American Politics: "I Am Woman" -- Kick Me Hard

"I am woman. Hear me roar!"  That may be motto of Mama Matilda mallard at Harlem Meer in Central Park, but not of American politics.

 "I am woman.  Hear me roar."

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Those old enough will recognize the above words from the Helen Reddy song, "I Am Woman" of 1975. 

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The song turned out to be a kind anthem for the then burgeoning women's movement in America and other parts of the world.

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Nearly 40 years later, women have come a long way.

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But we have yet to elect a woman President, Vice President or in New York, a woman Governor or Mayor of New York City.

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Its not because women have not run for these high political offices. 

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But, when they have, in nearly every case, the so-called "roar" has been turned into a label depicting the woman as "bitch," "bimbo" or "bully."

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In 2008, women across the land took hope that we might finally have a woman President when Hillary Clinton ran for the highest office of the land.  

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No one was better experienced or qualified for the job than the person who had spent 8 years in the White House as First Lady and served more than one term as Senator of one of the most populated states in the nation.

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But, something happened during Hillary Clinton's run for the White House.

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Though initially favored to easily win the Democratic primaries and nomination, Clinton quickly found herself upstaged by a charismatic, bright, young man of color who though having less than one term in the US Senate, talked a great game of "anti war" and "inspired" hope and change.

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Debasing, personal campaigns -- particularly on the Internet -- were waged against Hillary Clinton labeling her everything from "bitch" to "hypocrite" for "standing by her man" Bill Clinton for political reasons when he cheated on her.

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Millions of women like myself watched in despair as our one viable candidate for the first woman President was taken down piece by piece and pant suit by pant suit during the Democratic primaries.

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It seems the whole country was swept along in some kind of tidal wave of "hope and change" and Clinton ultimately went down to defeat despite her substantial credentials and qualifications.

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That same year, supposedly in effort to appease the female vote, Republican candidate for President, John McCain chose as his running mate for Vice President, Sarah Palin, the then Governor of Alaska.

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Putting aside Palin's obvious lack of credentials, intellect or experience for the job of Vice President (or President), the media and Internet campaigns against her were particularly nasty, derisive and personal.  

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They were not unlike similar tear downs and dissections of Geradine Ferraro who ran as the first woman candidate for Vice President in 1984.  Ferraro took much of the blame for Mondale's huge defeat to then President Reagan and it seemed America was simply not ready for a woman Vice President.  

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But, are we ready for a woman Governor or Mayor of New York City?

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Apparently not.

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When the race for New York City mayor began early this year, City Council speaker, Christine Quinn was substantially ahead in polls and seemed a shoe-in to win both, the democratic primary and the mayor ship.

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But, in many ways, we see a kind of repeat of 2008.

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Even before the year began, there were Internet groups set up with the soul purpose to "Defeat Quinn." 

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One organization even named itself, "Anybody But Quinn" as if insinuating that even a Charlie Manson would be preferable to the potentially first woman mayor of New York City.

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All of this is not to suggest that women should (in Bill de Blasio supporter, Susan Sarandan's words), "vote their vaginas."

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But, it is to say and point out that the campaigns waged against women candidates for some of highest offices of our land are particularly offensive, debasing, personal and quite frankly, in this writer's view, sexist.

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It is for example, hard to think that if groups were organized with titles, "Anybody But Thompson" (African American candidate for Mayor) or "Anybody But Liu" (Asian candidate) charges of racism would not ensue.

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But, is it apparently OK and acceptable to wage hate campaigns against women candidates.

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As a life long supporter of justice for animals, it is particularly disturbing to me that some of the most vicious attacks against Quinn have come from self describe, "animal advocates."

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Perhaps if Quinn had orchestrated a massacre of more than 1,000 animals as Senator Kirsten Gillibrand did against Canada geese in New York City, some of the vitriol might be understandable and warranted.

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But, she didn't.

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Nevertheless, ads have been run against Quinn labeling her as an "Animal Hater"  -- this despite the fact that Quinn and her wife have and obviously love their two rescued, (large) mixed breed dogs, one of which is even black.  (Large black dogs are the hardest for shelters and rescue groups to adopt out.)

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Last week an ad ran on Facebook proclaiming that, "With Every Vote for Quinn, God Kills a Kitten."

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It is true that as City Council Speaker, Quinn leaves something to be desired in terms of animal justice and advocacy as she has been generally weak on most animal protective legislation.  

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Then again, most politicians in powerful positions are weak on animal protective legislation as these issues fail to register in polls and are never brought up in political debates.  

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But, that is primarily fault of animal advocates who, for the most part, fail to lobby political representative on these issues and fail to pressure media for greater exposure and discussion of animal cruelty issues.

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Candidate and now front runner for Mayor (and favorite of most animal advocates) Bill de Blasio voted "No" to a bill that would have banned horse carriage rides in NYC when he was in the City Council.

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When asked about this last week, de Blasio (who now says he would favor a carriage horse ban if "vintage cars could replace the horses") claims he has "evolved" since "learning" more about the issue.

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While personally skeptical of this explanation, if even remotely true, it indicates animal advocates have not done a suitable job of successfully lobbying City Council members and the City Council Speaker for animal justice.

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One thing it does not indicate is that mayoral candidate, Christine Quinn is an "animal hater" or even that Bill de Blasio is some kind of "knight on a white horse for animals."  He isn't.   Rather, de Blasio is simply another politician who has not to this point, (like Obama in 2008) held high and powerful office long enough of which to be criticized on.

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Perhaps the biggest issue that Quinn has been nailed to the proverbial cross on is that she helped to facilitate Bloomberg's successful run for third term Mayor. (This, despite voters having previously voted in favor of term limits).

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But, Quinn did not "give Bloomberg a third term."

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The voters did that.

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One can of course criticize a City Council Speaker for working or making deals with a somewhat unpopular mayor, but the fact is, politics makes strange bedfellows.  Lots of things are done for political expediency.

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Contrast that to the gridlock in Washington where Congress and the President can't even seem to agree on the weather or what to do during a storm.

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The mayoral primary is tomorrow and as a (still) registered Democrat I have opportunity to vote in the Democratic primary.

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Contrary to Ms. Sarandan's admonitions, I will in fact, be "voting my vagina."

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This, knowing full well that I will probably be long dead before a woman is finally elected Mayor or Governor in New York or President of the United States. 

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Others may deny, but sexism is alive and well in American and NYC politics.

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"I am Woman.  Kick me hard," the new motto for 21st America.  -- PCA

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