Gimme a Break!
Today's article in the News-Press on how feminist a feminist can be was dissapointing to say the least. There's nothing wrong with having a "small d" democratic process to choose our next 2nd District Supervisor. How anyone could question Council Member Schneider's credentials is beyond me considering she has been fighting for women's rights for years at Planned Parenthood.
Many people haven't chosen who they will support, including myself, but it should not occur like the "right" candidate is being forced down our throats. Mayor Blum had it right -- "Gimme a break!"
Many people haven't chosen who they will support, including myself, but it should not occur like the "right" candidate is being forced down our throats. Mayor Blum had it right -- "Gimme a break!"
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 1/12/2006 06:24:00 AM
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72 Comments:
what the article did not do is put Helene's failure to support Janet in the context of the past ten years; Helene was President of SB Women's Political Committee for several of those years and on its Board for most of the rest. The mission of WPC, which Helene helped to shape over the years, is clearly to elect women to office--feminist women. Yes, WPC has endorsed men in the past, including Das, but when a qualified feminist woman runs in the same race, someone who has held elected office previously for over two terms and been endorsed by WPC before (as w/ Wolf) it contradicts the whole purpose of WPC not to endorse that woman. So while Helene's endorsement is not WPC's, consider the history and background which helped her "achieve political access voice and power" (WPC mission) and you might understand why many of us are dismayed, saddened and perplexed by her decision.
Federal, State and local laws forbid gender bias, yet Capps, Rose and Schwartz promote it as a proper way to select our next 2nd District Supervisor? Does anyone else find this thought process absurd?!
Maybe we should try something new....how about selecting our next Supevisor based on background and experience, rather than gender or party cronyism.
It's great to see that the 2nd District will get to experience the train wreck that is Das Williams. The wreckage left in his ego's wake is a wonder to behold. Hope it is worth it. He finishes 3rd in June behind Secord and Wolf. And then has to go back to the City voters to tell them he really does love them most of all.
Anonymous above is looking for context from Joshua Molina? Good luck. What is he doing covering a County race anyway?
The campaign has only barely begun. I, for one, don't know Wolf's positions and background and actual involvement on neighborhood preservation issues, on the environment. I do see the Democrat establishment, minus the mayor, minus Roger Horton, minus Helene Schneider, minus former sup. Marshall, etc., lining up behind Wolf and that massing of the "establishment" doesn't exactly warm my heart.
I have seen Das on the City Council and like his votes and his willingness to step forward. Sure, he's ambitious, but what is wrong with that! There is something seriously lacking in a candidate if he/she is not ambitious, so long as there is an ethics component to steady that ambition. From what I've seen and read, I think Das has that all-important ethical component.
Let the race begin! And as for Schneider's support of Williams, fine. Those who criticize her for not lock-stepping in with the WPC fail to recognize that she, as a Council person, represents the City as a whole, not the WPC. One may be saddened that for this particular race, she doesn't think a female candidate is the best, as compared with a male, but those moaning over it should applaud her for her courage in standing up, against her friends, for the one she does think the best.
...And Supe. Carbajal should look up the definition of "feminist" but I'll provide it for him:It's one who supports equal rights for women --- not one who supports the election of a woman because she is a woman. Both Wolf and Williams may be "feminists" but equal opportunities for women is almost a non-issue in most of this county for most, if not all, government; there are other equally important issues in this race.
Excuse me for focusing on what matters, but which of the four candidates has the most county government experience?
How do you think Dan Secord and John Davies liked their News Press this morning?
Dear Bill,
Sounds like you are supporting Joe the Guzz. The Guzz is an angry, thrice-failed candidate for C.C. who wants to try to tap into the anger of the neighborhoods of noleta. maybe if he hadn't supported Fess Parker and his massive development for the SB waterfront and wasn't so unstable he would be a better candidate?
Feminism isn't the issue in this campaign (I am sure Das is a great lover of women) although it should be noted that if Secord, Guzzari or Williams win than Joni Grey will be the only woman on the board of supervisors. The thought of Joni being the person representing the female point of view on the sups board is enough to make any REAL feminist choke on their bran muffin!
Of irony and ego.
Schwartz is mad that Helene Schneider, a past president of the WPC and HR Director for Planned Parenthood is not supporting Janet Wolf.
Schwartz says Helene should support Janet because she's female. Maybe Naomi should have given that criteria some consideration before choosing her own successor. But that would have gotten in the way of ego.
Salud's comments just may have been the dumbest things written in the SBNP in a long while.
The "feminism" and gender angle as a whole is absurd for two reasons.
First, it assumes that only women can represent the interests of their sex. Mentions of a candidate's past support for Planned Parenthood are all well and good, but the Board isn't going to be asked whether to overturn Roe v. Wade. This is the Board of Supervisors, not the Supreme Court.
Second, it assumes that there is such a thing as a monolithic female groupthink about all County issues, which there certainly is not.
As far as I can see, sex should have no role in this race. Leave the politics of symbolism behind and stick to the issues.
What I love about Schneider is her quiet strength to do what she feels is right, not knee jerk to what is politically correct. What I do not like about her is when she is on the other side of an issue.
The challenge for anyone standing next to Scheider is that they must stand in her shadow.
Janet will appeal to the Schneider supporters for many reasons, but I fear Janet may not have the strength or independence to do what she knows is right but unpopular with her friends and that is already begining to hurt her.
Helene is a big F feminist and a big L leader. I am deeply disappointed by her support for Das and hope he does not hurt her bright future.
Right now I must support Janet, although her actions and that of her campaign manager the past few days has not been encouraging or productive.
the best comment here was:
Schwartz says Helene should support Janet because she's female. Maybe Naomi should have given that criteria some consideration before choosing her own successor. But that would have gotten in the way of ego.
old guard watch out here comes the new
The truest statment right now is that not only will Das be unable to work with the north county sups, he will not beable to work with Salud. With Das it will be 4-1 with Joe, Brooks, Joni and Salud vs. Das - at least Janet will have one vote for Noleta -
Saw this on a national blog and it fits this debate about feminist and abortion rights:
According to Dianne Feinstein, Roe vs. Wade is critically important because "women all over America have come to depend on it." At its most majestic, this precious right that women "have come to depend on" is the right to have sex with men they don't want to have children with.
There's a stirring principle! Leave aside the part of this precious constitutional right that involves (1) not allowing Americans to vote on the matter, and (2) suctioning brains out of half-born babies. The right to have sex with men you don't want to have children with is not exactly "Give me liberty, or give me death."
regarding Janet's strength...she has had a heart attack & cancer within a year...still out campaigning hard and ran a 5 K not that long ago. When she fought to keep El Camino School from being closed she went against the Teacher's Union that helped get her elected. When she stood up to the Boy Scouts because they discriminated against gays she got called every name in the book, but she never faltered.
Just because she doesn't actively seek the limelight doesn't mean she isn't a strong leader. And what did she do in the last few days that was negative, other than announce for supervisor?
Naomi, Hannah-Beth and the rest are quick to fight against discrimination when it's in their interests, but quick to discriminate when it's in their interests.
Keep it up! Progressives arm in arm what a wonderful sight!
Josh Molina, who worships Das, exploited personal conversations (fed to him by Das' camp) to generate a nonexistent 'underdog' fight. Smacks of the dirty politics of the City Council race
ahh the 1253am post above seems a little distorted by late night drinking....wonder who that could be?
I deleted a couple of posts as I feel strongly that commenters and posters should not be identified or called out unless they self-identify themselves. No reason to name names unless the person that comments chooses to do so...
Gee, ugliness in the City Council race aaaaaaand now in the 2nd District. What could the common denominator be?
The common denominator is party politics. Three of the four candidates are either professional party politicians or are being foisted on the scene by professional party politicians. This discussion is devoid of facts (not spin) about each of the candidate's background/experience.
If you were shopping for a brain surgeon, would you pick someone with years of surgical experience? Or someone who never touched a scalpel, yet had lots of support from his/her social club?
Dirty politics, dirty politics
the sky is falling, the sky is falling
pueblo, das, marty, and seiu are playing dirty - again, just like the city council campaign.
Still waiting for someone to explain what exactly during the City Council campaign was dirty? other than of course travis yelling at the top of his lungs that everything done by pueblo, seiu, das, and marty was negative. But as it has been pointed out just because travis says it is so does not make it so.
As the non-ideological based history shows, das and marty never were negative. They just didn't endorse everyone's favorite councilmember for re-election. If someone could produce a piece of campaign literature, radio or tv add that was an attack on said councilmember travis might have some legitimacy in his claims. Last time I checked not endorsing does not mean attacking.
However, it wasn't until everyone's favorite councilmember burned labor by rejecting the proposed anti-75 resolution that peublo and seiu went public with their numerous disappointments over the years. Before that they just never endorsed her.
I thought the council race was over and we were talking about Helene's independent right to back whomever she wants without gender discrimination? So why drag Travis and Iya into this, when they are not even part of the story under discussion via Sara's original post? (Methinks the 11:05 post protests too much and is splitting hairs ("trying to rewrite history" is another applicable cliche) in claiming that the SEIU, Das and Marty teaming up to oust a sitting Democratic office holder was anything less than an unprecedented attack.)
Sara, thank you for deleting some posts when necessary, to keep the naming, name calling, and all else to a level of civil discussion.
What the mayor, council member williams, and the largest employee union DID was more than "not endorse." Emotions aside, this blog hasn't seen anything solid from the writer above showing that travis was anything other than accurate.
But it's over. So over. On to the 2nd District (I hope). And, so far, Marty and the SEIU don't seem to be part of the 2nd District election; which doesn't mean that the mayor might not in her infinite wisdom gear up and send out another "bad smell over de la guerra plaza" fundraising letter. But, for the time being, all is quiet from that pair.
The best thing Das could do for himself is to tell SEIU and Marty to put a sock in it when they feel like speaking on his behalf.
Absolutely. Particularly given that 2nd District voters are not as extreme left leaning as city voters.
Janet's comments about the north county supes seemed strategic rather than factual. Maybe she isn't the "right" candidate.
since when are strategy and facts mutually exclusive?
wow. just got a fundraising letter from Helene Schneider. what amazing timing for her, coming on the heels of a josh molina article touting her courageous stand for Das Williams.
"Since when are strategy and facts mutually exclusive?"
Janet's announcement....
The Wolfe talking points right here and from the press release:
__________________________________________________________
regarding Janet's strength...she has had a heart attack & cancer within a year...still out campaigning hard and ran a 5 K not that long ago. When she fought to keep El Camino School from being closed she went against the Teacher's Union that helped get her elected. When she stood up to the Boy Scouts because they discriminated against gays she got called every name in the book, but she never faltered.
_______________________________________________________
a decent cut and paste of the press release at 12:35
Helene's letter will raise a lot of money - she has substance not press release - I am with Helene and if that means das so be it
Bill Carson said...
The common denominator is party politics. Three of the four candidates are either professional party politicians or are being foisted on the scene by professional party politicians. This discussion is devoid of facts (not spin) about each of the candidate's background/experience.
If you were shopping for a brain surgeon, would you pick someone with years of surgical experience? Or someone who never touched a scalpel, yet had lots of support from his/her social club?
_____________________________________________________
Bill of the Santa Barbara Review is supporting Das or Dan here with his comments. As the only canidates who has experience in real poltics are Das and Dan. Not Joe - he has experience as a candidate and county employee.
Joe Rocks! HE is a real neighborhood advocate unlike the Das or the Dan. He will vote for the environment more than Dan and his weak coastal commish owning self will
Joe does rock. He is a "Neighborhood Advocate" unlike the ego driven Das, who is a "Das advocate" and Janet who is a "Women's Advocate."
It is so clear that Das cares about Das and nothing else. Janet is so wrapped in the Women's Political Cacus, Planned Parenthood and Susan Rose that she has had little time for the neighborhoods until now.
Joe has the ablility to stand up for not just Noleta but all of the county. He is not about party politics. He is not about the next move.
It is time for the anti-politican on the Supervisors. Think about it Janet, Das and Joe will say the same things, but only Joe will truly stand up and do anything.
Joe needs an advocate who knows basic grammar.
be fun to watch joe lose 4-1 every week!
better to watch Joe have a voice and lose once a week than Janet be rolled over like she did not exist every week. Or worse yet be the clone she is and demand high density homes all over noleta.
better to watch Joe than see Das position for the assembly for four years and do nothing but cause poltical problems in our party.
Anything would be better than watching Janet. I tired of Rose and all the traditional democrats, but Joe - sorry.
Janet is status quo and she is totally irrelevant. She is Rose without the energy.
Das is it. Energy. Challenges the status quo. The candidate that Joni fears the most. Who cares if he wants to go to higher office. At least he will do something and will represent us with passion.
I cannot believe that the News Press has nothing better to write about other than someone's personal choice of whom they wish to vote for or endorse. I have always thought that being a feminist means making your own decisions, even if it means going against the expected norm.
Having the freedom to do what one wishes is good in theory for some until it impacts their point of view. Janet's backers are so used to having their own way and calling all the shots that they are shocked that someone would have a mind of their own. Welcome to the next generation of leadership - Das and Helene. Not just Naomi and Susan.
Sorry but just because you want to play new does not mean we do not play best. Janet is the best. Smart, sophisticated and strong. Not ego driven as others. She cannot help being a women and a bit more mature.
Oh my gosh, listen to yourselves. The Democrats eating their young ....
what is it called when the "young" are doing the eating? e.g. Das' actions during the last City Council campaign?
framing this internal progressive struggle in terms of age or gender is erroneous; there are "elders" who like Das and younger folks who like Janet. The differences come down to the strategy, style and motivations involved. Let's not invoke age now. People don't get a free pass for their actions because of their relative youth--or age.
Sorry eating our own would mean just becauuse there is a D behind our name we agree on everything. Janet is of the old guard - and Das is the new. He gets it - she does not. She attacks the north county with words but will get no where - Das will get somewhere by bringng progressives of all ages and younger voters into the process forcing Firestone to represent the real people of the third. So oh lets be nice and just let Ms. Wolfe be crowned and do nothing.
whoops---anon forgets this is the "second" not the "third" district race......though Das' strategists are the old guard of the third so the confusion is understandable; guess the 'old guard' is ok when they are pulling your strings, eh Das?
"Das and 'HIS' progressive movement?" please, spare us from Das' megalomaniacal grandiosity that turns so many people off.
I deleted a comment as it tried to identify an anonymous comment as a specific person -- please let people self-identify.
Sara -
Thanks for deleting comments that identiry anonymous comments. Please be consistent in each post- it seems you are not. It seems you pick and choose what you delete. I posted to see what you would deleted vs. what you would not - not a real big D or small d responce. Review the top four post areas and determine that you are biased in deltetions.
Sara -
Thanks for deleting comments that identiry anonymous comments. Please be consistent in each post- it seems you are not. It seems you pick and choose what you delete. I posted to see what you would deleted vs. what you would not - not a real big D or small d responce. Review the top four post areas and determine that you are biased in deltetions.
Hey Jessica -
Noticed the same - Sara et al are biased in who she allow attacts to stand against and attacks who she protects and the delete right away.
This blog is biased. No doubt.
Jessica,
Thanks for the set up -- using initials for instance may be clear to some people but not others and it is not a direct reference, in the other -- using Das' name could refer to the prior post or to Das himself in the abstract...you are splitting hairs here. Still, I deleted them as a favor to you.
Point one out if I miss one! You might also notice there have been a hundred comments over the last few days -- the truth is that good blogs self police. Let me know -- but don't be sneaky about it because I could use the help. If you think it's too obvious who a specific intitial is -- say so.
I appreciate the feedback but please don't come at me like I'm taking sides here. The posts in question in recent days mentioned someone's specific name -- that's conjecture and is not necessary here.
I can't believe Naomi Shwartz's hypocrisy!! Has she forgotten her endorsement of Bob Ream when he ran against Mindy Lorenz? Was she not a feminist back then?
--Friend of Helene
As bad as some of the comments were from current and elected officials, it seems that what is missing from this conversation is this question.
Why would Helene go to a reporter with the details of a private conversation between her and Susan Rose? ???
All this flap started there and continued when a news press reporter sought comments about the story.
and then Helene's fundraising letter appears in mailboxes the next day----coincidence?
you are joking right? is that true? what a politician!
Helene while working for WPC was the biggest advocate for always supporting the groups "founding mothers" when they got a chance to. Helene always pushed for Susan Rose, Lois Capps, Hannah Beth, etc. when campaigns rolled around. She always pushed the importance of recruiting, training and electing women. So to turn around when one of the founding mothers is running, a woman previously endorsed by wpc, and say I am going with Das, the new darling of the "religous left" (why is he bringing religion into politics anyway, like a ralph reed in reverse?) is a bit hard for us feminists who listened to her in meetings FOR YEARS to swallow.
Yep. Helene was PRESIDENT of WPC for years--and the most vocal, ardent advocate of the "support our founding mothers" principal. She can't ignore that relevant fact. Those of us who heard her preach the importance of supporting women for office can't ignore it especially when she is now being put up as a martyr, by people who are mocking the value of supporting women for office.
Helene---there's some 'splaining to do.
Setting aside for just one minute the importance of qualification over gender. Janet was never a "founding mother" she never sat on the WPC board, she was only endorsed when she ran for school board.
Childish comment Anon at 8:11 pm -- not relevant or necessary -- this the deletion.
I don't know why Helene has endorsed Das, nor does it matter. It may be a decision she'll come to regret. And it doesn't matter if she went to the News-Press with her story. She may be a bad former WPC board member, but please don't question her "core values." Her critics should have taken the high road repeating a simple "no comment" to the lurking news press reporter.
Of those who sat on the WPC board with Helene I ask: What say you of Naomi's endorsement of Bob Ream against Mindy Lorenz???
Really going back into the mists of time for the Mindy Lorenz/Ream deal ain't we? Some very old grudges being nursed here.
Bob who?
How about Naomi's endorsement of Grant House over former WPC boardmember Loretta Redd
Keep it up. Dr. Dan should order his new Supervisor stationery. Way to heal the divide Das.
redd is much less progressive than Grant, which makes it okay. Das and Wolf have similar views, as resported today so that is a different deal.
If its ok for Naomi to endorse grant over loretta because she is much less progressive than grant, it makes one wonder where janet truly stands because of her unqualified support for Loretta Redd
planned parenthood board members together. remember also that Naomi endorsed Das for council....
Hopefully this News-Press short editorial will end this stupid "controversy". And one of those rare times when an editorial is very much on-point and correct... but easy also to make such a point when the "hypocrites" in the Dem party are politicos who the editorials have lambasted many times before.
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Opinion: The hypocrites and Ms. Schneider
January 18, 2006 7:51 AM
Hypocrisy is the first word that comes to mind in the dust-up of Councilwoman Helene Schneider's endorsement of -- egads -- a man for the 2nd District county supervisor's seat.
She's backing fellow council member Das Williams over Janet Wolf, a candidate with the support of some key Democrats.
Apparently, Ms. Schneider was "supposed" to endorse Ms. Wolf because of her gender.
Some of the very individuals who are personally attacking Ms. Schneider are the same ones who decry discrimination when it suits them.
Part of what's going on is the split in the Democratic Party on the South Coast. Part of it is hypocrisy on the part of Ms. Schneider's critics.
But good for Helene Schneider for standing up.
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