What a difference a week can make…

Wow—last Saturday I was in a grumpy fog due to Obama letting me (and women in general) down regarding the VP spot. A week later, in swoops McCain with a female running mate. Now, Amanda (see the comment for last week’s post) says McCain is my man since he decided to run with the “fairer” sex. Well, not quite. McCain and Palin are anti-abortion, against equal pay legislation (What’s that? See http://www.equalpay.info/index.html for details), against gay marriage (one person noted that Palin stands up for what is “right”) and Palin has a crummy record when it comes to animals and the planet.
No, I may be petty enough to retract my support for Obama because he didn’t choose a woman running mate, but I’m not so petty that I’ll vote for any woman.
What is really remarkable to me is that the Republicans, a group that’s made a point to be against advances for the causes of women in so many areas, would be the party to support a woman for the second-highest office in our land. I just hope Palin will be fine making less than Chaney did as VP—she is against receiving equal pay for equal work, after all.

Why Obama lost my vote…

Well, it’s official—the presidential election of 2008 ended for me today. I am withdrawing my support for Obama—all because he withdrew his chance to support women.
That’s right. You may think it’s petty, but I’ll explain why it isn’t—at least from a woman’s point of view. You see, by choosing Biden as his running mate, he effectively shut the door in women’s faces all over the country. He squashed the chance for a woman to make her way to the Whitehouse via the vice presidency.
You may argue that it’s not about sex or race, but about who is the most qualified. Well, I’ve heard that argument my whole life, and for some strange reason, the most qualified candidate—whether it be for the clergy, the CEO of a large corporation, the promotion at the office, or the highest office in the nation—is always a man. Doesn’t that seem odd? Or maybe it’s that we just don’t want a woman to be qualified for those positions…
I find it shameful that a candidate who claims to be running a campaign for change would choose an older white man for his running mate. Or perhaps Obama means his own ability to change, that is to say, his talent for flip-flopping all over the place when it comes to his campaign promises.
Change I can believe in? I don’t think so…

Women and our lack of progress...

"The woman's movement just can't seem to make any progress in the world of bribery, can they?"
This funny little Seinfeld quote popped into my head when I saw this church sign:
"Every man will give an account to God".
Whew--I was worried for a minute that that sign was threatening me, then I remembered that I am of the weaker sex, so apparently God is not interested in accosting me at the pearly gates...
But seriously, threats about interacting with God aside (shouldn't talking with God be a good thing?), I find it amazing that a church that surely has female members would post a sign that addresses men only. Of course, there's always a chance that I'm being my literal Aspie-self, but just in case I'm not, I wanted to point out how sexist that sign is.
What is really interesting to me is the dynamic of this particular church and a church across the street from it. The sexist, threatening church has a moderately full parking lot on Sunday mornings, perhaps 50 cars or so. I know this because I'm out sinning, oops, I mean working, while they are having services.
The church across the street is empty--it's for sale, in fact. The congregation grew so large that they had to relocate to a larger building.
So...love and equality in the arms of an amazing God, or sexism and threats for "sinners in the hands of an angry God". Take your pick.

In the mean time, I'm going to try to level the playing field for women and bribes.