Misogyny: The Real Culture War

Hillary Clinton’s recent appearance in Silicon Valley highlighted the culture divide in today’s world. Clinton, as much as Barack Obama did in 2008, represents a culture change for our nation and the globe.

While many Republicans like to couch the terrorist threat in terms of religion, Muslim versus Christian, the real issue is the control of women. Making things more than a little uncomfortable, the two religions have this single issue in common. ISIS terrorists falsely proclaiming Islam as their own, creating a bastardized form of religion that has no relevance in the modern world. And yet they have recruited their 100 percent male membership by promising women, in life and in death, as a reward for service. Not only can these mercenaries rape captured infidels, they can buy, own and abuse “converted” wives, many under the age of 13 years of age.

While the Christian religion, based on biblical teachings, does not overtly support the stoning of women or their sale into bondage in the modern era, it is nonetheless codified in historical doctrines. Rightwing fundamentalists, who also falsely claim Christianity as their own, clearly seek laws that regulate women’s bodies and force them into subservient roles.

Both sides are very clear about their agendas and make no apologies for their beliefs.

But the world is changing, much to the disdain of extremists in both religions. In the United States, fundamentalists are being rejected by the vast majority, and all they have left thin power grabs through artificial democratic constructs. The vast majority of citizens live in urban areas, while more radicalized and narrow-minded minorities can be found seeking shelter in vast rural, gerrymandered areas of the country. It is generally in these places—often gerrymandered to create homogenous demographics—where charismatic religious leaders praise a 2000-year-old bible as the only source of truth in their lives.

The division of voting precincts, states and Constitutional provisions give the religious minority a disproportionate amount of power in our country. The presidency, fortunately, is the only office in the nation that truly reflects the national will of the people. But even that system is flawed as we saw in 2000. Al Gore won the popular vote, regardless of the vote stealing machinations that allowed the state of Florida to oversize its role and choose our national leader.

For ISIS, its structure is simple. Soldiers simply need to follow the orders of the Caliph, the representative of Muhammad on earth, who is currently Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. A godlike figure to his followers, he must live underground as U.S. intelligence and military agencies search for his whereabouts. He will eventually be eliminated, as was Osama Bin Laden and other terrorist leaders. But someone will always step up to take his place until everyone is killed or captured.

The Caliph and ISIS terrorists really aren’t all that upset with western values—except when it comes to the role of women in our society. They like our computers, they use modern vehicles and obviously our weapons—the only thing that really separates us is their savagery and view of women. A free, educated and empowered woman is what they fear most.

For this reason, Hillary Clinton is the embodiment of what the terrorists fear most in western culture. There’s no shortage of irony that most of the opposition to Clinton’s candidacy will come from rightwing Christian zealots who will try to portray her as weak on issues of war—mainly because she is a woman.

But this, in all probability, won’t stop Clinton from winning a national, non-gerrymandered election. The majority of this country—and the world—have moved into the 21st century.

Rich Robinson is an attorney and political consultant in Silicon Valley. Opinions are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of San Jose Inside.

25 Comments

  1. Attempting to draw any kind of comparison between radical Islam and fundamentalist Christians in the US is absolutely ridiculous. You’ve lost it.

  2. Rich we shouldn’t always do things “because it would annoy them greatly” Similarly, we shouldn’t elect Hilary just because she’s Bill’s husband. You speak of misongony, would your wife have stayed with you post fellacio from another woman?

    The fact that Hilary stayed with Bill after that ousting speaks volumes about her conviction, or lack of. It’s not a good role model to stay with someone just because they’re a meal ticket to higher posts in office. Still hoping Warren runs.

  3. Pete,

    Extreme fundamentalism and insistence of purity in any faith is dangerous to a free secular society. Those who oppose equal rights for women in this country cannot separate themselves from those who seek subjugation of women in other cultures. There may be degrees of difference in the oppression, but the philosophy is the same.

    Those who would pay women less than a man for the same job, those who would regulate women’s bodies, those who would prohibit women from certain jobs, those who believe a woman’s role is subservience and wish to codify those concepts into law are just a milder form of the same virus.

    • Shame on you Rich. The philosophy is the same? Please compare Saudia Arabia with the United States Christian population. Dick Durbin pays his female staff less than male staff- is he a fundamentalist Christian? ‘Regulate women’s bodies’ oooh that sounds really scary but we know you mean opposition to abortion, not sex enslavement and honor killings which are prevalent in Muslim society. Which Christian sect wants to codify women’s subservience and prohibit from ‘certain jobs’, please explain your cheap shots. You’re really an attorney?

  4. What an ignorant association. Its outrageousness almost defies comment. Please be more specific about the current practices of Christians Mr Expert: you mean disdain for abortion? And them please be specific about current practices in the majority of Muslim nations- I’ll help you a bit- honor killings, female genital mutilation, prohibited from education, prohibited from any voice in society. Now you finish the list. Jackass.

  5. Yo Josh: At 11:16 a.m. 2/27/15 I sent a response to Rich’s nonsense about Hillary. Someone @ SJI declined to publish it. It should be right after Pete Malloy’s.

  6. The religious right’s agenda is not simply anti-abortion, though that is a major focus–and should be enough to prove an anti-woman bias. Women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies–when a parasite invades their body, regardless of the circumstances. Roe v. Wade is the law.

    But the rightwing christian agenda also includes denying basic health coverage for everything. Women’s health clinics are being shut down, laws preventing information from doctors is being supported. Men’s viagra is covered and so are their procedures for male contraception–but religious right opposes them for women.

    They oppose economic opportunity issues such as equal pay for equal work. They oppose job opportunities, paid medical leave for child birth, they oppose women in combat–even though women are fighting along men whether they like it or not. They just don’t get paid for it.

    They oppose laws or support new ones that make it more difficult for women who are involved in violent situations to seek help or redress. They put obstacles in front of girls who are raped and/or abused.

    They simply don’t treat women as equals or competent.

    Yes, abortion is the big issue for many extremists, but their extremist agenda for the subjugation of women is much larger than simply the issue of abortion.

    • @Rich Robinson, who asserts re: the so-called ‘religious right’:

      They simply don’t treat women as equals or competent.

      Umm-m, Rich? Have you read the constant news reports showing that Hillary doesn’t pay her female staffers as much as she pays male staffers doing the same work? No? Then you need to do a simple search. It will open your eyes.

      Obama does exactly the same thing. He pays womesn less than men, and he has done that from the very beginning. Hey, maybe it’s his white half doing that, huh?

      Face it, Rich, if it weren’t for your rank hypocrisy, you really wouldn’t have anything to say.

  7. > But this, in all probability, won’t stop Clinton from winning a national, non-gerrymandered election.

    If Rich is really channeling Hillary’s inner Hillary, then I’ll boldly predict that Hillary will stop Hillary from winning a national election.

    • The irresponsible, gossipy website that first reported this story has since retracted it.
      Of course, that doesn’t stop irresponsible, gossipy types like Rich Robinson from repeating it.

  8. Or it’s all about oil and money. Or any number of other reasons.

    Your screed is about as logical as Bush’s “they hate us because of our freedom.”

  9. There truly is a divide in this country. To some of us, Rich Robinson might as well be speaking a foreign language. The incessant attributing of ugly motives to people and institutions that many of us connect with, admire and genuinely believe are forces for good is truly puzzling. But it seems to be standard operating procedure for the left.
    Voice an opinion contrary to mainstream liberal ideology and you can be assured the left will quickly slap some ugly label on you and will henceforth conveniently feel justified in dismissing anything you say.

    Giuliani’s a “Racist”. Check.
    Walker’s a “Misogynist”. Check.
    The Boy Scouts are “Homophobes”. Check.
    Good. Got rid of them. Now let’s get on with building this diverse society of ours.

  10. > Voice an opinion contrary to mainstream liberal ideology and you can be assured the left will quickly slap some ugly label on you . . .

    > Now let’s get on with building this diverse society of ours.

    Ummmm. “Diverse” is yet another ugly racialist label.

    In the official progressive language codebook, “diverse” means “wink, wink, not white”.

    You can’t (legitimately) have a white person be a “diversity coordinator” or whatever. That wouldn’t be “diverse”.

    • Rich:

      I’m sure you meant well. After all, you ARE a progressive.

      Unfortunately, I and most other people who work in the capitalist economy where “time is money”, don’t have the time to watch 11 minute and 20 second videos to grasp the essential point you are trying to make.

      Nothwithstanding the fact that many 11 minute and 20 second videos posted on the internet are poorly edited, poorly produced, confusing, incoherent, or worse.

      In the future, it you would like to offer up some compelling insight germane to the discussion of local public policy,
      could you START by including a headline and/or a one sentence summary..

      Thanks.

  11. Hillary paid women 72 cents on the dollar compared to men when she ran the State Department. Hypocrite much?

  12. Rich:

    Esplain sumpin.

    For four years, Hillary has used a private personal email account to conduct her personal business.

    But, as you know as Secretary of State, Hillary is “on the clock” twenty-four hours a day, and not surprisingly, conducted a significant amount the the public’s business on her private email account.

    This is illegal.

    How come Hillary Clinton isn’t in jail?

    • Why isn’t she in jail? It’s a one party system and her fellow Dem’s run the Justice & Cover-up Department!
      See Watergate for how it should work!

  13. > But this, in all probability, won’t stop Clinton from winning a national, non-gerrymandered election.

    Glub! Glub! Glub!

    Judge Andrew Napolitano says that Hillary’s conducting government business on her private email server may have been a felony.

    Felons can’t be President.

    Bad timing, Rich. Definitely a waste of valuable Robinson Communications billable hours.

    Was this on the clock or “pro bono”?

  14. Yes, Yes lets neuter all male children at birth and become a peaceful communist atheist society that should solve all of your problems.

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