UNMASKING "THE ENEMY WITHIN"

Recently, news programs have stated that in the next election, the gender gap will no longer favor democratic candidates.  They assert that if the elections were held today, many women will vote for G-Dubya Bush who is leading Al Gore in the polls.  It may be true right now, but Bush has not yet spoken out on the issues nor endured the full force of media snooping.

What we in the woman's movement must do is stay aware of ALL the strong forces of propaganda working against our programs, and us.  Recently, we've noticed a very interesting development.  Formerly, there were conservative members on our email listserve who would attack women and their agendas.  They were answered and then the answers were attacked.  After a few such exchanges, most of the list members realized that they were simply pissing into the wind so they just ignored the rychus righties' posts, and refused to be dragged into the word battles that had become nastier and nastier.

By the next election, when newcomers subscribed, they were quickly ignored after their first scathing, always nasty rhetoric -- we'd learned that the intent was not to discuss, but to dis and cuss anything and everything in the women's movement.

Well, just as these list women learned from experience, so did the conservative leaders.  We have recently heard that their preelection strategy has changed.  This time, we will see a higher level of sophistication in tactics instead of the slash and burn of the past.

Leaders are now advising their people NOT to be "overtly" confrontational because they realize that all their efforts were ignored when they made a frontal attack on women's lists.  In addition, these attacks so angered women that they only solidified their resolve.

So stealth has become the operative procedure.  "Covert" action is substituted for confrontation.  They would no longer attack the women's movement per se but would stick with political comments while carefully planting misinformation and "suggestions" under the guise of being one of us.

Conservative women's think tanks advise GOPper women to "use propaganda.  Example: Declare that Vice President, Al Gore, cannot possibly win against Bush.  Repeat this often to reinforce the current media polls.  Women will begin to believe it and will not want to waste their vote on a loser.

"Follow up by presenting Bush to be just as moderate as Clinton by showing his support from minorities and women in the recent Texas elections.  Use stealth rather than frontal attack. Question the motives and/or morality of women's movement writers rather than the points they make.

"Urge everyone to take 'the high road'.  Bush's past is a minefield.  It even rivals Clinton's past and recent present!  When he announces that he IS running for president, the press will print a lot more about him.

"So defuse it by using women's conditioning or training to 'forgive'.  Fault any writer who mentions a candidates past with statements like, 'we women should not hold what the boy did in his past against him.  It's only fair to judge the man on what is has done lately.'  or 'let's get away from this name calling and stick to the issues.' "

In this way, conservatives believe that they tap in on the essential fairness and forgiveness that many women are prone to -- are conditioned to -- feel.  It's rather insulting to contemplate being "managed" this way, but the facts are that such arguments work with many of us because of our training.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry.  I was just tired but I'll never do it again," our batterer tells us, and over and many of us believe him and his repetitive lies.

So read and listen to what is written and said with an OPEN MIND.  Then check out the so-called facts you are given.  Keep alert for the con-jobs realizing that when you see a pattern that constantly repeats, there is a reason for it and you are the target.

As you hear the songs of praise for G-Dubya, remember the story of The Frog and the Scorpion: 

One day a Scorpion asked a Frog to carry him across a stream on its back.  "Oh, no," replied the Frog for you will surely sting me and I will die.

"I won't sting you," promised the Scorpion.  "Think! I would only drown myself if I killed you."

So the Frog agreed and halfway across the steam, the Scorpion stung the Frog.  As the Frog was dying, it said, "You promised not to sting me."

"Yes I did," replied the Scorpion, "but it's my nature and YOU KNEW WHAT I WAS WHEN YOU AGREED TO CARRY ME."

Keep the media on its toes by e-mail.  You can get addresses at "Fairness And Accuracy In Reporting:  http://www.fair.org/   [note]

:-)   Milestone:  This Saturday, Nancy Mace will become the first woman to graduate from The Citadel.

:-(  Backlash Sign:  Commenting on the new Star Wars movie, "Phantom Menace," psychologist, Dr. Alan Ross said that the large amount of male interest (in this film) "is due to the level of bang-up action and THE SMALL NUMBER OF FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THE MOVIE."  UNMASKING us.

Twanda@ConnRiver.net

1999-019

Copyright 1999 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@ConnRiver.net.

G e n d e r G a p p e r s   ^{T M}