NOW calls for firing of Jerry Brown staffer who used Meg Whitman slur

[n2doc]

October 13, 2010 | 4:07 pm
Count the National Organization for Women among those unsatisfied with state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown's debate apology for the campaign staffer who called Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman a "whore."

A statement on NOW's website from President Terry O'Neill said Brown's comments Tuesday night did not go far enough.

"While our California chapter's Political Action Committee voted to endorse Brown on the basis of his support for women's rights, the National Organization for Women clearly and unequivocally condemns calling Meg Whitman, or any woman, a whore," the statement reads. "This term is hate speech that carries with it negative connotations associated with women, and it has no place in contemporary society. NOW calls on Brown to fire any member of his staff who uses this word or any hate speech against women."

Brown said in Tuesday night's debate that his campaign apologized for the comment, and he offered another apology to Whitman during the debate.

more

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/10/now-calls-for-firing-of-jerry-brown-staffer-who-used-meg-whitman-slur.html

[mzteris]

1. they have a point -

if they used any other perjorative in re: a minority or a GLBT individual - everyone would be screaming for a firing.

[hedgehog]

2. Given the context, it is clear the staffer was using the term to

mean someone who sells their soul to the highest bidder. I don't see the problem. If I call someone an SOB, am I denigrating all mothers?

[coti]

3. Exactly. There's a difference between calling a woman a whore because she's a woman,

and calling a politician a whore (woman or man) for selling their opinion on issues.

[tridim]

4. O'Neill might want to look up the definition of "corporate whore"

Because it's pretty obvious she doesn't know what it means.

[dkofos]

5. Pretty sad that NOW equates whore only with women.

[stopbush]

6. Maybe Jerry should have Meg fire the guy. She seems to enjoy that.

[PoliticAverse]

7. Good one. n/t.

[saltpoint]

17. Meg may prefer to shove the person instead.

[arcane1]

8. Oh PLEASE...

I guess NOW agrees with Meg that it's ok when Pete Wilson uses that word?

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Yeah, her own campaign uses the word whore

Of course Pete Wilson is a well known racist anyway.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I think NOW should be thinking of the effect Meg's election

would have on California's women...

:eyes:

[saltpoint]

16. I'll second that.

:thumbsup:

:hi:

[CrawlingChaos]

11. Common usage of 'whore' is not gender specific

God knows I've applied the term to any number of males in the political arena.

It annoys me that NOW would do this, which feels like pandering to Whitman's faux outrage.

And since it seems they can't clearly identify the speaker, what is Jerry supposed to do? Throw out a sacrifice?

Plus, the term was applied accurately in the context of the conversation. It's not like the person was throwing out random epithets.

I'm a woman and a feminist and I'm not the least bit offended by someone calling Whitman a whore! (maybe sex workers, who perform a legitimate service, would have reason to be though)

[itsrobert]

12. Are they calling for the firing of Pete Wilson too?

if not, why not?

[hedgehog]

13. Anyone here recall NOW taking a firm stand against the use of

the word "ho" in rap music?

[Democat]

14. Dumb! Stop attacking the person who is on your side before the election.

Dumb. How about calling for Pete Wilson's firing instead?

[Canuckistanian]

15. Call her on her way home from work and fire her

Tell her that Fox News got a hold of the story.

That seems to be the way to do it. Ask Shirley Sherrod.

[n2doc]

18. UPDATE: National NOW prez backs off on pressuring Brown on"whore" controversy

UPDATE: Minutes after we posted our riff on the National Organization for Women prez calling out the Jerry Brown campaign for its use of the word "whore" we received an, ahem, "clarification" from national NOW prez Terry O'Neill on what she said she "should have said" on the matter.

Seems like in the time it took us to ride the subway home, a certain someone took a trip to the semanticist and ordered up some parse-ly.

Anways, here's O'Neill with her "clarification":

"We are not saying anyone on the Brown campaign be fired," O'Neill said. "What I should have made clear was that anyone who says the 'W' word from here on should be fired. What happened last week was a teachable moment for all of us. We can all agree that the word is offensive and should be retired."



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=74550

[ProfessorGAC]

19. Not Buying It

She is still missing the common connotation of the word. She is still making it a gender specific insult, when that isn't what was meant, nor what it has to mean.
GAC

[northernlights]

20. if the name "corporate whore" fits, wear it.

Brown is full of shit. and NOW is not the time for bs.

[lunatica]

21. My question is where the hell has NOW been since the 1990s?

Suddenly they're out there defending women? Why? Has the political climate been sweet to women for 20 years?