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I've written on sexism and politics with regard to Hilary Clinton. Now, I'm addressing the subject as it relates to Sarah Palin. I find this article rather disturbing:
Matt Damon: Sarah Palin Presidency Would Be Like a 'Really Bad Disney Movie'
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Actor Matt Damon said a Sarah Palin presidency would be like "a really bad
Disney movie.""I think there's a really good chance Sarah Palin could become
president, and I think that's a really scary thing," he told the Associated
Press, referring to the Republican vice presidential nominee.
Click here to see the Damon video
Damon suggested the odds are John McCain won't survive his first term."It's
like a really bad Disney movie," he said. "The hockey mom, you know, 'Oh, I'm
just a hockey mom'... and she's facing down [Russian] President Putin... It's
totally absurd... It's a really terrifying possibility."
Damon also said he believes she was chosen for "political purposes."
Last month, the actor told Conde Nast Traveler he fears putting his foot in
his mouth.
"For a lot of actors, our biggest fear is that we're going to start talking
about things we don't fully understand and sound like idiots," he said. "In the
long run, I'll do much more good if, when I open my mouth, I have something
worth saying."
Talk about putting his foot in his mouth! His statement implies that he thinks that because she's a "hockey mom," she can't handle herself in international politics. It's a sexist statement, but it probably reflects the thoughts of many regarding women in prominent positions. In my practice, I've been suprised at how often I encounter clients who think that a male attorney will be able to negotiate better with a tough defense attorney. These generalizations are incredibly sexist and flat out wrong. A hockey mom can be a strong person capable of handling herself in an international arena. If you decide to vote against her because you disagree with her politics, that's fine. However, if you decide to vote against her because you think that a "hockey mom" generally is not capable of handling herself in the office of President or Vice-President, then that is just sad. A hockey mom can be a strong and intelligent person who happens also to be a wife and a mother. Being a wife and a mother of kids who play sports should not disqualify a person from holding public office. The ability of a person should perform a job should depend on her strengths, training, experience, and personality and not on her sex. I once thought that we were past this issue, but my experience has taught me otherwise. GRRR!
5 comments:
well said!
I read this in the paper this morning and my mouth just dropped open. I guess he's never seen a "hockey mom" get fired up when she feels strongly about an issue. Or how a "hockey mom" can do 15 things at one time while barely breaking a sweat. I second the Grrrrr!
Yuck, I hadn't heard this! Actors tick me off when they start talking about stuff they don't know about! I wonder how his wife (a new mom) feels about his statement? I do wonder if he was referring more to her lack of experience than a general incapability, but either way, that definitely came-out wrong!!!!!
I think if she were a hockey mom and qualified to lead this country, it could be construed as a sexist joke. But the fact that she is a hockey mom alone does not qualify her to become VP. I think most hockey moms would agree with that. (And I find it disturbing that she's been lying about so many things. I think it's important to have politicians be up front with the American people. So many people have been dying in the Iraq war and we're spending $10 billion a month over there, and the entire war is based on lies from the Bush administration. We really cannot continue down this path. The country is becoming bankrupt. The Bush administration has created one of the biggest deficits ever (the Chinese will be taking us over).
Anonymous, I think you missed the point of my post. Matt Damon appeared to be saying that a hockey mom was not qualified to lead the country because she was a hockey mom. He seems to think that a hockey mom couldn't handle Putin. My post was to address the perception that people have regarding the capability of women to handle certain situations. Whether she's a hockey mom has no bearing on her capability to lead this country. As I stated, "The ability of a person [to] perform a job should depend on her strengths, training, experience, and personality and not on her sex."
Honestly, I think that all of the candidates are guilty of lying. I disapprove of it, but that's how politics seem to work here.
I do not believe, however, that the Iraq war was the result of lies from the Bush administration. Republicans and Democrats alike believed Hussein was in possession of WMDs. What they disagreed on was how to handle the situation. What a short memory we have!
Further, the deficit is the result of Congress spending more money than it has. Congress holds the purse strings, so don't put all the blame for that on the President.
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