Erica Jong, Hillary vs. the Patriarchy

My feminist friends are not likely to be part of a voting bloc. I'm the only one of us who is a firm vote for Clinton. Oh, they'd like to vote for her. Of course they would. And of course they think she'd make a great president.

So what's the problem? Practical concerns mainly. Which Democrat is most electable? Did I say concerns? No, something stronger. Fear? PTSD? Understandable really, given the hijinks that put a little bush in the White House two terms in a row. But it's an interesting question nonetheless. A few months ago, I'd have said Hillary was most electable, because she's proven herself to be a brilliant campaign strategist in several electoral contests, including those of her husband. Obama's ability to outfundraise her recently is a concern, but it points to an interesting difference between the two: her strongest support is from families that make less than 50K per year, his from families that make substantially more. He's charismatic. I like him. But I'd guess he's as conservative as Hillary, and as Erica Jong says, "I have nothing against him except his inexperience."

Republicans are praying, literally, for Hillary to win the Democratic nomination. I guess they don't think she's electable. Or maybe, they know what research and experience alike show -- no one likes women in charge. Have you heard more emphatic derision of an intelligent capable candidate in your life? The anti-Hillary venom is toxic, isn't it? All sorts of reasons are given, but in the end they come down to one thing -- gender bias aka sexism.

And we all know that's not a one-way street. We pagan women do our own fair share of struggling against female authority. I won't try to convince you, I'll leave that to others who've looked at the research and put it out there for us all to examine:

Clinton Battles Unconscious Bias Against Strong Women (Daisy Grewal and Elena Grewal, The San Jose Mercury News

When Women Rule (Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times)

http://www.goddessmystic.com/2008/02/p-word.shtml

Thank you, I appreciate you pointing out that I, an Obama supporter, am a sexist simply because I am not going to vote for Hillary, I don't see how I could have missed such a large flaw in my judgment and personality.

I thank you for putting it in such a clear cut manor.

Here I was, being the sexist ignorant that I am, thinking that I had done research into both candidates and that I was making decisions that I felt were in the best interest of my family, my community and myself when all along I was just being a sexist pig.

I am very glad you were able to cut through to the root of the matter and put me in my place.

Now that the sarcasm is out of the way...

Yes I am a man, no I will not be voting for Hillary. Is it a matter of sex or race? NO!

I will vote for the candidate that I feel will best represent my family and community to the government, be them male or female. My choice has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with disagreeing with how Hillary has chosen to represent herself as a senator. I disagree that someone should take the lead in universal heath care while accepting lobbyist money from pharmaceutical and medical corporations. I disagree that someone should take the lead in an existing war when they have not made perfectly clear how they intend to get us out of it. I refuse to accept that a candidate is "anti-war" when they made it very publicly known just a few short years ago that they supported our advance into Iraq and that they support the president that put us there. These are only a small few of the reasons that I made the decision that I did, and sex was and is not part of the equation.

My decisions have NOTHING to do with sex and everything to do with conclusions I have reached from my own research. I have been an adult for many years and am capable of making a decision without being sexist, though thank you for trying to hold my hand and show me how to cross the street.

[quote]We pagan women do our own fair share of struggling against female authority.[/quote] I am sure you do, please for a moment consider my place and how I have been treated being a male pagan in a primarily female religious grouping, and yet I would still vote for a female president if I felt she was qualified.

Now, I would like to say that I support your decision as I am sure that you, like I, have done research and come to your own conclusions of what you feel would be best for your family, country, community and yourself. Please understand that I am not questioning your choice as it is your choice to make, however I do resent your global labeling of all Obama supporters as sexist simply because they have made a choice different from yours.
 

2003-2005