An Open Letter To Barbara Streisand
Dear Barbara,
From one Brooklyn girl to another, I want you to know that there are many women who will vote for McCain/Palin and we are not “stupid”.
You’re right when you say that John McCain’s choice of a female running mate “sent a very clear message to America about how he views female voters”. It says “I want your vote and I am willing to take a risk to gain your trust”. Unlike Barack Obama who disrespected Hillary Clinton supporters and then expected us to come running when he called…like the good little women we are.
You wrote “a person that is just a heart beat away from the Presidency—that has no foreign policy experience, no national experience and limited state government experience…. a virtual unknown”. Um, I’m not sure if you proofread your letter, but you just described Barack Obama, the person who you are endorsing for President of the United States of America. Well, except for the “limited state government experience”. He has none.
You openly criticize and downplay the accomplishments of a strong, hardworking woman and mother, but yet you say you are someone “who has spent over 40 years advocating on behalf of women both politically and philanthropically”. From your letter it appears you only support women who share your “values, experience and political positions”.
I know you’re older than me and probably not as in touch with the average American woman (being a celebrity and all), but I give women way more credit than you do. We women may have our battles over who’s right and who’s wrong in the working mom vs. the stay-at-home-mom debate. Both sides can get pretty heated in that discussion. And sometimes feminists and the more traditional women don’t see eye to eye. But unlike you, I have faith in the sisterhood that all of us belong to. Your hastily written vent overlooked one important thing.
Women don’t have to agree with each other 100% to support each other.
We can have a difference in political positions and views, and still be supportive of each other. Instead of tearing women down for backing one another, you should be happy for of Governer Palin and proud for how far we’ve come. On the very week that we celebrated the 88th anniversary of the womens suffrage movement, two historic things happened. The first, Hillary Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention, as the first woman Democratic Presidential candidate to gain as much support as she did. The second is the Republican party has their first female vice president nominee. You should be proud.
I support your right to disagree with me. I support your right to vote for whoever you choose.
Have the same respect for us.
And in closing, from one Brooklyn girl to another, I leave you with the words of our homeboy Andrew “Dice” Clay.
“Just sing Barbara!. For God sake’s, nobody cares what you think! Just sing!”.
