A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS

        There was one common theme spun by the bevy of presidential candidates this 4th of July. Over and over they emphasized the importance of FREEDOM.  It was what mostly characterized our country -- that every one of us is FREE.  Raise the flag and beat the drums because this is what all those Americans in our past fought and died for.

        Great talk for the 4th, but that is NOT the every day political message from most GOP candidates.  Most insist that women should NOT be free, but rather be controlled by the government.

        One candidate has been speaking extensively about what he has called, "Compassionate Conservatism" (C-C).  Much of what he has said thus far were "lifted" from President Clinton's speeches delineating New Democrat philosophy, according to a Los Angeles Times article and a CNN video comparison of both men's speeches.

        Many Repugnant governors, P.A.C.'s, and party members have signed on with C-C hoping "to give a softer, gentler aspect to conservatism."  They are eager to replace their current label, MEAN SPIRITED, with COMPASSIONATE.

        Some examples have been given by the candidate to explain what C-C means, such as, "It is Conservatism to decrease dependence on welfare; it is Compassionate for government to help in the transition from welfare to work."

        The candidate's examples notwithstanding, it is NOT what he says now but what he will do if elected to office.  Most will agree that he has not been very specific about ANYTHING, yet! Perhaps it's because of his lack of experience or no one has told him what to say yet or he needs to read more Clinton speeches.  Whatever.

        GenderGappers is going to fill in this gaffe-gap and give some specific examples as they relate to WOMEN and to FREEDOM.  After all, someone has to do it if he won't.

        * It is conservatism to keep women in the home under the control of husband, father or other male relative, as most all religious traditions direct.  It is compassionate to offer subsidies for a frontal lobotomy for these women.

        * It is conservatism to rescind Title IX that has taken money from men's sports to finance women's sports.  It is compassionate to restrict women's entry into colleges since it gives them false ideas of their abilities, their importance and their equality to men.

        * It is conservatism to obey the bible and deny equal rights to lesbians.  It is compassionate to offer prayerful support to those who undergo psychiatric treatment that will 'cure' them, as Majority Leader, Trent Lott, advocates.

        * It is conservatism to ban all kinds of birth control for women.  It is compassionate to hold seminars to teach women their preordained function and place in life.  These teachings should begin in kindergarten and replace all sex education classes.

        * It is conservatism to rescind the 19th amendment because religious texts over the ages have always considered men superior beings and therefore, women should not seek parity.  It is compassionate to spare men the horror of smart, capable women -- especially those who qualify in professions such as medicine, engineering and, of course, we must quickly eliminate all women lawyers.

        * It is conservatism to reinstate, with honor, formerly persecuted men's hero-type groups such as TAILHOOK.  It is compassionate to allow access to these functions by women who know how to show a guy a good time and who enjoy being kicked around and felt up, because after all nothing is too good for our fighting men.

        * It is conservatism to make abortion a federal crime with strong penalties for the woman and everyone who helped her.  It is compassionate to force women to acknowledge that their duty is to sacrifice their life even if a pregnancy was acquired by rape.

        * It is conservatism to demand that a woman's place be in the home of her husband-lord-and-master and that she may leave it only with his permission.  It is compassionate for a husband to be free to get all he wants on the side at any time, without his wife knowing about it.

        * It is conservatism to close all battered women's shelters.  It is compassionate to assure that a man will always have someone available to beat up on to relieve his frustrations.

        Sure, this all may seem either far out or familiar since we've heard it before.  We may have read about it in books or women's studies or even experienced it.  Or it might be reminiscent of a recent news item concerning events in other countries.  Subjugation of women is the name of the game -- but not here, not now, right? Wanna bet your life and your daughter's life on it?

        Elements of violence and terror have ALWAYS concealed themselves behind religion.  Over the last 2000 years these elements have persecuted pagan midwives, herbalists, apoth- ecaries and homosexuals; more recently, Native Americans and African Americans, women and women's clinics in this country -- just to name a few.

        These same elements of violence who now threaten Wiccans in Kileen, Texas, number among their members many of the GOP senators and representatives in Washington.  These are the same people who are trying to sell Americans their religion as the answer to depravity and immorality in this country.

        Compassionate conservatism is a MEGA contradiction in terms.

        Twanda@ConnRiver.net

        1999-029

        :-)  A HUGE hug and congratulations to our own:  WOMEN, "World Soccer Champions."

        :-)  http://www.hillary2000.org/

        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