Rick Santorum's Antiquated Views On Female Leadership Put America In Peril

First Rick Santorum found himself explaining a comment about women not being emotionally competent to serve in leadership positions in the military.  Then he appeared on ABC’s ‘This Week’ last Sunday, defending his statements in his 2005 book:

“Sadly the propaganda campaign launched in the 1960s has taken root,” Mr. Santorum, or his wife, wrote in the book. “The radical feminists succeeded in undermining the traditional family and convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness.”

Remembering that his book was hotly debated during his awesome 2006 political defeat, Santorum came up with Gloria Steinem as the source of America’s evils. Reflecting on her decision to be a stay-at-home mom, Karen Santorum felt that other women “looked down their nose at that decision.”

This is what Gloria Steinem REALLY, ACTUALLY said about working women: “We also have to re-define work, so that the work of caring for children and doing human maintenance in the home is counted as productive work, and has attributed value.”

Note: her words were radical, but NOT against stay-at-home moms. We lobbied hard for mom’s work to be recognized and valued, and lost EVERY battle in Congress. This is why America is 1 of 3 countries in the world with no legislated family leave policy. The other two countries are Swaziland and Papua, New Guinea.

Dem Strategist Donna Brazile Calls Out New American McCarthyism

‘Father Knows Best’ is an American radio and television comedy series which portrayed a middle class family life in the Midwest. It was created by writer Ed James in the 1940s, and ran on radio from 1949 to 1954 and on television from 1954 to 1960.

Democratic strategist Donna Brazile is the first pundit we’ve read to speak of America’s new era of ‘McCarthyism’, putting her views front and center for The Daily Beast. Planned Parenthood is America’s most fervent target of ‘McCarthyism,’ writes Brazile.

While Planned Parenthood is a popular target of right-wing rage, the organization is not alone. More than ever, these brand bullies have come after all kinds of theoretically noncontroversial organizations. Current targets include JCPenney, for using Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson. They include the Girl Scouts, for a tenuous connection to a Planned Parenthood education project. They include the hardware chain Lowe’s, for the sin of advertising on a television show that provided neutral coverage of Muslim Americans.

The backlash against the Susan B Komen foundation’s attempts to defund Planned Parenthood suggests that it may have triggered a call to arms that our modern McCarthyism mindset has to stop. We don’t want every DFR page to devote itself to the daily onslaught against women. But Republicans give us no choice. The battle is on. Anne

Democratic Women Boycott House Contraception Hearing After Republicans Prevent Women From Testifying ThinkProgress

Severe Conservative Syndrome NYTimes

Israel Debates Role of Women In Israeli Society As Prof Channa Maayan Cannot Accept Prize

If you think it’s only in Saudi Arabia where men and women can’t mix, you’re wrong. Many Israelis also seek to segregate women from men in an Israel that increasingly turns against secularism and women’s rights.

The New York Times writes in Israelis Facing a Seismic Rift Over Role of Women that professor Channa Maayan confronted the reality of a new Israel when she was recently awarded a prize for her book on hereditary diseases common to Jews.

Respecting the fact that the crowd would be mixed from ultra-orthodox to secular Jews, Channa Maayan wore a long-sleeve top and a long skirt. But it was not enough. No one was prepared for the next event — not even us reading this article.

Simply stated, Channa Maayan was not allowed to accept her own prize for scholarship, because in Israel — a country that receives how much foreign aid from America? — she was no longer permitted on stage. Maayan was instructed to have a male colleague accept her prize.

At a time when there is no progress on the Palestinian dispute, Israelis are turning inward and discovering that an issue they had neglected — the place of the ultra-Orthodox Jews — has erupted into a crisis.

And it is centered on women.