Social Action Thread Guidelines

Thanks so much for posting this, LindaG23. it was a very moving read. And I love that he quoted Philip Larkin, one of my very favorite poets, and on who is somehow suitably modest and clear-eyed and unsentimental--gay marriage isn't some grand illusive romance, it's real life, just like any marriage, a real life everyone has a right to.

I was just watching Showbiz tonight and they were talking to a spokesperson from Vogue about their sexualized presentation of a 10 year old little girl. [as if this were really something new!! but that is another issue]. During the discussion they made 2 interesting comments:

1. they showed a little girl from Toddlers and Tiara's who wanted to be spraytanned to look like Beyonce. The discussion revolved in part on the fact that the child did not understand the racial reasons for Beyonce's color....not really controversial other than how and should you go into detail with this with a 4 or 5 year old...

2. this is the part that got me...they pulled in Octomom to talk about Casey Anthony..and the offensive part was not the discussion but the teaser to the spot where they exclaimed of Octomom..."and she was wearing a bikini!!!

For me, that undercut the fact that they were actually quite 'kind' to octomom [sorry, I have no idea of her real name...my bad]. What possible difference does it make what she is wearing when they ask for her opinion. I missed part of it so perhaps I missed an important 30 seconds but gahhhhh.....

I see red when I see the sexualization of young girls; the objectification of women; and the dismissal of women based on what they are wearing.....in situations like this....grrrrr

How to relate this to Adam...hmmm...can you imagine the hue and cry if a fashion magazine dressed a young boy shirtless, with a leather vest, tight pants and eyeliner!!! Congress would be up in arms and the parents would be on a Tea only diet for life!!

holst, there is a very interesting op-ed in the NYT today that somewhat addresses your question. Furthermore, I think that the press is instrumental is creating the impression that they are relevant because they are just waiting for a train wreck and if you want to be part of a train wreck, you have to ride the most dangerous ill-kept "wacky" train out there.

www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/opinion/crashing-the-tea-party.html?src=me&ref=general

So what do Tea Partiers have in common? ...

... they were disproportionately social conservatives in 2006 — opposing abortion, for example — and still are today. Next to being a Republican, the strongest predictor of being a Tea Party supporter today was a desire, back in 2006, to see religion play a prominent role in politics. And Tea Partiers continue to hold these views: they seek “deeply religious” elected officials, approve of religious leaders’ engaging in politics and want religion brought into political debates. The Tea Party’s generals may say their overriding concern is a smaller government, but not their rank and file, who are more concerned about putting God in government.

This inclination among the Tea Party faithful to mix religion and politics explains their support for Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. Their appeal to Tea Partiers lies less in what they say about the budget or taxes, and more in their overt use of religious language and imagery, including Mrs. Bachmann’s lengthy prayers at campaign stops and Mr. Perry’s prayer rally in Houston.

Yet it is precisely this infusion of religion into politics that most Americans increasingly oppose. While over the last five years Americans have become slightly more conservative economically, they have swung even further in opposition to mingling religion and politics. It thus makes sense that the Tea Party ranks alongside the Christian Right in unpopularity.

If the statistics in the article are correct then we should be seeing less of the Tea Party in the future and I am anxiously awaiting that outcome. They are a huge pimple on the complexion of any effective discourse. But we know from following Adam that familiarity as the result of constant press can often override otherwise excellent product and just like top 40 radio you end up with a feeding loop. Personally, I expect more from intellectual and political press. I prefer to be treated like an adult (with all the varied opinions that go with that) than a 14 year-old craving the next pop confection.

I agree with you that there are many accomplished thoughtful women in politics but I guess they don't make good press. That these women are focused on is a shame.

The article is worth a read.

Hey mwp, if you live in NYC do you get the NYT cheaper because of short delivery distance. LOL