Committed feminists nationwide seem to be agonizing over the choice between Clinton and Obama. On the one hand, Senator Clinton represents everything they've struggled for, so long with such limited success, such endless frustration. Her election would make a statement like a flag planted on the moon. On the other hand Obama is likely to get the nomination; and between the gender-equality positions of McCain and Obama, the feminist choice is pretty inescapable.
Herewith, an observation from a lifelong feminist – a timid and tentative suggestion because, lacking the appropriate chromosomes and elastic fixtures, I should probably speak no more for the female experience than for the black. Taking my virtual life in my hands, then....
Feminism is a single issue, an issue like religion, the environment, or ethnic justice. Affecting more than half our citizens, it is second only to environment in its universal importance. Nevertheless, feminism is still a single issue, and single-issue politics has, over the past 50 years, changed our republic from a group of communities into to a battlefield dotted with armed and fortified camps. Historically, those communities cooperated imperfectly and some were excluded completely from influence and even simple justice; but the concept was there (remember the quaint phrase "melting pot?") and we carried out our civic business, foreign and domestic, with unquestionable success overall, even admitting glaring areas of failure.
But now, single-issue advocacy is, at best, impeding our social processes, and, at worst, justifying criminal behavior (the right-to-life extremists) or shooting our nation in the foot (the Green derailment of the 2000 Gore election).
Whatever else his policies, Senator Obama's fundamental message is that we cannot pull out of this national mess unless we rise above single issues. No matter how pressing they are, no matter how long they've been fought for, no matter how right their values, single issues have divided us almost fatally. Obama does not want us to ignore these issues or demote their civic importance, but he does want us to focus on the critical problems that all of us face alike, problems that we must solve together and solve now, or else watch our beloved country fall to pieces.
In doing this, we can reassert the goals of our Founding Persons: to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. And, I would add, to revive the broad collaboration essential to reaching those goals. To succeed, we cannot think first as feminists (or greens or Christians or...). We must start thinking as Americans.
A career video professional, Jim Stinson is the author of Video: Digital Communication and Production. He lives with his wife in their empty nest in Portland, OR.
I am a commited feminist, and I don't agonize because I don't even have to give up my ''single issue'' to vote in this coming election- First, keep in mind that what you call a ''single issue'' is of concern to roughly 53% of the US population. Second, I can vote according to my feminist principles because there are a few basic feminist notions which are very clear to me: - sexism is not something that affects males only and - being a woman does not equate with being a feminist.
Conversely, some men are more sincerely feminist than many women out there; there is no doubt in my mind that Obama is more feminist than Phyllis Schlafly, or even Hillary Clinton, who does not care for womankind, but only for herself anyway.
Realizing that makes my choice easy.
by
francine (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 164 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 5:28:01 AM
I'm glad your construing of feminism doesn't preclude voting for Obama. If it did, however...?
As I acknowledged, feminism is second only to environment in the percentage of the population it relates to. But however widespread, a single issue is still a single issue -- whatever it might be -- and taking all voting and other civic action cues exclusively from one issue is limiting and divisive. I tried to emphasize that rising above single issues does not mean abandoning them, but rather, factoring all the important issues into decision making. I yield to no one in my feminist beliefs, but in the present case, I think it's more important to elect an Obama than to elect a female -- or a black, for that matter.
by
Jim Stinson (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 50 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 3:22:54 PM
I am a father who had his children kidnapped away from me by a feminist who filed false charges against me- a good father- like all feminists are trained to do.
Today I have my children back and the mother is bouncing in and out of jail, court, rehab, and other problems of her own making.
Today, I blame the feminist movement for the destruction of our way of life. Our patriarchial way of life that has been since man appeared upon this planet is being destroyed by feminism.
To me feminism is not about equality. It is about overturning men in power. It is about reversing this and putting women in power- not equal, but in power over us. And this MUST be stopped at all costs!!! So unite fathers and children and let's win this one for US!
My experience with feminism and feminists is that they are hateful hatefilled creatures that DO NOT represent all women thank god!
Because of the situation inside America of women taking children away from good fathers with false accusations and no accountability for false accusations... and because fathers are robbed of their homes, their children, their incomes all because some woman wants out or more than one man in her life, often with false allegations she destroys the family and the lives of the children and the father all because of her selfishness.
If I could I would eliminate feminism from this planet gladly.
On behalf of my beautiful children recovered from hell, I will never again support any feminist or any political movement that gives women any special priviliges or rights above a man and father.
Until the playing field is truly equal, feminism is a destructive force of negativity that should be eradicated from this planet.
I will vote for Obama BECAUSE Hillary is a feminist.
Fathers despise all that Hillary is and all that Hillary represents to us.
Fathers of America will show the feminists of this country exactly what we think of them in this election. We will do all we can to make sure a feminist is never elected to rule over us.
That would be the same thing as electing satan himself.
I view Hillary as hundreds of times worse than GWB could ever be. I will take GWB again over Hillary if I had no other choice.
When you take my children it is all over. Do not ever ask for any support of any kind from me ever again.
And I really don't think feminists realize the harm they caused themselves and others by hurting fathers and children with their sexist garbage.
When the millions of us harmed by feminisim vote, it will not be for sexists hell bent on destroying our way of life.
by
Levin Sheridan (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 174 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 8:24:18 AM
From your comment, it's difficult to distinguish a measured criticism of feminism from the obviously intense bitterness you feel about your personal experiences. I know nothing about these, of course, but it's fair to say that broad generalizations from limited personal experience are usually risky, to put it mildly.
For example, I've spent over 40 years in partnership with a dedicated feminist, during which we have both pursued careers, raised a pair of good kids, and remained mutually loving and committed. But I would never assert that our single experience was a validation of the whole system of feminist values. By the same token, I don't think you can say that feminism has ben in-validated by yours.
by
Jim Stinson (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 50 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 3:39:17 PM
You are one of the few! I could never say something like that! I know it can go both ways, but from my own personal experiences, I have witnessed the negative impact of feminism in my home, in the work place, and in government.
I shall remain affected by it forever, and not by my own choice.
This article was about rising above single-issue politics, and for me and Hillary it simply is not possible. Feminism IS the single issue driving my politics concerning her.
I view Hillary as a wolf in sheep's clothing. And because of three long years I was not able to see my children, I will never again vote for any feminist and that is just the way it goes I suppose.
For some feminism may be good. For me, it was not.
And I hope Hillary gets stomped at ballot box because of this single issue.
She lost my vote because of it.
KG
by
Levin Sheridan (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 174 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:20:37 PM
...the political wind shift into an ugly direction. Book Obama 'audacity of hope'
K.G. No way that this man can be president of these US of A
read the spot in his book page 251 or 261 and many other reasons
unbelievable even how he got his security clearance and how he wants to hold such clearance level, too much dishonesty , K.G. my vote(s) my followers are music and dance people , have to go to the man
who can exactly explain to me the course of action in ME and the WHY to it
look in Forums like " What is the best US Course of action " "iran"
Because the way things are NOW ,170.000 traped in a bad foottrap
when they really seriously getting ready to leave, Their vehicles will be shot
/disabled/destroyed and their personal freedom may become subject to
undisclosed locations in IRANQ
Then all the best help we can exept from proud dipl. smooth talk obama , he can get the ones free that voted for him and were deployed there at the disasterious time.
by
hlg (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 79 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:42:07 PM
K.G. You should have used your head in time , you were right but late . Never
give away your kids to a mom at fault. I make audio video tape, i secure evidence for each family fight that comes up. I stay with the kids no matter what.If wives are perfide , unthoughtful or conduct intrigies via the kids,be
available to prove the unhealthy path. The home is Yours , the kids are Yours. Protect the wife , it is about hormones , stress and the nervious system many times is stretched to the breaking point .
They in most cases are not man haters , they only totally lose interest
in a man respectively in any or all men(exept rich AND generious).They become asexual.You may have to live in the dog house. but never away from
calling /walking distance from your kids.
Then we got the Lawyers , of course , they bring the fights to the cashier desks, they talk the mom's into the craziest maneuvers, you would believe what i have seen so far , i am now 60
By the way see my comment in your comment of last weekend
about "course of action "Iran
by
hlg (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 79 comments)
on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 11:10:26 PM
hlg, it sounds like to me you don't think I should vote for Obama because you think he supports the muslems?
At this point in America's decline into a country I no longer recognize, I could care less where Obama came from or who he may support. I would rather have him for president than a feminist any day of the week.
I lost my children for three years because of feminism. I was nearly injured in the work place because of feminism.
Here inside America I am not personally having a problem with any muslems. I am having a real hard time with our domestic terrorists though- the feminists. They are here and now inside America and destroying this country. Hillary is one of them.
I will never vote for any human who takes children away from fathers and that is what Hillary represents to me. She is a child kidnapper who does not believe in the family. She thinks a village should raise our children.
I am voting for Obama because of Hillary and because of feminism.
This single issue is behind the votes of millions of fathers and kidnapped children who did not want their mothers alienating them from their fathers. It is not the mother's unjust choice any more- those days are over.
Payback is coming to this country in many forms. And the first thing we can do is send Hillary Clinton back to NYC to serve her banker masters and NOT further destroy my nation with her socialism and feminism as president.
KG
by
Levin Sheridan (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 174 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 5:38:54 AM
"Conversely, some men are more sincerely feminist than many women out there; there is no doubt in my mind that Obama is more feminist than Phyllis Schlafly, or even Hillary Clinton..."
This is something I can not even conceive of. I do not know what a feminist man is. Feminized yes, but feminist? NO WAY!
As a man I have absolutely NO comprehension for this statement. Until now I had never even considered that a man could even be feminist.
I do not see Obama as a feminist and do not see how he can be one.
Supporting equality for women does not make a man a feminist.
I support equality for women, but I am no feminist.
And I don't think a man can be a feminist. Feminism is something that comes out of women from their intense dissatisfaction at living within a society where men are on top and where men are leaders. Any woman who despises this is exhibiting feminist characteristics.
I do not think it is possible for this kind of intense hatred for all things male to even come out of a male. Feminism can not exist inside a man like it can inside of a female. Feminism is a female characteristic of a socially corrupted female in my opinion. An anti-social creature by thought choice.
We do think differently and -we are most definitely NOT equal- since I can not bridge the gap to even comprehend how a woman can consider a man a feminist! It just boggles my mind.
KG
by
Levin Sheridan (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 5 diaries, 174 comments)
on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 5:51:54 AM
Folks, you have every right to your own judgments on feminism and I defend to the death your right to express them. But could I respectfully ask you to direct your comments to my subject (single-issue voting) rather than my example (feminism). My small piece was not about feminism as a value system, but only as a single-issue motivation to vote for someone. I could have made the argument about racism, environment, Christian values, or any of several other preoccupations.
by
Jim Stinson (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 50 comments)
on Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 2:03:15 PM
