Adventures in NOW Land
This weekend, I attended the National Organization for Women (NOW) National Conference. I was really interested to see what they thought were the major problems facing women today. I thought there might be some room for unity. My conclusion is that NOW has lost its direction and is grasping for an enemy. Women have achieved so much, yet NOW focuses on the negative and they find negative almost anywhere. NOW’s biggest achievement, it seems, is that it has taught a generation of women how to find sexism, oppression and misogyny almost anywhere.
I wrote a column on my experience for Townhall.com, which is entitled, The Villains of Victimhood.
Also, here are some pictures. Here is the program cover that I wrote about in my article.
Let's start with the t-shirts that were offered for sale.
Pretty clear agenda here.
Who knew Paris Hilton would come up with a slogan for feminism?
No comment.
Want a bumper sticker?
You can see what books NeW is reading by looking at our book club webpage. What do NOW women read? They read books such as Hooking Up: a girl's all-out guide to sex and sexuality. They also read tofu cookbooks together.
I wrote a column on my experience for Townhall.com, which is entitled, The Villains of Victimhood.
Also, here are some pictures. Here is the program cover that I wrote about in my article.
Let's start with the t-shirts that were offered for sale.
Pretty clear agenda here.
Who knew Paris Hilton would come up with a slogan for feminism?
No comment.
Want a bumper sticker?
You can see what books NeW is reading by looking at our book club webpage. What do NOW women read? They read books such as Hooking Up: a girl's all-out guide to sex and sexuality. They also read tofu cookbooks together.
There was formerly a picture of a woman getting petitions signed here, but that has been taken down because some people misinterpreted its meaning.
I bet that was an enlightening conference! They say, "A picture is worth 1,000 words." That statement could not be more true regarding the last picture in your post. The hypocrisy of NOW is so unbelievable that I'm surprised they still have a following. It just goes to show how extreme the type of people NOW and other liberal feminist organizations tend to attract.
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I am speechless. Was it really necessary to your agenda to make fun of an older woman in a wheelchair?
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Ah, well, clearly being a sarcastic, conservative is much better than a NOW member-'cause then you get to make fun of old ladies in wheelchairs! Score one for NeW!
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Oh dear lord, not tofu! How dare they subvert all that is holy and American by reading cookbooks!
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Examine carefully your intentions, Karin. Your post illustrates an interest in poking fun at liberals and an acute LACK of interest in finding "unity." Also, you mention "how much women have achieved" and, while it exhilarates me to find something we agree about, I can't help but think you haven't considered how many women who brought about those achievements did, in fact, "piss off the radical right."
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Making fun of an old woman in a wheelchair? You're disgusting. I'm horrified that you even have the word "women" in the name of your organization. It's embarrassing to women everywhere.
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Well, the previous posters mostly said it already. But, given typical conservative "ethics," one must admire a conservative with the honesty to admit that her philosophy includes the idea, "If one's intent is to belittle liberals, it is appropriate and acceptable to ridicule a senior citizen." So, kudos for candor, Karin!
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Holy Mother of God. Did you just mock a woman in a wheelchair? Your platform makes you sound all good and wonderful, but your PR team must work harder than cardiologists. Thank goodness you have a blog revealing the superficial snake under your exquisite TV shellac.
(For the record, not only can you have severe medical condition requiring a wheelchair and still be able to stand up, but around 85% of all wheelchair-bound patients fit into these "activity/functional" category, particularly in the initial stages of their illness. If you don't believe me and want to see for yourself, go spend four years of med school and become a surgeon in, well, any specialty other than plastics.)
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She didn't mock an old woman in a wheel chair. That is the conclusion that each one of you disgustingly chose to decide on your own. What amazed me about the photo is that NONE of the NOW women were helping this elderly woman. How many years has she worked in the Women's Movement, to be treated with such disregard. I cannot see how any of you can even for a moment say she was mocking an elderly woman, except that you were sent here by another site, which falsely claimed the same thing.
Thanks for posting these pictures of you trip. And don't let liars get you down, you're going to often find yourself a target of groups like NOW. Just the fact that you know the truth, that women are strong and can be independent without government interference and coddling will cause most in socialist feminist groups to hate you. They claim they believe in equality, but their actions demonstrate that they really think very little of women and are opposed to freedom for women.
Keep up the good work.
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Well, of course conservatives don't know anything about people with physical disabilities, any more than they know anything about GLBT people, or people of color, or any of those other yucky Others they want to shield themselves from.
NEWgirls clearly think that making fun of Others will protect them from being Othered for being women. Know what? I don't think it's going to work.
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Did you take the time to go to "Danger Under Fire: Sexual Assault in the Military" panel? I know you think NOW makes up problems but here is a real problem that exists in teh military. What is NEW doing about this topic?
Here is the info in case you missed it!
Breakout Session V
Saturday 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Danger Under Fire: Sexual Assault in the Military
Room: Patuxtent/Embassy
Participate in this eye-opening workshop about the sexual violence faced by women in the military. Perpetrators of rapes in the military are generally given reduction in rank and confinement to base, but seldom jailed or placed on the national sex offenders list. When rapes occur in a war zone, women face post-combat trauma AND rape trauma, and there is little counseling or treatment for either. Military women, experts, and the mother of Suzanne Swift speak out on what must be done.
Moderator: Roberta Waddle
Panelists: Col. Ann Wright, Sara Rich, Dr. John Johnson, Linda Johnson, Maricela Guzman, Helen Benedict
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Just as an FYI, as you seem to not be aware of this, but not everyone who uses a wheelchair has lost complete use of their legs. Many folks use wheelchairs as an aid because they cannot count on their legs to support them for any extended period of time.
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I actually remember that woman. She was INCREDIBLY FRAIL. No one looking at her thought she didn't use the wheelchair personally.
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wow, really, though... that's very enlightened. because if a woman can stand, she'd only have a wheelchair to claim victimhood...
really. just wow. i can tell you what's new about NeW... i don't think conservatives would have dropped to the level of openly mocking a person for not being fully-abled... oh, wait... i guess mr limbaugh did make fun of mj fox for having parkinson's, so that's not so new after all.
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You know what else speaks for itself? The survey results.
Does this group even have real live women members? How come they aren't making comments?
Since feminists began getting organized, there's always been groups of anti-feminist women. They sell conformity as a "NEW" viable alternative to feminism. They act as though embracing the status quo is an act of monumental courage.
Historically they tend to be forgotten or mocked.
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Did you really go to the NOW conference because you were "interested to see what they thought were the major problems facing women today" or because you were looking for your own enemy to help you play victim? Evil feminists and their tofu cookbooks... For shame! I know we feminists shouldn't be focusing on negative stuff; we should be reading about women who make the world worse or how modern women are so incredibly unhappy because of feminism... Oh, wait... Looks to me like we all have things we like to rant about, huh Karin?
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"Since feminists began getting organized, there's always been groups of anti-feminist women. They sell conformity as a "NEW" viable alternative to feminism."
These conservative NEW women sell COMMON SENSE...something the radical 3rd wave feminists have yet to embrace.
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you are a joke. so many sites have linked to this to show your behavior.
do you know how many people 'got your number' now, Karin Agness??????
Karin, who hails from Indianapolis, graduated from the University of Virginia in May, 2006 and is currently a law student at the University of Virginia School of Law.
(I hope you know that the University of Virginia School of law--shitty school anyway--got a nice little 'note' about this post.)
I guess now you'll learn that it's not good to make snarky fun at handicapped persons.
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For shame! I know we feminists shouldn't be focusing on negative stuff; we should be reading about women who make the world better or how modern women are so incredibly happy because of feminism. Look at the bright part of things, come on!
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It is our responsibility and we should come forward to save women as the are the most important part of our lives.
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I praise National Organization for Women for the job well done. I am looking forward for stronger women this new year. Btw, I like the pink shirt- That's Hot!
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NOW’s biggest achievement, it seems, is that it has taught a generation of women how to find sexism, oppression and misogyny almost anywhere.
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we should be reading about women who make the world worse or how modern women are so incredibly unhappy because of feminism... Oh, wait... Looks to me like we all have things we like to rant about, huh Karin?
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Hi,
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