Posted on 03/03/2011 8:35:24 AM PST by FreeManDC
The Grizzly Truth: Identity Politics and Conservativism Don't Mix
Sarah Palin has emerged as the nation's foremost advocate of conservative ideals. By design, she has also become the most prominent purveyor of feminist identity politics.
In numerous speeches, Mrs. Palin has proclaimed herself a feminist. In America by Heart the former vice-presidential candidate announces: "It surprises some people to hear that I consider myself a feminist."
Exactly what does this mean?
"Feminism is all about power for the female left," explain Suzanne Venker and Phyllis Schlafly in their hot-off-the-press sizzler, The Flipside of Feminism. "Feminism, like communism, depends on hypothesizing an oppressed class."
Palin might gainsay that description. She would likely point to this statement in Going Rogue, where she describes herself as a "believer in individual rights and responsibilities rather than heavy-handed government; in free-market principles that included reward for hard work; [and] respect for equality." (page 45).
And what does "respect for equality" mean?
Well, it turns out Sarah Palin is an avowed supporter of Title IX. In her words, "I also consider myself a grateful beneficiary of the movement for female equality, particularly Title IX."
But as we know, Title IX is the very epitome of a "heavy-handed" government program that certainly does not reward men for their "hard work." Instead, it imposes a rigid feminist quota on college athletic participation that has spelled the demise of thousands of men's sports teams.
Equal outcomes, not equal opportunities — that's the socialist ideal, and this policy is writ large at the U.S. Department of Education. Sarah Palin is perfectly fine with that.
Marxist class analysis also gave rise to a patchwork movement that many call identity politics. The term "identity politics" was first coined in the 1970s during the civil rights movement. Before long the women's libbers latched on to the concept, as Zillah R. Eisenstein documents in his book, Capitalist Patriarchy and the Case for Socialist Feminism.
In The Disuniting of America, historian Arthur Schlesinger probes the rise of identity politics and its effect on American life. Noting that democratic societies require a unifying cultural, social, and legal fabric in order to function, he concludes the trend threatens the cohesiveness of civil society.
The phenomenon of the Mama Grizzlies, of course, is a prime example of identity politics. In her recent America by Heart, Sarah Palin devotes an entire chapter to the topic. Exactly who are the Mama Grizzlies?
They are the "new generation of American women leaders, many of whom I've met on the campaign trail and in the towns and cities of America," Palin adumbrates. These women are "strong," "tough," "formidable," "serious," and "confident," in Palin's own words. What's more, these women "ran cattle" and even "ploughed the fields."
If this is beginning to sound like a women's liberation consciousness-raising exercise, that's exactly what it is.
And like any card-carrying feminist, an occasional You-go-girl! shout-out to her female comrades will not suffice. While we're at it, why don't we indulge in a cavalcade of gratuitous gender-baiting and male-bashing, as well? This appears on page 132 of America by Heart:
"Women have a unique perspective. Typically, they are less ambitious for superficial power than men [It's a relief to know that dust-up about Nancy Pelosi's demand for a military plane was all a misunderstanding], and more focused on providing for the needs of others [Men who work a 60-hour week to put bread on the table are doing this for some weird ego boost]. I think we appreciate, more than some men, the fullness of American life, everything from raising decent kids to protecting our national security [A proven fact!]."
Palin continues...
"And we're not afraid to work hard and get our hands dirty [A high-five to all the female oil-rig, construction, and mine workers out there]. We're busy enough to know that time must be spent efficiently [No more inefficient trips to the beauty salon!]; in fact we're too busy to waste time with typical political games and power struggles [Busy governors have no time for political gamesmanship, I'm happy to announce]."
But sensible-talking Suzanne Venker and Phyllis Schalfly offer a different prescription: "We must stop talking about women's rights, women's needs, women's problems, and progress for women....When we frame the debate in feminist lingo, we foster a war between the sexes. It's time to end the war between the sexes. Men are not the enemy."
I certainly endorse Sarah Palin's vision of individual self-reliance, strong families, and limited government. I admire her resolute defense of conservative values.
But this paroxysm of identity politics that seeks to empower women at the expense of men is an anathema to respectful gender relationships, strong families, and traditional values.
Conservative feminists, while admittedly engaging in some measure of identity politics, do not presume that anyone outside their group is necessarily the enemy. And therein lies the difference between them and the dialecticists of the Left, to whom identity serves merely as a vehicle for exclusion. Conservative feminists realize that the greatest allies in their fight for equality are men!
I am a female and I don’t know a single conservative feminist.
Is that you pissant? /sarc LOL
got it,,, Sarah is just another Gloria Steinem,, in fact she is pushing class struggle,, therefore she almost a marxist. What a load of crap. It’s even a little funny when you realize the writer undoubtedly wants a real man like Mitt, Mitch, Newt, Huck, another Bush, Etc,,, Sarah is clearly more of a real man than ANY of the repub alternatives.
In fact since there is not a single make repub who will oppose title X,,, attacking Sarah on that issue probably exposes the true agenda of the writer.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Good post DR.
On the other hand, maybe it's always hard to follow a strong leader. Cromwell's son was quickly overthrown when the "Protector" died. Bush I was a weak successor to the Gipper. I guess powerful leaders tend to rob the oxygen around them. They may not get along with alpha males who have both similar ideas to theirs and the aggressiveness to lead.
I hope Sarah comes to her senses about Title IX and such. It's utterly incompatible with individual rights, small government, and the American system, not to mention heterosexuality. In my book, she will officially be a dits if she doesn't figure this out in the next several months. Maybe she doesn't get that, the occasional monarch or figurehead aside, families and countries don't survive unless the men are running them. If they're not, they get bored, chase skirts, form criminal gangs, and do drugs.
The ultimate act of female leadership is to get the men to take charge and take the arrows, and think it's their own idea.
Oh, dear. Yet another jealous female blogger.
When she says that she is a feminist, Sarah Palin does NOT mean that she is a feminist along the lines of NOW and the left. She means that she stands up for women, especially for those strong pioneer women who work with their men and raise their families and do whatever needs to be done.
She means that she really stands up for women, as opposed to all those lefty lesbians who talk about their feminist principles but keep their lips tightly sealed if the Muslims stone another woman because she was raped, or if it is revealed that bill clinton has raped or abused yet another young woman who is in no position to resist.
In other words, Sarah is a real woman. The faked up feminists of the left can’t stand that.
OK.. time for a PAPA Grizzlier movement as well..
Carey's a guy. (His photo at link.)
I don’t know if it is possible to be a true conservative and a feminist. Conservatives place a high value on family and recognize that motherhood is the most important job in society. Feminism has denigrated motherhood and women who choose it over career. For years they have been successful in keeping mothers from their children and we are seeing the result. If we don’t mend our family structure we are doomed to generations of unruly brats who look to government for the mothers they didn’t have and there will be enough of them that they will be in charge. PRAY
The problem with thatcher,, is that major dropped the ball when he followed her? That’s just nuts,,, do what’s the solution to that ‘ problem’? The only possible remedies are that she not run,,, or not do so well in offices. Its also a non sequitur, Bush followed reagan,,, no chicks involved.
by the way when you are calling Sarah a ditz,,, its important that you spell it correctly!
Most women buy into this crap.
Er, remember this? Reading to the end is your friend: On the other hand, maybe it's always hard to follow a strong leader.
I think both things can be at work simultaneously. The strongest men do tend to avoid positions occupied by women. They want to distinguish themselves. In fact, women most admire men who succeed in a sphere that is considered beyond what women can do.
This may affect the culture of succession in an organization. I do observe that very few women leaders, in business or politics, successfully cultivate strong successors. I'm saying that this is true among women to a greater extent than among male leaders.
Since the whole article is here, I didn’t see the photo. I do wish people wouldn’t give their kids all these odd names.
Hmmmm. . .okay, so these two women do not work outside the home (of course they do), or are at the very least happy to make less than men doing the same work (of course they wouldn't be)? Or are they defining all feminism as being of the radical man-hating style? (Yes, this is probably the issue.)
Sarah Palin's brand of "feminism" isn't the radical, man-hating kind. You would think that people with half a brain would understand that.
Title IX is the one big disagreement I have with Sarah. I just cant believe she understands what it has done to male sports.
If she does, and still supports what has happened, might be a dealbreaker for me. I dont see how a fair-minded person can cheer the elimination of more than 300 male sports teams.
looked on you tube,,, can’t find the video of Mitt being a lumberjack, doing commercial fishing, our quartering a moose. Sarah is a better man than the others.
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