WOW, did TRC ghost-write this?

Palin's posing is a disservice to women's rights

Sorry, Sarah, threatening a war with Russia or field-dressing a moose does not demonstrate the toughness necessary to defend our Constitution.

The burning issues of the most important election of our lifetimes are being eclipsed by Sarah Palin's pretty face. Her pro-family posturing, hollow claims of gender bias and feigned proven toughness weave an emotional narrative particularly persuasive to women. I'm struck by the irony. The very people whose issues have no place in her agenda are being gamed for their votes. How sad this is for all women -- past, present and future.

Gender politics in this election is making a mockery of this hard-fought battle for democracy, and could permanently subvert what real progress for women means.

Palin's record regarding women is McCain-compatible. Reports from Alaska say she's done nothing to address rampant sexual abuse, rape and domestic violence. While mayor of little Wasilla, women (mostly poor) were required to pay from $300 to $1,200 for testing to prove they were raped.

More shocking, Palin opposes abortion even for victims of rape or incest. According to public-safety experts, Alaska is one of the worst in the nation for rape and sexual abuse of children, with 25 percent of rapes resulting in pregnancies. Are we to suppose that Palin believes the state should force a 10-year-old child raped by her father to endure a pregnancy? Would we want such a draconian law for our daughters?

This "pro-family" small-town woman is a fictional creation -- one her handlers hope women voters will buy. She's scripted and rehearsed for public consumption. But privately she's receiving a crash course in neoconservative governance: corporate state at home, military hegemony abroad. In other words, she's being groomed for a seamless VP transition -- Dick Cheney in "lipstick and a skirt."

Women should take heart. While we disagree on a variety of religious and social issues, a common historic struggle unites us. Let's not forget ……… YADA, YADA, YADA.

Sorry, Sarah, threatening a war with Russia or field-dressing a moose does not demonstrate the toughness necessary to defend our Constitution. You're in need of counsel from women who, armed only with grit and guts, had the courage to face down power and demand that our country live up to its creed.

Knapp is a leader of Seneca 2, a Charleston reform committee.

http://www.sundaygazettemail.com/Opinion/Op-EdCommentaries/200810030801

And the Gazette Editors permitted that crap to be included in today's paper.



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Her "family values" crap IS posturing.

Her ignorance of the basics of how the federal government works is appalling.

She capitalizes on her ignorance, "It's obvious that I'm a Washington outsider...".

She should appeal to the average soundbyte munching American...

No, I didn't write that but I would have.