I come in praise of…N.O.W.?

Well blow me over with a feather. Wednesday afternoon I did a very rare Tweet ( @punditreview) asking a simple question,

What time is the N.O.W. press conference denouncing David Letterman for his jokes about Palin’s 14-year old daughter?
1:59 PM Jun 10th from web

Tounge in cheek as the silence was deafening and the double standard too obvious to ignore. Turns out, on this issue anyway, NOW is being intellectually honest about the situation. Here is a portion of the statement they released tonight,

NOW’s Media Hall of Shame: David Letterman
Comedians in search of a laugh should really know better than to snicker about men having sex with teenage girls (or young women) less than half their age.

The sexualization of girls and women in the media is reaching new lows these days — it is exploitative and has a negative effect on how all women and girls are perceived and how they view themselves. Letterman also joked about what he called Palin’s “slutty flight attendant look” — yet another example of how the media love to focus on a woman politician’s appearance, especially as it relates to her sexual appeal to men. Someone of Letterman’s stature, who appears on what used to be known as “the Tiffany Network” (CBS), should be above wallowing in the juvenile, sexist mud that other comedians and broadcasters seem to prefer.

On that point, it’s important to note that when Chelsea Clinton was 13 years old she was the target of numerous insults based on her appearance. Rush Limbaugh even referred to her as the “White House dog.” NOW hopes that all the conservatives who are fired up about sexism in the media lately will join us in calling out sexism when it is directed at women who aren’t professed conservatives.

They proved me wrong and did the right thing. Good for them for speaking out. That said, I certainly think negative publicity and sustained anger over the comments played a role in their decision, not to mention Letterman’s weasly apology.

Ever the diplomat, ALLAHPUNDIT offers this grand compromise,

People on Twitter are grumbling about that last paragraph but (a) given how peeved the sisterhood will be that they’re defending Palin, surely you won’t begrudge NOW some sort of ass-covering knock on conservatives here, and (b) their point is, unfortunately, too often valid, as a scroll through righty blog comments about Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton (at least before 2008) will attest. A compromise, then: The right will join in calling out sexism directed at liberal women when the left stops treating conservative women as “inauthentic” or traitors to their gender because they happen to be pro-life. Deal?

Hat Tip: Kathryn Lopez, The Corner

One Response to “I come in praise of…N.O.W.?”

1. Sasha says:

   June 18, 2009 at 9:48 am

   Well, maybe some women are finally realizing that NOW is just a Political Org. and Nothing More! Given that over the past few decades they OVERLOOKED a president’s abuse of his own Supporter… and I can say it is because of the Low Morals and Standards they push along with their Liberal Political Allies. When a group forgets its basic goals and compromises them time and time again..This is what they become. Instead of standing up for women and their rights…they are now treated as political tools and not much more. Every once in a while they get a Bone thrown at them..Sort of Like Sharpton’s comment pre Deval Patrick’s Election..Democrats come around every time they need a vote..they take us to the dance and then LEAVE US BEHIND….when poeople “think” they are voting to get what they want in the future..you never get the JOB DONE..and your “Protectors” tend to not Quite get the job done…simnilar to the union worker who KEEPS HIS JOB ALIVE.. and we all know how that works. Just think back to the Senator from Washington (I recall) who was forced to resign for TOUCHING some women 20 years in the past..the Now folks have degenerated to Picking who to attack rather then What. The rest of us just Do the Best Job we can and EARN RESPECT..

   Now and those LIKE THEM are Just another ACORN or SEIU (?) what they say and What they Actually Do are getting more and more obvious..