NOW elects Terry O'Neill to succeed Kim Gandy

Congrats to Terry O'Neill and her team (0.00 / 0)

Here's hoping they hit the ground running to defend our rights no matter who works to devalue and dehumanize us.

More importantly, we need them to advance women's rights in every aspect of our lives.

Invest in Women - Change the World
http://twitter.com/alegrescorner

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by: Alegre @ Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 22:10:18 PM CDT

Heh, I was going to say . . . (0.00 / 0)

"Here's hoping she kicks some a**!"

{grin}

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by: nycstray @ Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 22:24:02 PM CDT

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LOL! Yeah - that too! (0.00 / 0)

I never knew this, but O'Neill works worked for one of our local county councilewomen - Duchy Tractenberg.  Looks like Duchy will need to find herself a new exec. director for her staff.

And if memory serves... one of the other women on her slate held a leadership position with NOW in a neighboring county here in Maryland.  

Another woman on the slate went to 4 states to campaign for Hillary.  I tell ya, the more I read about these women the more I like them!

Invest in Women - Change the World
http://twitter.com/alegrescorner

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by: Alegre @ Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 22:30:58 PM CDT

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Perhaps you should offer your services? (0.00 / 0)

Never a bad time to send an inquiry/resume  ;) Ya never know how they will fill the position/reposition the duties.

About the only things that make me happy in "politics" these days are kick a** women and sustainable farmers, lol!~

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by: nycstray @ Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 23:34:41 PM CDT

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Terry O'Neill (4.00 / 2)

I knew nothing about Terry O'Neill so went looking.  I found a somewhat encouraging editorial by Patricia Ireland which runs right down what NOW's current problem is, and why she thinks O'Neill may be able to help:

O'Neill's opponent is part of NOW's current administration and is running on her record -- which has been to have NOW function like a traditional inside-the-Beltway organization. For those of us who are concerned that the retreat to backroom meetings and insider politics will backfire and hurt women's rights, the choice is clear.

During the early months of the Obama administration and the new Democratic Congress, NOW's leaders seem to have been relishing their new roles as "friends" of the administration. Certainly, they once again have access to the White House and are invited in for meetings and ceremonies. But how does that access pay off for women? It won't if we don't have an outsider strategy to strengthen the insider role.

The editorial is on HuffPo, unfortunately (I'm surprised they printed it), here, so be prepared for the onslaught of triviality in the margins.  And my apologies if this has been posted here before!

After this last year's performance, I'm going to need to see some serious proof before I can consider supporting NOW.  But at least with Gandy gone, and some semblance of the idea that fighting for women's rights is more important than how close their place cards are at White House dinners attaching itself to O'Neill, I'm not quite so cynically depressed about the future.

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by: Valhalla @ Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 23:11:39 PM CDT

Green ribbons (0.00 / 0)

Alegre

Would you pass the word to feminists to wear green bracelets tomorrow to show solidarity with women dying for freedom in Iran?

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by: Greenconsciousness @ Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 12:56:11 PM CDT

Why just one day? (0.00 / 0)

I say wear them until they have their freedom.

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by: nycstray @ Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 14:33:03 PM CDT

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Will N.O.W. represent all women ? (0.00 / 0)

Even those they don't "like" ?  There is so much more to our lives than politics :)

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by: diggins @ Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 16:14:15 PM CDT

Well, this is still political (0.00 / 0)

But on O'Neill's webpage for her campaign slate (Feminist Leadership NOW), she was all over Letterman.

To be fair (maybe), NOW also raised the issue, but their blurb had a different tone.

Interestingly, while checking out what NOW had to say about Letterman and other recent offenses, I found that NOW has relaunched their "Media Hall of Shame."  In December 2008 that is, long after their curious silence regarding the many misogynistic attacks on Clinton and Palin during the campaigns.  Also, it may be just my tinfoily mind, but I couldn't help but wonder if this newly invigorated MHoS wasn't a belated attempt by Gandy to combat the well-deserved criticism of her longstanding failure to actually stand up for women.

O'Neill clearly has no problem standing up for women, regardless of their political views, though:

"Why did it take so long to apologize?" said O'Neill. "We agree with Letterman's assessment that his joke can't be defended, and you can't really be doing jokes like that. We wish he had acknowledged why: Sexist and racist attacks on women or mothers who dare to enter the public sphere, including Governor Palin, Secretary of State Clinton, First Lady Obama and Judge Sotomayor are a form of sexual harassment."

Sexual harassment operates in the workplace by making it clear that women just aren't welcome. "Like so many on the airwaves, Letterman has a pattern of making sexist and demeaning jokes against women in public life," said O'Neill. "Comedians, pundits and all those men dominating the airwaves think it's open season on women public figures - and feminists won't allow this sexual harassment to continue any longer."

I don't know if O'Neill has what it takes to reverse NOW's misguided attachment to insider-politics, or it's failure to take a stand on anything they think might offend TPTB.  But I'm a lot more encouraged about NOW under O'Neill's guidance than I would be under Gandy's hand-picked successor.

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by: Valhalla @ Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 17:04:29 PM CDT

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If she speaks out in a strong fighting spirit (0.00 / 0)

the misguided attachment may just get replaced by grassroots activism.

Hillary got 18 million for a reason. I would love to feel that NOW had my back in daily life. Quite frankly, the fact that O'Neill mentions civil disobedience as a tool, makes me do a happy dance  :) If I felt they were once again centered on our issues and not politics, I would feel change was in the air. And not "Obama change". The current and future generations need a lesson in woman's activism from what I can see, so I'm glad old skool won out over new skool.

This "old skool" gal is tired of this fight being watered down and put on the back burner. Especially wih a "Dem" president.

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by: nycstray @ Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 20:26:58 PM CDT

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I may actually join. (0.00 / 0)

I would love to see O'Neill succeed in changing the energy and focus of NOW.  I was so angry with them last year, but maybe it is time to give the new leadership a shot in the arm.  Show them that we are behind them.  I am going to join and try to be part of the solution for the organization.

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by: Honora @ Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 07:47:13 AM CDT

Great idea (0.00 / 0)

Once I find a new job I may follow your example!

Invest in Women - Change the World
http://twitter.com/alegrescorner

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by: Alegre @ Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 14:05:15 PM CDT

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