How do you respond to a snarky post that tries to point out that fracturing the Democratic grass-roots movement over outrage about and ad is a silly tactic for feminism?
If you guessed “post a lot of pin-ups,” you would be right. Thanks, Amanda.
Kos is not the enemy, and his attitude wasn’t a typical example of male sexist attitudes. It was someone who works his ass off for his causes watching knuckleheads savage him over an inconsequential ad (actually, they are more pissed at him for not removing the ad and his ‘attitude’ than the ad itself). His attitude was “What the hell is wrong with you people- there are really important issues we need to fight for and you are messing with me over an pie fight ad.”
I can completely understand his sentiments. But, hey, I am sure voiceless and powerless Nancy Pelosi would love for this squabble to reach a fevered pitch. Maybe while you are at it, you can convince the environmentalists who vote Democratic that the auto unions are bad and produce a lot of environmental. Are you on Rove’s payroll?
Meanwhile, you and the Vagina Monologues cult can continue to insult everyone who tells you how foolish you are being, telling us we ‘just don’t get it’ and that we are ‘clearly afraid of women’ or whatever ad hominem you can come up with. This fiction that any man who is against your mindset is misogynistic is quite, shall we say, titillating. I guess that is how movement’s sustain themselves, by creating cartoonish caricatures of the ‘enemy.’ Like, say, the cartoonish characterization of feminists groups as young, affluent, liberal andmembers of the women’s studies set who hysterically (damn- a word with sexist origins!) over-react to the smallest slight, real or perceived. Truth to power, or something.
At any rate, in Amanda’s spirit, here is some war porn for you all (and yes, I recognize the intended sarcasm in her posting the pin-ups):
If you want an example of something that had Kos dismissed it as inconsequential, you would be right to be outraged, try here.
If you want to see some real good anger, try this out for size. This is getting funnier by the moment.
More funny stuff here– apparently there is this perception that I somehow feel picked on by Amanda. I don’t, at all- I am just a blogger who desperately needs an editor.
On the upside, I do have some new fire-breathing pinko feline feminist blogs to read.
Here is an interesting take on the whole issue. Far more reasonable and moderate than anything I would (could) write.
Just a side note- anyone who labors under the false delusion that women are ‘voiceless’ in society has never pissed off the feminist blogosphere. Some of you newcomers might look around the rest of the site before you start leaping to conclusions.
Amanda Marcotte
Why can’t you guys just get a sense of humor?
Cupie
Oh my!! lol ;)
Mr Furious
This whole thing is ridiculous, and I am suprised it spread over here to the “other side.”
Though, I do think Kos was unnecessarily “prick-ish” in his response.
Steve Gilliard (a Kos alum) had a good summation here.
Pato
Be flattered, Amanda, he’s trying so hard to beat you at your own game, and failing miserably.
Sweet of him to try, and so unself-consciously!
Christie S.
Jeez, if I had legs like hers I’d show ’em off too!!
LOL…
Amanda Marcotte
Shush, you. No woman can beat a man at The Funny. Especially not us feminists since We Have No Sense of Humor. It says so right in the Bible.
Sheelzebub
Holy temper tantrums, Batman. Dish it out, learn to take it.
Pop a Xanax and calm down.
Lauren
John, I think you might be right. At least the Republican party keeps their bitches in line.
John Cole
Sheel- I am not upset about anything, and neither, really, is Amanda.
Lauren- This isn;t about ‘keeping people in line.’ You can do whatever you want, and I am not going to try to stop you. This is about how silly and self-defeating it would be to wage a internecine war over, well, nothing, essentially.
Amanda Marcotte
He does have a point. Mindlessly and unquestioningly following authority does keep the Republican party together.
Reid
I want to thank Amanda and John. A political spat that resulted in a copious display of Vargas is the best thing to happen to the political blogosphere this year.
Not that there’s much competition for that title.
John Cole
Another upside is that if you need to add some feminists to your blogroll, you can just check my referral logs for the day.
Jayanne
“Another upside is that if you need to add some feminists to your blogroll, you can just check my referral logs for the day.”
True. Thank you, John.
But why wasn’t your post filed under Spleen?
OTTami
This isn’t even about the stupid ad any more. *Don’t* call us humorless and poorly groomed! Not even if you’re kidding. Don’t *say* that crap! Now you’ve learned.
Sheelzebub
“Sheel- I am not upset about anything. . .”
Which is why you threw another blog tantrum over us unshaven women.
John Cole
Which is why you threw another blog tantrum over us unshaven women
This post is a tantrum?
I would point you back to your own blog post about this silly affair as an example of a tantrum, but I am afraid of running the risk of marginalizing you delicate souls through the use of the word ‘tantrum,’ which is clearly designed to condescendingly refer to the behavior of children.
Wouldn’t want to do that now, would I?
Jedmunds
Stereotypical relationship jokes have taught me one thing: You can’t argue with women. The only way out of this mess for Kos is with a dozen roses and a “Hey I’m sorry baby.” But he should have known this. He’s married after all, and from what I know of marriage, learned exclusively by watching sitcoms, that’s how they work.
Sheelzebub
John, here’s a tissue. You’re starting to foam at the mouth.
John Cole
John, here’s a tissue. You’re starting to foam at the mouth.
Lol. you are a piece of work, Sheel.
Amanda Marcotte
But she’s real cute when she get angry, John.
John Cole
So am I…
Bugz
And all the while, the all important swing voter sits back and watches food fights like this, and thinks, “What a bunch a maroons! You dip shits can’t even play nice amongst yourselves, and yet you expect us to vote you back into power? Not likely…”
drublood
Unless, of course, you are talking about the ACTUAL swing voters…you know, the ones to the LEFT of the democratic party.
We’re sitting back and saying “Finally, everyone understands why we will keep voting for third parties until every last racist, sexist, homophobic asswipe finally packs his bags and moves on over to the right where they belong.”
Bugz
Nope, I’m talking about the ex-soccer moms, now security moms, who are asking, “In these days of Islamo-facists running loose and cutting people’s heads off, what are you going to do to successfully prosecute the War on Terror, and to prevent another 911?”
Sorry, the answer is not ‘beat KOS about the head and shoulders for running a pie fight ad.’
Rick
Jeez, if I had legs like hers I’d show ’em off too!!
Christie,
If that’s how you’d show ’em off, what makes you think it’d be your *legs* getting approving…OK, slobbering…looks?
Cordially…
Jedmunds
Nope, I’m talking about the ex-soccer moms, now security moms, who are asking, “In these days of Islamo-facists running loose and cutting people’s heads off, what are you going to do to successfully prosecute the War on Terror, and to prevent another 911?”
Good Point. I propose we run on pissing on the Koran. Sort like Kennedy’s missile gap, but with Koran’s and urine.
Amanda Marcotte
John, you totally ignored Shake’s point about how single women, if they had bothered to vote, would have swung the election to Gore. But they didn’t, because Republicans use us a pinatas to rally their base and Democrats ignore us.
Bugz
It would be more to the point to roll the thing up, and provide it on a toilet paper holder.
John Cole
Amanda-
Yeah- because the chief electoral woe of the Democratic party is their outright failure to woo the feminist vote and their continuing inability to stop left-wing bloggers from showing contempt for women.
I didn’t ignore anything. I addressed it several days ago. it is a simplistic analysis on her part, because you can not predict that all of the people who DID vote for Kerry in the last election would have continued to vote for Kerry if you had adopted the militant feminist rhetoric and position.
Maybe Bush would have picked up more Democratic votes if he were pro-choice? Of course, he would have lost the religious rights vote.
Jedmunds
That and the Bible both, Bugz, I agree.
Pepper
“militant feminist rhetoric” … well, let me put on my boots and go marching.
I’m sorry, but since when did standing up for yourself become some sort of political insult?
Kos’ comment made him look like an asshole. And people – not just women – responded accordingly.
Rick
Kos’ comment made him look like an asshole.
That must be an Internet first.
Cordially…
Pepper
That must be an Internet first.
Likewise, complaining when someone posts something you disagree with isn’t an Internet first.
Warmly …
Rick
John Cole
Amanda…