Mama Grizzlies and The Choice
The up and coming crop of tea party politicians challenging the Democratic majority in Washington and the Republican establishment features two controversial personalities, both women - Christine O’Donnell from Delaware, and Sharron Angle in Nevada. These two have been portrayed in the liberal media as spoilers at best to their own party leadership and witches at worst to everyone else. The most apt label for them is one coined by their mentor from the great white north, Sarah Palin. The voices of the angry female electorate are no longer soccer moms, but rather mama grizzlies.
Both are aggressive, charismatic, and take full advantage of the American political system to gain power. Bear in mind: this is the same political system which would have prohibited them from getting close to a ballot box 100 years ago. They are part of the New Feminist voices heralded by the conservative pundits. Make no mistake - these are not the bra-burning rebels of yore who advocated for reproductive rights and economic equality. Rather, they are pushing values going back further to the days when American society was decidedly patriarchal.
We all remember those days, don’t we? Well, for those of us who have forgotten our history, or are just too damn tired at the end of the day to stay up to watch Mad Men, here’s a recap. This was back when women were expected to be seen and not heard; stay at home to bear and raise the children; have a hot meal ready for the hard-working breadwinner of the family when he came home at night; and if the breadwinner decided to stay out all night living out his Hugh Hefner fantasies, the woman accepted this as fair leisure time for which the man worked so hard. These were the days when, if the woman broke free of the home apron strings for a career, then she was expected to settle for wages payable at $.49 for every dollar her male counterpart earned and be a good sport when the boss (usually male in those days) would take the liberty of slapping her playfully on the arse.
Oh, THOSE patriarchal values! Yes, as in values from the Stone Age!
Both O’Donnell’s and Angle’s statements on health care reform and big government are part of the tired mantra we have heard from the tea party people this year. Their shared stand on a woman’s right to choose is frightening...medieval frightening. Angle believes that rape victims should not be able to get an abortion. She has been noted as saying that rape victims should see their pregnancies to full term because it is “part of God’s plan”. She argues that in this way victims could make “a lemon situation into lemonade”.
Oh, there’s a yummy sound bite! Comparing a violent assault to a sweet, summertime treat! It’s enough to make me wanna pucker!
Any pregnancy resulting from forced sexual intercourse is just the tip of the punishment the victim must endure. The emotional and psychological damage is far more reaching, and usually unseen by those close to the victim. Many women would exercise the choice (oh, there’s that awful “c” word again) and keep the baby. Others, however, might resent the idea that they are required to carry a child by someone who violated them through to birth.
The rape victim could terminate the pregnancy themselves, and thus further endanger their lives. Would O’Donnell and company see such a casualty as acceptable, collateral damage? If every possible option is considered, then we should not discount the idea of suicide. The accidental mother could end her suffering and stop the life of the unborn child.
This is an ugly scenario, but it is always a possibility.
Thus it is with this and other conservative issues that these female bears are pushing forward to Election Day, even as their ideas threaten to push society backwards. They rail against big government, but when it comes to outlawing a woman’s right to choose, big government intrusion suits them just fine. Confused? You’re not alone! I can’t figure out this hypocrisy either, but it is quite common on the right side of the political spectrum.
(Thank you for reading. Please remember, tea with honey feels good on the throat, but beware! It can also draw hungry bears with big, nasty teeth!)
Both are aggressive, charismatic, and take full advantage of the American political system to gain power. Bear in mind: this is the same political system which would have prohibited them from getting close to a ballot box 100 years ago. They are part of the New Feminist voices heralded by the conservative pundits. Make no mistake - these are not the bra-burning rebels of yore who advocated for reproductive rights and economic equality. Rather, they are pushing values going back further to the days when American society was decidedly patriarchal.
We all remember those days, don’t we? Well, for those of us who have forgotten our history, or are just too damn tired at the end of the day to stay up to watch Mad Men, here’s a recap. This was back when women were expected to be seen and not heard; stay at home to bear and raise the children; have a hot meal ready for the hard-working breadwinner of the family when he came home at night; and if the breadwinner decided to stay out all night living out his Hugh Hefner fantasies, the woman accepted this as fair leisure time for which the man worked so hard. These were the days when, if the woman broke free of the home apron strings for a career, then she was expected to settle for wages payable at $.49 for every dollar her male counterpart earned and be a good sport when the boss (usually male in those days) would take the liberty of slapping her playfully on the arse.
Oh, THOSE patriarchal values! Yes, as in values from the Stone Age!
Both O’Donnell’s and Angle’s statements on health care reform and big government are part of the tired mantra we have heard from the tea party people this year. Their shared stand on a woman’s right to choose is frightening...medieval frightening. Angle believes that rape victims should not be able to get an abortion. She has been noted as saying that rape victims should see their pregnancies to full term because it is “part of God’s plan”. She argues that in this way victims could make “a lemon situation into lemonade”.
Oh, there’s a yummy sound bite! Comparing a violent assault to a sweet, summertime treat! It’s enough to make me wanna pucker!
Any pregnancy resulting from forced sexual intercourse is just the tip of the punishment the victim must endure. The emotional and psychological damage is far more reaching, and usually unseen by those close to the victim. Many women would exercise the choice (oh, there’s that awful “c” word again) and keep the baby. Others, however, might resent the idea that they are required to carry a child by someone who violated them through to birth.
The rape victim could terminate the pregnancy themselves, and thus further endanger their lives. Would O’Donnell and company see such a casualty as acceptable, collateral damage? If every possible option is considered, then we should not discount the idea of suicide. The accidental mother could end her suffering and stop the life of the unborn child.
This is an ugly scenario, but it is always a possibility.
Thus it is with this and other conservative issues that these female bears are pushing forward to Election Day, even as their ideas threaten to push society backwards. They rail against big government, but when it comes to outlawing a woman’s right to choose, big government intrusion suits them just fine. Confused? You’re not alone! I can’t figure out this hypocrisy either, but it is quite common on the right side of the political spectrum.
(Thank you for reading. Please remember, tea with honey feels good on the throat, but beware! It can also draw hungry bears with big, nasty teeth!)
posted by todd gunther | 6:36 AM
2 Comments:
Another penetrating article (no pun intended)! But the fact-checker in me offers this correction: Ms. O'Donnell's first name is Christine, not Kathleen!
I hope wise voters will make "Mama Grizzlies" an endangered species!
American society is still patriarchal. Why else did a pretty, perky little thing like Christine O'Donnell get support to go on the ballot in the first place, and who is giving her enough money to run a campaign? That segment of the population with their brains below their belts who were so dazzled that they didn't think to ask a few questions about her background. Same for Sharon Angle. And Sarah Palin. There are thoughtful, intelligent women out there who should be politically active but they keep getting appointed to the hospitality committee instead of the policy committee.
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