Comments on: Dick Armey Lives Up to First Name w/ ‘Overboard’ Sexist Remarks on Hardball

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 02:37:39 +0000

Kritt – I was on the phone with someone today and they said to me that really didn't realize just how bad Matthews was until they saw a video of a string of media sexism stuff and read some things from Media Matters. Now, Media Matthers make take a job at these things with its spin, but you really cannot change the video and the words coming from the talking heads' themselves. It's really shocking and shocking that it's done in public like this. I really fear for what we don't see!

By: kritt11

kritt11 — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:55:00 +0000

The guy sounds like a real Neanderthal– and really there was no need to get so personal and so nasty.

Joan Walsh is very liberal, but is unfailingly civil about it. She's been attacked before —-by Michael Reagan on MSNBC, but that time it was for her patriotism.

Matthews SHOULD have intervened— but he's almost as bad as Armey!

By: river

river — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:37:47 +0000

Thanks Jill no apology needed i often take leaps and shortcuts in my mind that i cannot readily follow. . .will follow up and read what i can find on this group, sounds good. . .i am starting to formulate plans to move to India and work with women that have returned from sexual exploitation to help integrate them back into community when i wrap-up my current project. . .

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:29:07 +0000

River – thank you for writing more on this – I re-read what I wrote it was overly snarky – I apologize, but perhaps I misread it – based on your follow-up, I apologize if I came on too strong. I'm involved in a number of listservs with women who are the most active activists in our country and some from outside who do in fact work on those issues all the time – it's from them that I've learned just how much needs to be done but also is trying to be done. If you are interested in more about such women, maybe you are already familiar with a group called the Center for New Words in MA which puts on an annual conference called Women, Action and the Media – it's an amazing gathering of women from around the world working on social justice issues. Also, I'm speaking in DC on Monday at an event that is specifically designed to bring together all “wavers” to figure out how we strengthen action against so many issues that affect women, across the globe but yes, in this country too – the event is called Fem2pt0 – you can google it and see the agenda and who'll be there etc.

Thanks for taking the time to comment – and I again apologize – I would not want to drive way your commentary.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:25:23 +0000

DLS – I assume you're addressing that to River's concerns? Because it certainly has zero to do with Dick Armey's ownership of his name.

By: DLS

DLS — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 23:12:45 +0000

And what bill did Obama sign as his first?

By: river

river — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:46:00 +0000

no Jill, was not suggesting an "either or". . stated it was similar mentality as Obama's Angels and see it as Sexism that deserves being addressed. . .

As for me, my heart is bruised by the issues i listed. . .Jill my comment was not to demean this sexiam as less than, but rather to voice the ever widening reality of sexism and how sexism is like a water circle that continues to move outward as it also embraces women of the world. . .. . .I do not see Dick Armey's or Obama's Angels unrelated to other issues concerning of women. . .

Jill you threw a stone into the pond and for me it rippled outward to the whole damn world. . . .

Glad to hear legislation has been brought forth in Ohio. . .

I seems to me that not enough is brought forth concerning the issues i listed and please forgive me for inserting them into your stream of thought if you deem them unrelated. . .I so want something to be done for the women that cannot get on world T.V. and butt heads with ones like Dick Armey or Chris Matthews. . .and i am sure you do also. . .No argument there. . .

A couple of weeks ago i watched a documentary called "A Walk to Beautiful" about the lack of gynecological care for women in Africa due to fistula and child brides and lack of nutrition. . .I am still crying for them each day. . .so part of my "prattle" is coming from seeing their faces. . .and so many more that are voiceless. . .

Thank you for you voice. . .

By: roro80

roro80 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:33:00 +0000

River — Most feminist communities do focus on a large number of issues, including the ones you listed. That doesn't mean we shouldn't shout out and call it by its name when we see blatant mysogyny in our national media. Many people don't believe we in the US live in a sexist society, which leads those people to believe issues like domestic violence, the rape culture, workplace harassment and discrepancy, family planning, etc, couldn't possibly be problems in our culture. Every time we can look at a sexist statement and call it what it is helps to disappate the belief that we're in a post-feminist world.

In other words: yes, let's work on the big problems for women the world over, while pointing out sexism whenever it's there.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:16:34 +0000

River – is anyone arguing with you that those things should not be prattled about? I'm not sure I understand your point – are you defining what your priorities are and suggesting that all women have the same list? My experience has been that we're able to push for many of these things all at the same time – whether others can manage to deal with more than one at a time seems to be the problem to me, for I know women who do in fact write about and take action on all these things you've listed out. FYI, here in Ohio, we just passed a law regarding human trafficking.

Can you leave a link to where you prattle about these things – perhaps that would serve as a better example of what you're talking about?

By: river

river — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:26:41 +0000

This is the same mentality as National Interest present cover picture of Hilary Clinton, Janet Napolitano, and Susan Rice staged like the old Charlie's Angels, Farrah Fawcett, Jacklyn Smith, and Cherly Ladd, with the front cover's bold print Obama's Angels. . .

Having seen it as the sexism that it is. . .i would so rather we would see more fire storms about much greater womens issues. . .

To name a few;

80 to 100,000 young women are brought into the U.S. each year for sexual exploitation and sexual trafficking. . . .A million world wide

the continuation of gender discrimination, such as honor killings

the systematic rape of women in countries as war strategy

the shunning of women in under developed countries because of fistulas that often occur due to child brides, nutritional deficiencies, and lack of gynecological care for women. .

and on and on. . .

These are the issues i wished women would "prattle" and DEMAND resolve. . .

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:28:45 +0000

Seriously - what must a person's filter be like if he or she believes that such a comment is acceptable - at any level?

Here are a few additional takes:

From HuffPo: Women step forward to be Armey's wife

From Feministe: And we're so damn glad he could never be our husband

By: matttbastard

matttbastard — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:57:49 +0000

Yeah, if even Tweety thinks you've gone too far with the sexism…