The hysteria of Salon comment section and the sexism there drove me away a long time ago, but you all are right this is an interesting exchange.

Joan's response is especially silly!!!!!!!!

Again, here is what Joan says to Jama's charges:
From Joan Walsh
"jama, have you ever read Salon before? Have you ever read my writing? Do you know anything about my point of view during the Democratic primary? Do you know I'm a woman? Who's editor in chief of Salon? Are you just trolling sites that are critical of Palin, knowing nothing of the sites or the writer? Ignorance seems to be on the march tonight, and proud of it!"
---------------------------------------------------
Joan Walsh has used sexism so abundantly against Ms. Palin she is downright Rushian in her hatred of women. EVERYONE who reads Salon on a regular basis knows the sexism Walsh and Salon employed against Palin. Palin was a "fuckable" "blow up doll" to name just two of hundreds of sexist insults Salon under the masthead of Joan hurled at Palin this past many months. Nevermind having her sexing up a moose!

That Joan thinks frequent readers don't know of her sexist past smacks of unreasonable thought!

Joan also suggests that because she (with a lot of angst and female guilt) supported Hillary over Obama during the primary she is now immune to charges of sexism and cultural resistance to powerful women.
Joan is as deluded as the person who holds up their one black friend as evidence of lack of racism. Joan's reasoning is that she can use the n word as often as she likes now that she has that one black friend to trot out in defense of herself.

Joan used sexism against Palin often and will glee. If women are allowed to use sexism against the women they don't like then by extension we are allowed to use racism against blacks whose opinions differ from our own! Bullshit!

And women who have worked with other women know that just because a woman holds some power does NOT mean these women tolerate other women in their barn with power. Especially women who are not their yes women and openly compete with their position on issues.
Women have not been taught or culturized to accept female competition. We are taught to have mean dirty cat fights with women who we deem competitors! Things may be getting better in this area, but dare you to ask women if they'd rather a female or male boss? All this is complex and when Joan says that b/c she is the editor of Salon this makes her amenable to powerful women who would challenge her opinions or turf is fully undercut by Joan's outward lash at someone who is challenging her directly--Jama in this case. (I dont' recall Joan every saying that McCain was MEAN or Dumb or putting him in boxer shorts with a vertebrate licking his private parts. Joan would NEVER consider such a scheme becasue she has too much respect for males to do such a bizarre thing! But.... SHE, JOAN, did this to Palin! All because Palin was a threat to her male.

Her response to Jama: you are stupid and a troll. Oh so sad. Sad indeed. Women who challenge Joan are scum and stupid and trolls.
Joan thinks of herself as ready to accept powerful women, but her willingness and alacrity to use sexism to attack a woman with whom she disagrees is direct evidence to the contrary.
Joan is stuck in the mode of women feeling the need to control women with whom they disagree or with whom they have not approved of. Most importantly, Joan lacks respect for women and the ability of women to not be cookie cutter clones of herself!

Sorry for the long comment. But racists who say they are not racist appall me as do sexists who deny their misogyny!

OMG! I just linked over to Walsh post on Salon. Joan writes like an unhinged person filled with hatred. It actually frightened me.

Enough of Joan, though. I found this great letter in the comment section.

Palin
The only reason why Sarah Palin is so hated - i.e. in this article called "stupid" and vilified as a money- grubbing loser - is because she is a strong woman that could be our president. Americans (including most American women that think they are feminists) just can not handle the thought of a strong woman as a their potential leader/president. The same thing happened to Hillary Clinton - she was similarly despised. It is ok for women to be middle managers, but try for something more than that and you will be destroyed. Once Hillary found her "place" the heat was off her. The same will be for Palin. America and this journalist are not ready yet for a woman leader and will concoct whatever excuses they need to justify their irrational conclusions. Yeah, compared to the other American genius politicians she is "stupid" - hah!

—jama
Read jama's other letters
Permalink