so, about palin.

[keryx]

I am bothered by some of the gender-focused rhetoric about Palin. I am also - don't mistake me here - bothered by her.

But. I've heard the "if Palin gets the votes for McCain, that means women are crazy and irrational and vote for people who are like them" argument. Well. DUH. Everyone votes a little bit irrationally. How else do you think Bush II got elected [Meaning, whatever you think about his politics, one of his selling points in his first campaign was personableness.]?

This seems like yet another way of accusing women of being the sole owners of a trait that is a) human and b) not inherently that bad. It's not wrong to vote for someone in part because they're relatable. In many ways being human and genuine makes a person better at leading.

Palin is human and genuine and believes a lot of things I find DEEPLY DISTURBING AND WRONG. But I don't think people/women who agree with her and also think she'd make a nice party guest are being irrational, hysterical wimminfolk. They're just being people I disagree with.

Comments

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

I think people who would vote for McCain strictly because Palin is a woman ARE being irrational. Because they are basing their vote on some emotional whatever. I can understand why some people might fall into that but it doesn't mean they are rational human beings, no matter what their gender.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard anyone say they were voting for her only because she's female. I suspect that's a new urban legend. They're voting for her because they lean Republican AND she's a woman.

NO ONE is a rational human being. I'm not saying we're all ruled entirely by emotion, but emotion and logical thought are the same basic processes, and we all get all of them.

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

You expected anything different?

I completely agree with you, and at the same time there was never any other way this was going to go.

[momsmilkrules.livejournal.com]

Good points. She has some charisma doesn't she? I'm with you on the deeply disturbing and wrong:/

[peregrin8.livejournal.com]

I do think anyone who would support her is being irrational. Irrational humanfolk. But that's me talking as an atheist.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

Okay, then you are allowed to call her supporters irrational. I accept your reasoning. :)

[tupelo.livejournal.com]

I disagree with her on a lot of issues.

One thing that's bugging me is how much sexist rhetoric her opponents are using. It sounds like a big double standard to me. A well-known feminist writer used a lap dance analogy. If anyone on the other side had trotted that out for Hilary there would have been an outcry. It almost seems like the rationale is that because she is pretty it's okay to pull out the sexist slurs, which is all kinds of wrong.

[moongirli.livejournal.com]

I am finding I have a bad reaction to her, as well, and I fully realize it's irrational... Just looking at her picture (which has happened a lot this week because I am processing magazines), I kind of recoil.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Well-spotted.

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, don't get me started. The anti-Palin rhetoric is as galling to me as the pro-Palin rhetoric, which is pretty galling!