IMAGE SOURCE: secretaryclinton.wordpress.com
By Anita Stewart for Challenging the Rhetoric and Wise Women Media
“I have never heard her say anything worthwhile,” ~ Ilona Watzlawick
There is an ongoing battle and deepening divide between feminists these days. There are gay and straight feminists, liberal and radical feminists, feminists that are armchair warriors or keyboard cowgirls telling everyone else what they should be doing. Others are in the corporate world working the nine to five. This article is peppered with comments from women who consider themselves to be feminists but won’t vote for a woman just because she is a woman. What’s more is they are definitely not voting for Hillary in 2016.
“Well Hillary is certainly not my favorite choice, simply because she is so entitled all the way to her blue blooded bones! I also dislike her because she is so mainstream ingrained..her fairly basic core conservatism…even though she appears to be a liberal. I don’t like her because I’ll bet the bitch has never done her own hair in her life!” ~ Sarah P.
And then there are those feminists that don’t attach a label to themselves but are quietly doing the work that feminists do. For example: working within their communities helping other women and families, aiding the poor and sick, working in community gardens, volunteering at their churches, fighting for equal wages and fair working conditions. These women are calling out inequality when they see it.
Recent Feminist History
It’s important to not forget the pioneers of feminism. Those that have led the way doing great work like Gloria Steinem and Eve Ensler. Let’s also give kudos to Sandy Oestreich who has been working on the Equal Rights Amendment for years (an amendment that needs only three more states to sign on in order for it to become law) … shouldn’t today’s feminists make sure these other women’s work is done? Indeed, some younger women (millennials for the most part) think that this work has already been completed.
“Vince Foster and Benghazi are the top 2 reasons I will not be voting for her…and the list goes on,” ~ Ella M.
Wouldn’t all women like to be making the same wages as their male counterparts? In most US households, the women are the bread-winners, after all!
“No way. She has sold out to Monsanto and Israel. She is onboard with the TPP and supports the continuation of resource theft and the loss of life that goes with it, across the globe,” ~ Michelle Dalnoky, RN, BA.
One of the widest divides with feminists these days is based on the following question: “Are you in?” Simply a popular and recycled meme from the Obama 2012 re-election campaign. And these: are you a feminist? Or: are you voting for Hillary in 2016?
“Not voting for Hitlery, Jeb Bush, Cruz, or any other Rockefeller/Rothschild mass murdering puppets!” ~ Elaine Dietrich-Nichols
Some feminists think that voting for Hillary is a good thing; that it will “shatter the glass ceiling,” while unrealistically thinking Hillary will work on women’s rights and equality issues if she takes office.
“Hillary is just another cog in the perpetual machine that has been destroying humanity and reaches to destroy all life on the Earth Mother… for profits held in greedy hands of few. War is their ultimate tool of statecraft.” ~ Gwendolyn Holden Barry
Others, are vehemently against voting for her. They would like to vote for a woman, “but not THAT woman!”
“Let me start by stating the obvious for anyone who knows me. I am decidedly over the Democratic Party. That said, I look at every candidate according to their merit, not the letter by their name. I will not be voting for Hillary Clinton for myriad reasons. First of all, the trend of legacy voting – entitled families that seem to be revered as “born rulers” – is eerily reminiscent of the Nobles of old, if not the tradition of Royalty. Bushes, Clintons…out of the millions of great minds that could contribute to this country, why do these certain clans have an edge? Second, I will not be exploited by gender-baiting. This society still carries gross inequality for females, but equality means being judged by merit – and Hillary has made her bona-fides by bowing to the patriarchal, capitalist, militaristic rule that all feminists should revile. I will not be fooled by her false tears, cookie making comments, or any other acting she does to reach women. She is about power, she is about personal power at any cost. It is not an admirable trait in any gender; it is a dangerous trait in a leader. Third, and most important is her record. She started as a Young Republican through college, and her voting record pretty much stays true to the course she then steered. She is an absolute HAWK when it comes to foreign policy. She actually was more aggressive than Gates, pressing for more escalation in Afghanistan, intervention in Syria (arms and money) and attacking Libya. She has no empathy for the Palestinians and staunchly supports the far-right regime in Israel. She may as well sing along with McCain on the horrible rendition of “Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran!” Her contributors read like a who’s who of the Military Industrial Complex. Domestically, she is staunchly for the surveillance state, and wants Edward Snowden’s head on a platter. She was for every “welfare for the rich” bailout there was. She often is called for paid speaking engagements at our largest financial institutions, where she charms them and assures them she is on their side. Personally? I think that playing the good cop/bad cop game has no validity. A baseball player doesn’t play for your team, he plays for the owners. You can see that after every trade. Our politicians are much the same. It is time to vote [Third Party] or have these parties and the people invested in them lose their own egos and combine into a People’s Party, no matter the name and vote for people who truly have all of our best interests in mind. I have to vote my conscience. Hillary is a snake. I cannot, will not. Ever.” ~ Diane Gee.
The White House Years And Beyond
Why do some think Hillary Clinton is anything close to a feminist? Before the White House she was an attorney succeeding in a man’s world and she had many skeletons in her closet. Once in the White House she was “standing by her man,” even though his out of marriage liaisons and public cheating were legendary and all over media. Anything that came to her after the White House years — such as her elected positions and her previous run for president in 2008, were only remarkable because she seemed to move comfortably within the good ‘ole boy network and was known for her hard-line take on the issues, her corporate alliances and her unwavering support for the wars and occupations.
What We Won’t Get By Voting For Her
The general consensus among many women, including so-called feminists, is that voting for Hillary in 2016 will just bring us more of the same that we’ve had over the past years; more war, more corporate favoritism, more hand-outs and bail-outs to the rich, and more poor, sick and suffering. A lack of human rights, healthcare, clean water, pure food, breathable air, a green environment, renewable energy and so much more are still the things we need.
Women — especially those who consider themselves to be feminists [of any label] should be concerned. Why would women want to vote en masse for another woman who seems to have few concerns for the issues that are so important to us?
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