February 13th, 2009
It turns out that I’m not the first one to think of putting this on a t-shirt. Oh well; I wasn’t going to capitalize on it anyway.
Did they take my idea, or did I take theirs?
Feministing has posted some of the dumbest comments they’ve received about contributor Courtney E Martin’s recent appearance on the O’Reilly Factor (complete with melodramatic feedback such as, “an attack on one feminist is an attack on all of us”). A sampling of their sampling (original typos included):
“I love your juttting lower jaw and crooked face. You have a face for a writer.”
“…I would toss you to the predators. I would trade you to the predators. I would betray you to the predators. I would NOT want you to pass on your weak genetics.”
“Hey Thin Lips -
You are a typical feminist, very possibly a dyke, and (predictably) you totally lack a sense of humor. But don’t worry, sweetie, you’ll find a husband/wife eventually. There’s gotta someone out there who will find you attractive.”
Assuming they’re legitimate (one can never tell in today’s age of victim ideology) these statements are disturbing because they’re clearly coming from the right—no one outflanks feminists on the left. I’m not bothered by the prospect of these words being used to make conservatives look bad. We’ll all be portrayed as knuckle-dragging misogynists no matter how we confront left-wing women. The problem with comments like these is that they reflect an inability to keep one’s emotions in check. Wrath is an indulgence. Lashing out at someone by calling them a dyke (or worse) isn’t empowering, but a sign of desperation. Grow up.
I don’t mean to sound uptight. I don’t subscribe to the “blunt object” versus “scalpel” school of thought. The abolition of blunt weaponry leaves few tools for satire and sarcasm. But rhetorical broadswords need to be used in an appropriate context to even have a chance of landing any blows. Besides, any self-proclaimed progressive with enough self-awareness to title a column, “Obama is not a God,” deserves at least one sincere argument.
NPR’s hyper-conventional audience is up in arms over Fox News/NPR contributor Juan Williams again (Last August, he opined that Michelle Obama sometimes utilizes a “kind of militant anger”). This time it’s for calling the First Lady a potential liability because she instinctively plays the victim card and blames America. Particularly spicy was his comparison of her to the late Stokely Carmichael, a Marxist black separatist who coined the term “black power.” Obviously this is much too colorful for NPR, but anyone who cares to follow Mr. Williams should know he appears in forums which allow for this type of frank conversation.
Even if the radical activist comparison was over the top, Williams has a strong case. Mrs. Obama’s idiosyncrasies don’t just bedevil her husband through her occasional sharing of bulletin board material, such as when she called America “downright mean,” or ill-advisedly commented about being proud of her country for the first time as an adult; she has a marked defensive streak, as evidenced in this NewsBusters video. Defensiveness is harmful because it’s a universally off-putting trait. It gives the impression that one is liable to take offense to anything; hence the First Lady risks stigmatizing the White House with a prickly manner that undermines her grace. In an era where every personality flaw can be magnified and distributed in seconds, Mrs. Obama’s attitude is a legitimate concern that’s being overlooked amidst the outrage directed at Williams.
NPR listeners have sent 56 “angry” e-mails and counting about the incident, but even Alicia C. Shepard, NPR’s ombudsman, recognizes the possibility that the outcry may have nothing to do with what Juan Williams actually says, only that he’s on Fox News. Perhaps in light of this, NPR decided to preserve their relationship with Juan Williams, only requesting that Fox quit identifying Williams as part of NPR. Fox News effortlessly obliged.
As I am typing this, Continental Airlines flight 3047 has crashed into a house in Clarence, New York, which is northeast of Buffalo. 49 people died from the crash, including everyone onboard the plane. Please say a prayer for all who have been affected by this tragedy.
Cross-posted at Modern Conservative