Two good rebuttals to my post on Cindy Sheehan. Like I said yesterday, I have said all I intend to say on the issue, and see nothing productive in restating my points. But I do want to answer a couple of "personal things from Dru:

David, you are totally contradicting yourself. First you call for Cindy Sheehan to pull up stakes now that she's made her point, and in the next paragraph you say that we have a short attention span and we don't stick with one thing long enough before moving on to the next.

I see no contradiction in my comments at all. What I said was it is time to take this to the next level. Cindy is now the defacto leader of a progressive movement. Bush is NOT going to meet with her. If that movement is to move forward it needs to focus on the issue, not on the protest.

Dru went on to say:

"Look, I also see sexism in what you are saying. I feel it in your comment about Rosa Parks "quietly going about her work." While that may have been well and good in Parks' time, it doesn't work now."

and

"And, by the way, why can't someone else do some other form of protest WHILE Cindy Sheehan is standing down in Texas? Do we really have to do one thing at a time? I'm still waiting for your brilliant political strategy that is going to end this." While you are typing, people ARE "moving on with action."

and

"I don't want you or anyone else out there who has an internalized, unexamined (gender) bias or agenda fucking it up."

To this I respond. I have about as much respect for a feminist who sees everyone who disagrees with them as sexist, as I do for an Afro American who sees everyone who disagrees with them as racist. I respect your support for Cindy. We probably agree on more than you think, but as long as the debate continues to be about labeling people because you don't agree with them, we will never find that common ground. Your tactic is no better than the people we are fighting against. As for my "brilliant solution," I don't have one. What I do have is my belief that division within progressive ranks over gender issues, immigration, you name the issue and there is probably division, is what has relegated us to also ran status. My parents knew Rosa Parks, and in the 70's I stood arm and arm with feminist in San Francisco and Los Angeles demanding equality for women. Despite being spiritualy against abortion, I support the right of choice for women. If you want to continue to label me, feel free, but KNOW me first.

I will not be drawn into an extended debate about Cindy Sheehan. I have said all I had to say in my first post. Agree or Dissagree and that is fine, but please don't psychoanalyze me, not unless you have a couch for me to lay on and a degree hanging on your wall qualifying you for such analysis.

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Hi David, You know I have to tell you that, as a progressive, it is imperative that you understand that all men (and most women) have issues with internalized/unexamined sexism...regardless of how cool they are; no matter how liberal or... [Read More]

Tracked on August 15, 2005 01:42 PM

Posted by: Captain Salty at August 15, 2005 12:46 PM