Women's March 2.0 Shows Why GOP Is Scared of 2018

6 thoughts on “Women’s March 2.0 Shows Why GOP Is Scared of 2018”

1. As one of the clipboard carriers urging people to update their registrations, I found it interesting when I wasn't successful. Lots of people I talked to were vehement about already being registered at their current address and looking forward to voting.  A few told me they were just visiting from another state or nation, but were enthusiastic about the size of the demonstration. I found more people registering people or gathering signatures for politicians (2 Mike Johnson carriers). Lots of enthusiasm even late in the day, virtually no litter, and the police I saw were absolutely bored.

   One innovation I read about at a different march that I was surprised wasn't developed here — a specific area for booths, with easy access for voter registration (checking existing registration, updating, and getting registered), allied organizations sharing information and getting sign-ups, and political campaigns to show their support and find volunteers.

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   1. People who show up at marches are probably engaged voters, who also know how to update their registrations online. So it wasn't too surprising that you found few takers. Good on you for making the effort, though.

      In 2012, part of Obama's massive success in Colorado was due to massive voter registration drives. People were at Safeway stores, set up in booths in front of libraries, etc.

      My county Democratic party trained me this year to register voters; however, they are discouraging us to actually go out and register voters. Why? because Republicans like Secretary of State Wayne Williams have made the penalties for mis-registration so severe. (from $500 for "failing to fulfill training requirements for VRD circulators"  to $5000 for "intentionally failing to deliver a voter registration….. to the proper county clerk")

      Our state Democratic party are wussing out on us in voter registration drives, as well. We may have to go back to individuals doing their own VRD and taking those risks that Wayno and the R team put out as blockades.

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      1. The Great Pink Pussy Hat Controversy:

         If you're on social media at all, you've seen posts by people who claim that the pink hat sported by many at the women's marches is oppressive or insensitive to different groups.

         Those who say women should quit wearing pink pussy  hats at the women's marches come from two intersectional camps:

         1) The pinkness of the hats symbolizes the pussies that Trump said he would grab, and are a way of reclaiming and not shaming female bodies. The argument goes that "not all pussies are pink" because women of color have different skin colors. Therefore it's disrespectful to women of color.

         2) The pink hat – pussy meme leaves out trans women, who may or may not have physical pink pussies, depending on surgery and a bunch of other factors. So wearing the pink hats leaves out "other kinds of women".

         My answer to #1 is science -based. All pussies are pink. Outside skin may be any color, but yup. All pink around the important parts. An OB GYN confirmed that – maybe on kos, or somewhere. So the pink hats are actually a unifying symbol for all women.

         There are more substantial (and to me, more valid) critiques, as well – that focusing only on sexual haraassment #metoo #it'stime ignores the brutalization of people of color by police. So the absence of "Black Lives Matter" signs or civil rights speeches or leadership by and outreach to communities of color is a shortcoming of the women's marches.

         2. My answer to #2 is that "pink" and "pussy"are also used to oppress men of all sexual preferences. Who on this blog hasn't been called/ called another male a sissy or a pussy? If you're too accommodating of your female partner, what are you called? "Pussy-whipped". It's now OK and somewhat fashionable for men to wear pink – but this wasn't always true. Sheriff Arpaio made his prisoners wear pink underwear as a symbolic castration or dehumanization. Gay people in Nazi Germany wore pink triangles instead of yellow stars.

         And there are plenty of male victims of sexual assault. 1/2 of all women, 1/7 of all men was the statistic I've seen. So male participation in a march for awareness and pushback on sexual assault makes perfect sense. Men wearing pink pussy hats makes perfect sense. And I know trans women who showed up at marches wearing "the hat", in solidarity.

         So enjoy participating  the most widespread and inclusive movement seen in America or worldwide, feel empowered. Can organizers of the women's marches do better, be more inclusive, have more leadership by women of color? Absolutely. Can we be more inclusive of the issues of male victims and non-cis women? Of course.

         Does that mean that we should give up the powerful feeling of seeing a sea of pink hats around all of the big and many small cities and communities in the world? Never.  Wear that pink or blue or green or rainbow hat with pride, and keep your eyes on the prize of equality and justice for all. You're part of something extraordinary.

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         1. MJ — how 'bout a third source — paid provocateurs from certain eastern block countries?

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            1. That's certainly possible, Davie. We know that the "bots" want to break up unity, muddy and confuse issues.

               I've seen one or two posts that purport to be from "Bernie Sanders supporters" asking people not to wear the pink hats for some of the reasons I mentioned in my post. Kinda suspect. Especially when it's a new account with no friends but bajillions of "likes". And there is still enough lingering resentment from the primary that something "from Bernie supporters" lecturing feminists will stir up more resentment and division.

               Twitter is doing a better job than Facebook in tracking Russian bot influencers. So far, the Twitter botskis seem to be most interested in blaming the shutdown on Democrats.

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               1. Thanks for the link to the Twitter Russian Bot tracking page!  Very enlightening.

                  Comrade Moderatus is probably overjoyed to have the Russians helping ease his workload.

                  This bears repeating from the HuffPo article you linked.

                  Which party is to blame for the shutdown? It’s complicated, but Republicans control Congress and President Donald Trump started this fight in September, when he unilaterally ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

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