Question for the women of CA/GOP Hypocrisy

[jiacinto]

I know this was a rough subject last night, so let me state the following. This question doesn't apply to women who didn't vote for Arnold or Democratic women.

But how on earth could a woman vote for Arnold? Did these women who voted for him--and according to the numbers it's evident that many did vote for him--have any self-respect? Why would they vote for a man who evidently has no respect for women?

Also the next point that I want to make is that this whole recall election shows the GOP hypocrisy. Arnold makes Clinton look like a church choir boy. Yet somehow his womaniznig is not a "character issue". That really sickens me to death.

Anyway I really wanted a flame free answer to the questions raised herein.

[jiacinto]

1. kick

nt

[fizzana]

2. Denial

My aunt (75 years old) who is a Republican through and through told me that all the stories were made up. One the contrary women have been throwing themselves at the Groper for years.

Once you believe that, it's easy.

[jiacinto]

3. I understand it

But I just don't see how women, especially your aunt, who have gone through and suffered sexual harassment and discrimination, can be so hard on Arnold's victims.

[fizzana]

14. My aunt, as did I & my family, grew up in South Africa during

apartheid so we were the distriminators. Some of us like myself got it, others like her, never did. She emigrated here in her fifties, hasn't worked since she got married many, many years ago so she hasn't known any real harassment or discrimination and therefore has absolutely no clue.

[GinaMaria]

4. The same women who

yelled at nuns who protested Arnie. The right wing thug mentality is not exclusively male. I don't see how Arnie represents anyone's interests, male or female, but :shrug: People don't seem to vote their interest. I'll never figure it out.

I'm more concerned about CA when the Enron/Arnie thing hits them. It's going to be painful. Anyone who would sexually assault a woman... it's not a far stretch to think he will rape the state.

[jiacinto]

5. Interesting reply

I just don't understand the logic behind this.

[GinaMaria]

6. ? Don't understand

the logic behind my post or the problem with women voting Arnie?

[jiacinto]

7. behind women voting for Arnold

nt

[GinaMaria]

9. maybe logic has nothing to do

with their decision. Maybe it's just partisan. Maybe they believe the simple sound bites out there, that dems are sexually sleezy, repugs are righteous... you know the drill. It has nothing to do with logic. The media feeds it. Repeat a lie often enough and people swear it's the truth. Manipulation of perception.

We are a culture that historically demonize victims and defends offenders. We still have a long way to go.

Best,
Gina

[jiacinto]

21. We sure do

nt

[texastoast]

8. A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

First, I'm not from California, but if I were and I had voted for Arnold (I would have voted against the recall), I would tell you to count your blessings. What if Rush were elected? What if you got another Ashcroft? Nixon?

Adulterous, horndog politicians have been with this nation since it was born.

Mud-slinging and media productions about adulterous, horndog politicians have been with this nation since it was born (see the pamphlets written by the contemporaries of Ben Franklin, who was on the giving and receiving end of such mud-slinging).

Arnold did not make it to be the top movie star in the world by being stupid. I knew years ago when he married Maria that this day would come, that it was part of his personal achievement plan, and that he would select his forum wisely. He did.

I for one absolutely do not care what someone does in private with another consenting (key word there) individual. Arnold's native culture was not of the Victorian, sphincter-restricted, judgmentally moralistic bent. Neither was ours so much during the 70s and 80s when most of his boobie-squeezing behavior occurred. The term sexual harassment came to our culture only in the 80s. Arnold has done NOTHING that most men in America in a work environment have not also done until the words "lawsuit for sexual harassment" began to strike enough fear into the risk managers' hearts to revise corporate policies. If you are under 30, you have no idea how bad sexual harassment could be for a good-looking woman in the workplace.

California just might benefit from the election of Arnold, who is quite liberal in much of his thinking. The repukians think that Arnold will be malleable and do what he is told, and I've got a feeling that we are all going to be pleasantly surprised when he tells them to kiss his super movie star behind. Arnold really doesn't need the party like they need him. Let's wait and see.

Unfortunately, Clinton had to clear the way for all those following regarding the dip-the-cigar issue. He shouldn't have perjured himself. He was his own worst enemy FOR THAT TIME. I don't think it will be as big an issue anymore. As usual, the regressives are riding on the coattails of the Dems. Not the first time, and it won't be the last. Of course, womanizing is a character issue. It's not one that I look at when deciding whether or not someone is smart enough to do their job as an elected official.

Just think, in today's world, Thomas Jefferson would have been impeached for making whoopie with his black slave. Wow! How would that have played on the evening news? And what would the nation have lost because Jefferson loved a black woman not his wife?

The stupid Republicans would probably strung him up. What a bunch of idiots. Arnold is no idiot.

[Undemcided]

10. Compartmentalization.

Happens all the time.

[Logansquare]

11. I heard a feminist theorist call these types "slave girls"

They identify and cling to power in order to benefit themselves, and don't feel particularly sorry about other women being hurt. They often view themselves as entitled and superior to other women. They attribute sexual assault or domestic violence against women as being mostly the woman's fault.

I remember a college classmate was raped and beaten while walking home from the laundromat after dark. A couple of the girls in the dorms (real princesses, by the way) said things like "what was she doing out by herself at night?," and "why didn't she try to scream and fight harder?" Absolutely no empathy.

[cally]

12. Same reason defense lawyers want women on

rape trial juries. Denial. If you believe that a man gets away with a pattern of abuse for years then you have to accept that you are a potential victim. That laws, culture, your own strength cannot protect you. It is much easier to blame the victims that it's their fault. Stupid, but easier to accept psychologically.

I can still remember my depression when I finally accepted my vulnerability and that victims are not at fault. It's hard to accept and understand and to then come out the other side and love men while recognizing the deviants.

[Classical_Liberal]

13. The same reason they voted for Clinton

They didn't believe the scandals. Just because you assume everything nasty said about az republican is true doesn't mean most people do.

[FlaGranny]

16. It's easy to believe the accusations against Arnold.

Cause he admitted they were true!! It's also easy to believe that he gangbanged. He said it himself during an interview. I don't believe anyone is assuming anything about Arnold.

I was a young working woman in the 50's and 60's, so I know all about sexual harrassment. I wouldn't have voted for someone like that back then and I wouldn't now either. That kind of person is repugnant. I've known enough dirty old men in my time. They've always disgusted me. Groping and crude sexual remarks are very revealing about a person's character. I have no problem voting for someone who has had sex with willing partners but I draw the line at dirty old creeps. Ugh!

Edit: Contrary to the opinions of some folks, most women do NOT throw themselves at actors, sports figures, and politicians (although I'll concede that enough do that these public figures should have no need to resort to this kind of behavior). It's a power thing and a "milder" form of rape.

[jbm]

15. my opinion...

that I formed today while reading on some non-political boards. I think many of the women who voted for Arnold were liberal minded...but non-political. They came to terms with infidelities during Clintons tenure,and while there were distinctions,I don't think there was enough time for people who weren't totally emotionally involved to come to terms with the differences.

As for the conservative women who supported him,consistency is not a virtue with them..lol.

I do think this may be one of those 'defining moments'though. There was a thread here a few days ago where people listed the occurrences that made them forever Dem. Anita Hill was a big moment for many(myself included). I'm thinking there are a whole lot of women in California today(and maybe across the U.S.) who just became solid Dems.

[jiacinto]

17. Good Point

Yeah but it surprises me that women would vote for Arnold to the extent that they did.

[opihimoimoi]

18. Some of them WANT to be groped/

Its the Grope Wish Thingy.

[jiacinto]

19. Yeah

I really doubt women want to be sexually harassed.

[Spazito]

20. It would be interesting to see an age breakdown of the women who....

voted for him. I suspect they are in the 20-30 but have nothing to base my suspicions on.

[Clete]

22. I become very angry with stupid people myself,

however, this is what seems to have happened. Women who voted for Arnold were asked by reporters as they left the polls, why? They apparently, not knowing about Arnold's sexual harrassment, assaults and batteries prior to the Los Angeles Times story were convinced by the media or whoever that this was a smear campaign by the opposition to make Arnold look bad.

Now I really want to scream when I run into this mentality of those, who are so involved in their day to day lives, MTV and whatever they do to occupy themselves that they can't be bothered to get the facts before they vote and make a decision that affects not on themselves but everyone else as well.

Also, another reporter who was against Arnold's history of groping brought up the fact that many of the girls interviewed were between eighteen and twenty and hadn't had to deal with workplace sexual crimes yet, so they couldn't know how humiliating and frightening it is to be subject to this is a workplace where men control all the power.

Now, lastly, if Arnold ran as a Democrat, you can be sure the media would have smeared him from coast to coast on all of the sexually seamy stories the minute they got the hint that he wanted to enter politics let alone actually enter the race.

[DealsGapRider]

23. If there's a silver lining to all of this...

...it's that the Repugs should be forced, once and for all, to quit calling themselves the party of family values. That's a good thing.

As for hypocrisy, I know I'll get flamed for this, but there's plenty to go around. Just as it was hypocritical for the GOP to support Ahnuld after lambasting Clinton, so was it hypocrtical for Gray David to campaign alongside Clinton while lambasting Ahnuld for groping.

I've seen a lot of blinders on here in DUland, where everyone refuses to believe that Clinton ever did anything that was not consensual. I find that remarkable. His penchant for non-consensual groping was legendary, and it's clear that he used women for sex even when it was consensual. How someone who does that can be said to respect women is beyond me.

[jiacinto]

24. I never said Clinton was perfect

But it was the right wing hypocrisy in sticking with Arnold that angered me.

[DemCam]

25. That's the uncomfortable part..

They...at some level...are having to face their own hypocrisy.

I had to confront it with the Clinton scandal. Try as I might...and I did...to myself, I had to come to terms with the accusations. And the consensual nature of it...let me off the hook.

It's the same with Arnold. Why one would be attracted to him is unfathomable to me...refusing...all these years to be able to watch one of his movies...BUT......

He is a star, he has power, and now he's the Guv, luv...

And that is attractive.

And that means it is abhorrent only to the victims and the partisans.

Sigh.