It has become clear to me that the left-wing in this country is absolutely not the least bit interested in allowing people, especially women, to be free to make their own choices in life.
Surprised? I can understand why since the left likes to cloak its positions in the language of "choice" and in opposition to government intrusion into what are "private matters" but don't be fooled. The left has an orthodoxy no less rigid than the fiercest Puritan only with a lot more self-indulgence.
This strict idea of how people should behave is particularly acute when it comes to the role of women. The latest in a seemingly endless string of examples comes in an excellent post by Randy in Richmond at Fairly Conservative. It is comedian Tina Fey during her acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Prize:
And, you know, politics aside, the success of Sarah Palin and women like her is good for all women – except, of course –those who will end up, you know, like, paying for their own rape ‘kit ‘n’ stuff,” Fey said. “But for everybody else, it’s a win-win. Unless you’re a gay woman who wants to marry your partner of 20 years – whatever. But for most women, the success of conservative women is good for all of us. Unless you believe in evolution. You know – actually, I take it back. The whole thing’s a disaster.Now Fey intends this to be funny, and it is. That doesn't make it any less damning.
The message here for women is clear. If you consider yourself a conservative you are a fool. Fey, and those of like mind, can't fathom that a woman might have thought and read about the issues facing our country and come to the conclusion that a conservative approach is the right one. The only explanation they can admit for such an outcome is one that has the woman playing the role of duped victim yet again. How sexist is that?
This attitude extends beyond politics, of course, right up and into the home. It can't permit that a woman might find satisfaction in a loving and respectful marriage between equals with different roles, in the care and raising of children, and in the successful management of a household. The message that so many on the left seem to have imbibed from modern feminism is that all of these things represent oppression, and no woman could ever freely choose these.
Adding to the hidden nature of this liberal orthodoxy is it enforcement mechanism. While no less coercive, it is infinitely more subtle. Its transmission is through the culture itself. From books, televisions, magazines and now blogs, the message is loud and clear: There is only one role for women and it is not to serve in the traditional roles of wife and mother, it is to be as much like men as possible. Bombarded with this attitude in the popular culture, is it any wonder that so many women have adopted it and in turn proclaim it in coffee shops, conference rooms, and even our churches?
This attitude is, of course, most harmful to women. Attempting to remake women in the image of men destroys what is best in women. It removes from our society those attributes particular to women, and particularly lacking in men. And, as a result, women suffer, families suffer, and the nation suffers.
I'm not surprised people on the left think everyone ought to live like them. A belief that others ought to be just like us is probably just part of our human condition. As such, the left should just drop the charade that they want women to be free to make their own choices. What they really want is women to emulate the lives of the left-wing elite. You have to wonder just who do they think is going to clean the hotel rooms of and pour the coffee for all the powerful and privileged while they hammer away at the glass ceiling. And while those sheets are changed and tables cleared, who do they think will care for the children of the women doing so?
So the next time someone tells you the right-wing in this country seeks to control the private lives of its citizens, be sure to tell them maybe that's true, but it's no less true of the left. The only problem is that no one on the left will admit it.
7 comments:
I can't speak on how it is today but two years ago I attended a Palin only rally here and they had to turn people away. But what caught my eye was that the ratio of attendees was about 8 to 1 female to male. But beyond that was the many hundreds of young girls carrying Palin signs they had made themselves and wearing badges with pit bulls and lipstick. It was a thrill for me to watch these women and young girls listen intently as Palin spoke. I remember likening it to the first few times I heard Rush and thought omg , there's someone else who belives like I do. And I remembered this on election night as conservative women all across America won and lost, much because of being inspired by Sarah Palin. It kills the left because she has a joy in her life while still being the everything mom--not perfect but loving life. Women like Fey have so much bitterness there's no room for joy.
First off Fey doesn't speak for the vast majority of liberals so you would be wise to leave the generalities for talk radio.
"You have to wonder just who do they think is going to clean the hotel rooms of and pour the coffee for all the powerful and privileged while they hammer away at the glass ceiling. And while those sheets are changed and tables cleared, who do they think will care for the children of the women doing so?"
Believe it or not, maybe a man Jeremy. Maybe a man who's "man" enough to do a "woman's" job, no?
Look, THIS liberal's wife busts out 12 hour shifts, 2 days a week so she can perform her "traditional" duties as a mother and wife, put some additional bread on the table AND live a productive life OUTSIDE of the home. By HER choice and mine. Such is the case for millions of households throughout this country. And in many cases, the household doesn't skip a beat because the so-called "traditional" duties are simply done by the man of the house. In this day and age, there is very little in the home that cannot be done by men. Very little. The idea of "traditional" is a distant relic kept alive by forces that have themselves, become outdated and unable to adapt to life outside of dark ages.
There is no reason why, in today's world, women cannot be mother, wife and breadwinner all at the same time. And if they choose not to take advantage of opportunities outside the home, then most "liberals" have NO problem with that whatsoever.
Could you ask for a more perfect comment to this post than Mr. Strupp's?!?
He gives (passive aggressive) lip service to CHOICE:
"And if they choose not to take advantage of opportunities outside the home, then most "liberals" have NO problem with that whatsoever."
While at the same time agreeing with Ms. Fey (even though he says she doesn't speak for the vast majority of liberals):
"The idea of 'traditional' is a distant relic kept alive by forces that have themselves, become outdated and unable to adapt to life outside of dark ages."
I LOVE it!!
Keep livin' the lie, Mr. Strupp! Keep livin' the lie!
Im not sure how that comment was passive aggressive.
Let's see. In your quote, Fey ridicules Palin's (supposed) decision to make women pay for their own rape testing kits. She ridicules those opposed to gay marriage. She ridicules creationists. Picking apart the joke might make it less funny, but here goes. Arguably, the premise of her joke is extending the usual "any women's success is good for all women" feel-good turn of speech. People might assume Fey is liberal; she might surprise them by such open-armed praise. The joke, of course, is listing the exceptions, the obvious reasons why Palin isn't to be taken seriously, why she is opposed to the succcess of women or the success of reason. You think she's only telling conservative women that they're fools? I think she's ridiculing the anti-gay and anti-evolution positions taken by anyone. How open-armed of her!
What kind of short-sighted patriarchal roles are you advocating? There's much to be done in raising a family. Are you suggesting there's only one divine plan to how that work will be done? That there's women's work and men's work? I can't change a diaper or do the laundry or clean the kitchen? She can't mow the lawn? Tina said nothing about these roles.
Strupp - Fey doesn't speak for liberals, her speech reveals their thinking. A thinking which by all outward appearances she shares.
John - Agreed there is much to be done in raising a family. I believe the overwhelming message coming from the left is that such work is not as valuable as work done outside the home. Such a message disproportionately affects women since it is their traditional roles that have been devalued.
I think you're tremendously out of touch on this issue. You appear to be caught up in culture-war hysteria. Surely by now you must've seen counter-examples. I suspect you tossed them because they didn't fit your world-view.
There's a left-wing doctrine that says women need to emulate Tina Fey? That Tina Fey represents some liberal viewpoint that saturates all culture and media? Except Fox News. Except Branson, Missouri. Well, really most of the South. And much of the Midwest. And good chunks of the West. And 98% of country music. You know – actually, I take it back.
The average - and common - breast-feeding, custom diaper-making, organic-food-eating lefty mom these days? She's not being attacked by some left-wing orthodoxy that says she needs to put on a power suit and tap that glass ceiling. If anything, they are praised for cuddling so close. It's a non-issue.
For that matter, you're out of touch with the majority of families (right or left) where both partners are working because they believe they can't make it or are less secure on just one salary.
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