Sex Politics and Sensibility: More on Morgan
by Kristen Loveland
Robin Morgan wrote an anti-Palin piece a couple of days ago entitled, “When Sisterhood is Suicide,” which initiated a debate both on Girl with Pen between Deborah and Courtney, and at Feministing between Deborah, Courtney, and the wide feminist world. Deborah loved the content of the piece, but Courtney argued that its sarcastic, snarky tone was alienating. First, let me say that tone matters. I watched the debates last night in a Brooklyn bar with nary a McCain supporter in sight. In that setting there wasn’t a doubt about it: Biden won. He was calm, substantive, and authoritative in his knowledge, and never once attacked Palin personally. The Brooklyn crowd laughed at Palin’s folksky “darn its.” “Gosh darnit gee golly joe,” mocked the guy at the end of the bar. Folksy and “nice” and not snarky, Palin’s tone may have been endearing to some crowds, but it wasn’t to mine.
So tone matters– but audience matters more. Who was Robin Morgan addressing in her piece? I didn’t get the sense that she was trying to reach across the aisle, that this was the opening salvo in a conversation that would end with some congenial beers at the local bar between Morgan and Joe Hockey Mom McSixpack. This is Robin Morgan, after all.
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