Recent Comments
Re: “Bill Maher comes to unbuckle the Bible Belt and pull Nashville's pants down”
Not to be argumentative, but I see this comparison a lot (Limbaugh vs. Maher / private citizen vs. public citizen) and I personally think that argument is demeaning to Fluke. She knew when she chose to testify what she was opening herself up to. She's a smart, savvy law student who chose to make herself a public figure, with all that that entails, because she felt that the issue was important and that she wanted to help the cause. In other words, she is a grown woman of conscience, and to act like Rush is picking on a poor, widdle college student is insulting. And, besides that, is missing the point: what Rush said about Fluke (she uses contraception, so she is a slut) is insulting to *all women who use contraception*. He was not just attacking one person. Maher has attacked Palin as a person and as a candidate, but his insults are specific to her and cannot be generalized to any larger group. You can legitimately argue whether Maher crossed a line in his personal attacks on Palin, but in no way is it in the same league as the generally-offensive garbage spewed by Limbaugh.
Re: “Bill Maher comes to unbuckle the Bible Belt and pull Nashville's pants down”
I just can't imagine that she harbored any illusions about what she was getting into, with her level of education and exposure to politics, and knowing full well the madness that has been the debate over contraception (she fought hard to even be allowed to testify). I feel like she had to know she was going to be a target and was prepared for that. I think what she did was very brave and I find something condescending in the attitude that we need to defend her from the likes of Rush Limbaugh. If a grown man had testified and then been insulted by that idiot, would people really be so outraged, or would they just be like "wow, Rush Limbaugh's an idiot". So, it smacks of sexism, really (not to get all shrill feminist on ya...)