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Cross-posted at On The Issues Magazine
By Lu Bailey
There’s something very peculiar about what has happened in American politics during the last election cycle. The Republican party has tried to convince the nation that it has turned into the party that advances the agenda of women and African Americans and other minorities. At the same time, conservatives used race (the fear of a black man) and gender (the perceived frailties of white women and the need to protect them) to divide us from each other and to scare and trick the nation into thinking a group of rich, white men are looking out for the middle class.
As proof that they are looking out for women, they like to point to their high profile slate of female candidates for office: Sharron Angle in Nevada, Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, Michele Bachmann in Minnesota, and of course the ring leader, Sarah Palin, from the place where she can see Russia from her house. But this year the Republicans also presented female candidates who have some money and muscle: Women like Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, Nikki Haley, and Linda McMahon. Clearly, group #1 (the Tea Party darlings) encompass the female face the Republicans want to advance publicly.
On the surface, it looks like the Republicans have come a long way on women‘s rights, as they tout their fabulous females, but upon further inspection, we see that these women are not friends of freedom for women, but are actually obstacles to progress. During this political cycle, the conservatives (both Republicans and the Tea Party brass) are just playing an old game with new players.
Instead of using grumpy-looking, white haired gentlemen to bemoan the lifestyle of today’s modern women, the conservatives have decided to use pleasing-looking, bright and shiny women to do their dirty work for them. This is the new “shill” game -- a group of women, motivated by self-interest, who promote an agenda that’s anti-women and that benefits those who gain when women lose.
Clearly, this strategy has paid off. I’ve heard political pundits, as well as some of my associates, state that the Republicans can’t be anti-women because they have Sarah Palin running for president.
Some have also been led to believe that the Republicans now have a “big tent” philosophy because they elected Michael Steele as the first African American to lead the Republican National Committee.
Focus on difference in order to dominate
This con game reminds me of the infamous Willie Lynch letter in which Lynch tells his fellow slave owners that he has a "fool-proof method for controlling your black slaves," and guarantees that "if installed correctly it will control the slaves for at least 300 years." There is much debate about whether the Lynch letter is actually authentic, and some scholars have even called it a hoax. But what’s not open for debate is the impact and effectiveness of what was written in the letter and how the recommendations (real or imagined) have been implemented.
In the letter, Lynch suggests that slave owners focus on the differences between slaves “and make them bigger” so they can “use fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes.“ Here are the differences he mentions: “On the top of my list is ‘Age’. . . the second is ‘Color’ or shade; there is intelligence, size, sex, size of plantations, attitude of owners, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, East, West, North, South, have fine or coarse hair, or is tall or short. “
Think hard about how the list of differences is applicable today. The Willie Lynch document, fact or fiction, is in full effect and continues to oppress numerous black folks. But now the concept is being used against American women, too. Instead of using the word “slave” or “black,” insert “woman” or “women.” And instead of using color, try using body size and type.
Hair texture seems to transcend race and ethnicity -- nobody likes coarse hair. Lastly, replace the reference to where slaves live, with how women are categorized (married, single, straight, or lesbian). Oppression
