Haven't women earned the right to voice opinions? To think for themselves? To stand strongly for their own beliefs?

I have taken that to heart in my life as I've become an adult, had a family and raised my daughters.

I do not - in my life - equate MY opinions with those of all women. I do not presume to speak for "women" as if we all speak with one voice and have one thought.

I resent the hell out of women, parading as feminists, doing that to me. THere is a full page ad in the NYT today from Women Count PAC - saying what "women" believe and what "women" want and how "women" think.

Masquerading as feminists, as pro-women, organizations like this strive to silence women. Our power and our empowerment come from our ability to act as one and as many. But NOT through taking the voices of women and silencing them.

And replacing true women's voices with political pap.

Women in this country are strong enough to disagree with one another, to argue points, to vehemently and passionately work for their own candidate, their cause, their beliefs.

And when necessary WOMEN can come together and with great strength make a difference in the world. With all voices heard, the diversity of those voices IS women. At their best.

Don't silence me because I do not toe your line. I do not do that any more.

Do not silence me because I dare to think outside the box. I do that now.

Do not silence me because I don't look like you think a "woman" should. I don't have to twist myself into anyone else's idea of woman.

And this woman, chooses of her own free mind and with thought and preparation, with study and with a deep sense of choice - this woman chooses to support Obama.

Don't speak for me or tell me that I am sexist. Don't betray all women by emulating Anne Coulter and use power and anger and fear to try to control and manipulate me, or other women.

If you support Hillary, great! Support her. With time and money and voice. I am not afraid of that. I support your right to do so. But speak for yourself and your fellows. Do not speak for me. Support me and my right to voice my own opinion.

That is how we are truly free.

Hear, hear.

Nicely written.

Thanks.

You are dead right and HRC and her campaign spokespeople, although so many of them seem to be men, want to lump all women together as if even sisters think alike.

Her mention of the threat of BO's assasination is an abomination and totally inexcuseable for a person who is supposed to be so cool under pressure.Actually I think that the possibility that Hillary would become the Dem candidate if the unthinkable happened is the best guarantee that right wing bigots would not want BO killed, since in the GOPig's small minds, HRC is even worse.

I lived for 15 years in the South and met many educated women, better educated than their husbands, who had never voted in their lifetime, leaving that duty to their husband.

Friedman's editorial today in the NYTimes is somewhat frightening as it lays out what could happen if HRC continues her vituperative fight to the end.

I wish she would begin working on her obitchuary!!

Leo

Hi again Leo!

I don't begrudge Hillary her fight for the nomination nor do I disparage her supporters.

I have fought hard for candidates and remained disheartened for months after a loss.

But I certainly DO mind being dismissed - as a woman, and by women!

In the name of feminism or anything else!

I haven't read Friedman's article, but I'll go do that.

Be well, Leo - have a good holiday weekend.

No seriously. There are women who will vote for Nader, there are women who voted for Kerry and women who voted for GWB, there are women who are supporting Hillary and there are women who support Obama, there are equally sensible women who, for their own reasons, support McCain.

Obviously not all of the candidates are going to be president, jeez that would be a nightmare anyway.

We have the right to have our own opinions based on the experiencs and reasoning born out of our own lives. And there are no two women who think exactly alike, just as there are no two men who think exactly alike.

We also have the right, and the duty, to think about what is best for us, and our children, and our town, and our state, and indeed our country. What is best for me and mine probably differs greatly from what's best for you and yours, even if we live in the same state and town.

But I do feel that we come to a lot of similarities once you reach the country level of thinking.

Debates about whether this series of wars was necessary aside, does anybody like war? Or think that going heavily into debt for killing people is a good idea? Really?

Regardless of your personal take on how to handle it, does anybody think the economy is doing well? Really?

Rebate checks? Seriously? Piling up the deficit via Chinese Banks? Delaying an economic slow down by artifically pumping government funding into the pockets of businesses. In other words kicking the can down the road for some other administration to deal with.

Sure the money is nice, and for some people it really saved their butts, which is good. But it's not exactly a steady source of income, in fact it is the same sort of temporary band-aid for the economy we keep getting. It just allows inflation to continue to rise while wages stay stagnant. Inflation stops when people can't afford to buy things at the current prices. Does anyone actually think this did a lot of longterm good for the economy?

I'm in complete agreement with you here, Thevail. A woman doesn't need to be, and indeed SHOULDN'T be, held up to a higher standard of accuracy or accomplishment.

I don't think we, as women, have to act out of that place. A smart woman, who understands the realities of her chosen path has every right to get out there in it and fight for her place.

I applaud her right to do so even if I don't support her with my money and time.

I think this election - November 2008 - is way beyond gender or race. I think it is about those issues you mention - war? economic stability? deficit? healthcare? etc. Man or woman we have to deal with these things as a country.

Artandsoul

Will you marry me? wow. Well said indeed.

You have a male fan lol

LOL! Well, I'm afraid they outlawed bigamy here in Florida so we'll just have to be friends. Okay? :)

Thanks!

lol its illegal in canada too!

Seriously though, I really enjoyed your post, i wish more people were that well spoken and logical

Oh - you're Canadian? Hmmm, that might change things. ;)

I've always said I want to retire to Canada -- see how upside down I see things? Haha!

Yeah I am lol. I just follow american politcs because of the impact it has on the rest of the world, and I occasionally work in the US for brief stints in my job.

Your post contained no irrational emotion or illogical rhetoric like so many attackers and defenders of HRC that you see.

Florida huh? Bet the weathers nice there :)

wellread - thanks for the compliment. If I can express myself a lot of it has to do with one of my great mentors: Marion Woodman.

She is a Jungian Analyst from Toronto, now in London, Ontario. She has written numerous books and I had the great honor of working with her for about 15 years.

Her guidance changed my life. She helped me learn the value of balance and how to come into my own real strengths, without having to rely on some of the more usual attributes that people use -- power, domination, fear and manipulation.

Each of us has a deep and powerful inner strength, and if we can stay connected to that center (whatever it is) then we can speak from a place of strength. Not domination.

Thanks for seeing that :)

Leo:

You have done everything to break this down into a fight between a bitchy woman and a calm collected male. Why? You pretty much epitomize what many of the anti-CLINTON excrete, a dislike of women who get angry and express an opinion.

"obitchuary" was cute. When did you begin to dislike your mom?

Leo Harold:

You are dead right and HRC and her campaign spokespeople, although so many of them seem to be men, want to lump all women together as if even sisters think alike.

Her mention of the threat of BO's assasination is an abomination and totally inexcuseable for a person who is supposed to be so cool under pressure.Actually I think that the possibility that Hillary would become the Dem candidate if the unthinkable happened is the best guarantee that right wing bigots would not want BO killed, since in the GOPig's small minds, HRC is even worse.

I lived for 15 years in the South and met many educated women, better educated than their husbands, who had never voted in their lifetime, leaving that duty to their husband.

Friedman's editorial today in the NYTimes is somewhat frightening as it lays out what could happen if HRC continues her vituperative fight to the end.

I wish she would begin working on her obitchuary!!

Leo

Fantastically hypocritical. You accuse her of threatening Obama's assasination and in the next breath you wish she were dead. Oh, am I reading too much in your suggestion that she work on her "obitchuary"?

I went and read several of Leo's other posts, he appears to use that particular phrase regarding her habitually.

And yes I think it is sexist, not to mention just plain rude, and I'm an Obama supporter.