Commentary
When feminists gather to endorse a candidate, surprise -- views differ
by Shannon DruryAs any activist leader will tell you, any media coverage of your organization is a coup. Nick Espinosa dropped 2,000 pennies on GOP candidate Tom Emmer's lap on July 14 and brought Boycott Arizona Minnesota from a Facebook fan page to the Star Tribune's front page.
My organization, the Minnesota chapter of the National Organization for Women, made headlines last week with its announcement that its political action committee had endorsed Matt Entenza in the DFL primary race -- with the implication that we had snubbed Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who in fact received the same endorsement from our political action committee, just several days later.
Personally, I think Espinosa had the better media action plan.
I am Minnesota NOW's state president and have been since 2006. I was not an active member when our organization's PAC guidelines were drafted, so I do not know why our bylaws allow for multiple endorsements -- but allow they do, and when our PAC met on the morning of July 17, we operated under the assumption that more than one candidate for governor might earn our highest rating, an A (neither Emmer nor Independence Party candidate Tom Horner submitted a questionnaire).
Our committee is no different from any other. Our members offer opinions as distinctive and diverse as their life experiences and personalities. We debate. We argue. We find ourselves trapped in a windowless conference room on a sunny day and decide to continue the discussion later, as happened in the case of Kelliher's rating.
Nor is our movement different from any other. Feminists battle both within and without as they attempt to define feminism as they understand it. In 2008, Sarah Palin attempted to appeal to the women who eagerly cast their votes for Hillary Clinton in that year's primaries (myself included) by calling herself a feminist. But it takes more than being a woman to be a feminist -- as our male PAC chair would agree.
For me, feminism is about creating a world in which all women (and therefore all people) have the ability to achieve their full potential. Feminism means equality and opportunity for all women, not just a few. Sarah Palin's successful career would not be possible without the work of women's libbers from the '60s and '70s (though Palin's opposition to abortion rights ignores a crucial aspect of the movement: If any woman is deprived of the right to control her fertility, she is deprived of her full humanity).
Speaking for myself alone, I appreciated that Matt Entenza made appearances at both a MN NOW state board meeting as well as an initial planning meeting of a coalition to pass an Equal Rights Amendment to the Minnesota Constitution in 2012. His running mate, Robyne Robinson, contacted me to introduce herself. Both discussed their unequivocal support for equality for all Minnesotans, across barriers of gender, economic status, race, age and sexual orientation.
My attempts to search Kelliher's campaign website for a statement on women's equality have come up short. After Nancy Pelosi's support for the Stupak Amendment to health care reform last winter, I've grown too impatient to trust that women's rights will appear one day on a candidate's agenda.
And impatience is a personality trait that I brought to the table in that windowless room on July 17. Others brought enthusiasm, some brought exasperation. My friend Barbra brought donuts, but no one thought to bring a bag full of pennies. Perhaps that's for the best.
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Shannon Drury, president of Minnesota NOW, is a writer, at-home parent and community activist. She writes a regular column for the Minnesota Women's Press, with additional work appearing in HipMama, Literary Mama and Skirt magazines. She blogs at www.theradicalhousewife.com.
Comments (6)
I have no problem with how the Minnesota chapter of NOW endorses candidates. I do have a problem with the DFL having three candidates yet at this stage of the game. We could learn something from the Republicans when it comes to discipline. DFL politics look far too much like a tent revival: were looking for some sort of messiah to lead us to the promised land in one fell swoop instead of a manager who will have to deal with the grimy reality of dealing with entrenched interests and diverging agendas. Democrats love to make lofty pleas for unity-- yet the DFL is walking into August with three, seperate candidates?
I genuinely empathize with Mark Dayton, I genuinely hope he eventually finds what he's spent his whole life searching for--but under no circumstances should Minnesota ever give him another public office!
As for Entenza and Kelliher: both seem to be flawed candidates. Kelliher seems a little too staid to me. Entenza doesn't seem nearly staid enough. But it's concievable that a more disciplined DFL, probably from the forbidden recesses of a smoke-filled room, would have done a better job of picking candidates than the current system did.
Doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement to me, Shannon. Planned Parenthood endorsed Margaret Anderson Kelliher in May, though. Considering that they actually have money in their coffers and an enthusiastic volunteer base, I'd say their endorsement is the more relevant feminist endorsement in this race.
For all the DFL campaigns I have worked on over the years, I have never encountered NOW or their PAC. DFL Feminist Caucus, Planned Parenthood, WomenWinning, MWPC, etc--yes. The fact that NOW couldn't get their act together enough to announce their endorsees simultaneously tells me that they are irrelevant. Ms. Drury's comments about Margaret Anderson Kelliher further prove my point; she's the president of the org but cannot even get behind their candidate. Sad.
We are in control of our fertility- what on earth are you talking about? What a strange issue to be passionate about- aborting babies. Sarah Palin owes the stale womens libbers absolutely nothing.
I have to say that it was truly refreshing to hear that MN NOW endorsed a true advocate for woman's rights and equality for all Minnesotans.
I think that it is a telling sign that NOW endorsed Entenza first.
That tells me that he was NOW's first choice! Obviously their must have been pressure to endorse Margaret due to the fact that she would be MN first woman Gov.. I think that the decision to give her an endorsement was a gender based decision. If I'm not mistaken, we are fighting to free our selfs from gender based decisions!! As the writer indicates, if you want to know who the best candidate for the gender equality movement is, you only need to look as far as the candidate's issues on their web sites! ( please look for yourself) One Candidate doesn't think it's worth mentioning. The other candidate outlines a strong history of standing up for woman's rights and a strong commitment to continuing the fight for equality for all Minnesotan's . That candidate is Matt Entenza!
(Think you've got equality? Think again!)
As the spearhead of Florida's ERA ratification bills thru the FL legislature for the past 10 years, I am convinced that legislative criteria for any organization should include passing the ERA:
"Equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the U.S. or by any State on account of sex [gender, in today's language."
Who could be against that?? Well, lots of southern and renegade Mormon states' legislatures!
Unbelievable in this day and age? I could tell you that each of Florida's House Speakers for the past 9 years has refused even to HEAR OUR ERA BILL while the Senate committees pass it overwhelmingly. Even the most rabid anti-woman Republican FL senate legislators vote for ERA!
You are warmly welcomed to www.RatifyERAflorida.net, a national ERA site that helps mentor 6 other states as they file their bills as well as runs Florida.
Do go and find out what you didn't know. ERA's pretty complex. If you back America's promise of EQUALITY FOR ALL regardless of gender, pitch in with emailing us your contact info so we can update you on these noble bills. Maybe you'd even make a ph call when we ask?
We are nonsexist, nonprofit and nonpartisan and open to everyone who truly aspires to equality for all, regardless of gender. We have endorsements from"
300 000 supporters nationwide
7 FL newspapers
88% of the public
7 Regional Directors
ERa is for everyone, male and female alike. Try us, you'll like us.
sandy oestreich, Founder/Pres, ERA
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