Of course the ever subtle Sun-Times political cartoonist Jack Higgins thinks that Hillary is both with this incredibly sexist cartoon.But Starhawk, a real witch, writes a beautiful piece that isn't pro-anyone other than pro-us. Not US, but us, you and me, working together to make this country and this world a better place:
As for me, I do believe, as Obama urges us to—not in his or any politician’s ability to make change, but in ours. If we as a people find our own vision, and speak, march, lobby, write, push for it and enact it in every way we can, then this moment of fear and crisis can become a turning point. We face huge losses in the years to come, and to get through them we need trust and connection in one another, courage, creativity, and compassion. None of that arises out of cynicism and despair. All of it comes only when we begin by believing, “Yes, we can!”
Starhawk also outlines why many of us are falling under the spell of Obama:
Obama evokes some powerfully appealing archetypes. Think of all those myths and fairy tales about the humble-seeming outsider who turns out to be the true king, throwing out the corrupt rulers and restoring health and healing. We’re a contradictory people—we love underdogs, while we despise losers—but there’s nothing we love more than the little guy who comes from behind and beats all the odds to win the pennant.
She also offers some wonderful advise to Clinton on winning this race. Starhawk found Hillary's voice:
In the contest of archetypes, women are at a disadvantage, facing a deep, unconscious sexism that limits our collective imagination. We so easily turn into Mom, either Nagging Mom, or Bitch Mom who doesn’t really love us, or harried, responsible but dull Mom, complaining about how she does all the real work while sexy, divorced Dad just takes the kids to Disneyland. My personal sympathies lie deeply with Mom’s cause. She does do all the diaper changing and the homework while Dad breezes in for Ski Week and holidays. But if I were Hillary Clinton’s campaign advisor, I’d tell her, stay away from that archetype. Responsible Mom is not going to win over Aragorn the Exiled King. Instead, I would urge, be Joan of Arc. Find your vision, and be so passionately driven by it that you would stand forth and challenge kings and armies. Show us your courage, which we know you have. Tell us “I stood forth and went into realms where few women dared to go, because I care so deeply about the welfare of all of us.”
Whatever you do, don’t attack Obama on issues of faith and trust. Doing so will be just as effective as warning your teenage daughter that the sexy biker she’s fallen in love with has no history of gainful employment. (bold is mine)
Again...disclaimer...I love Obama BUT...How can people NOT see that we're going thru the same "cool kid" versus "smart kid" scenario in this primary? How many times has Hillary been dissed for acting like Lisa Simpson? Always wanting to show that she's right? Christine Stansell says it best:
How many of us have heard brilliant and resourceful women in the workplace dismissed or devalued for "detail-orientation" in contrast to a man's supposed "big picture" scope? How many of us have seen what, in a man, would be called "peerless mastery," get called, in a woman's case, "narrowness"? How many women have we known -- truly gifted workers, professionals, and administrators -- who have been criticized for their reserve and down-to-earth way of speaking? Whose commanding style, seriousness, and get-to-work style are criticized as "cold" and insufficiently "likable"? These prejudices have been scandalously present in this campaign.
In last night's return episode of "Saturday Night Live," Tina Fey goes on the offensive for Hillary (damn that writer's strike!!) and let's loose of gawd damn funny retorts to why voting for Obama is better. Her bottomline was something like this (damn no immediate transcript!!):
Is Hillary a bitch? YES. And you know what? Bitches get things done. This one does.
I have many girl crushes, but if I ever come face to face with Tina Fey, I am giving her one hell of a kiss. Her feminist rants on SNL are brilliant and SO needed. Why can't she do the ABC World News Tonight or have her own political talk show ala Bill Maher?
I blog this not to diss Obama and his followers, but to diss the many issues people have with Hillary. I wanted this campaign to be about issues not inspirational talks or whether taking back a cheating spouse automatically disqualifies you from the Presidency. If so, I think FDR might owe this country a few terms. War votes? Let's get to them. Health care reform? Depends on what the meaning of "universal" means.
But since that's not where this primary has ever lived, I'll just head on off to bed where I can dream of what could had been - The perfect moment for the Democratic Party to show this country that it and not the GOP cares about the overall welfare of the citizens of this awesome nation, not how much money their consultants can talk the candidates into spending.
PS: You can send some feedback to the Sun-Times about the sexist cartoon Higgins drew and they published.
Technorati tags: Starhawk, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Campaign 2008, pagan, wiccan