Posted on 11/24/2009 5:03:20 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Want to Insult a Powerful Woman? Call Her a Prostitute
Offender: Glenn Beck on The Glenn Beck Program
Media Outlet: Aired on radio stations nationwide 11/23/09 - syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications
The Offense: Beck called Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) a "high-class prostitute" on his radio show.
NOW's Analysis: The discussion by Beck and his co-host, Pat Grey, about the kind of "prostitute" they think Landrieu is was quite lengthy, detailed and highly offensive. First they offered the right-wing claim that Landrieu accepted a "bribe" as if it were proven fact. The conversation included these delightful nuggets: "you're not at Motel 6 with this, no . . . this one comes to your Four Seasons hotel room and does it right . . . you might even think she's the wife of the CEO she's coming in on the arm of." Rush Limbaugh followed up on his show the same day, saying that Landrieu "may be the most expensive prostitute in the history of prostitution."
So what's wrong with equating politicians with prostitutes? After all, it's a quick and vivid way of accusing legislators of selling their votes (and presumably their principles) for money. Countless political cartoons have portrayed supposedly greedy and ethically-challenged politicians in fishnet stockings and garters. Since when did this amusing metaphor hurt anyone?
The problem is, the accusation conjures up an image almost exclusively of women -- typically streetwalkers, but sometimes high-class escorts like Beck describes. Also, the term seems to flow so easily off the tongues of men seeking to degrade successful, powerful (perhaps "uppity"?) women. Not long ago Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fl.) called Linda Robertson, an adviser to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, a "K Street whore," and he was rightly criticized for doing so. Whore, prostitute, hooker -- it's time to retire these sexist terms that only encourage our society to see women as commodities to be bought and sold.
Take Action: Tell Kraig T. Kitchin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Premiere Radio Networks, what you think about Glenn Beck's and Rush Limbaugh's sexist comments (they both gave the same syndicator--shocker).
Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director, November 24, 2009
The Nags certainly wouldn’t utter a peep if this kind of epithet were hurled at Sarah Palin.
Where were these harpies when Palin was being insulted? Especially when Letterman joked about her daughter getting raped by A-Rod!
Oh yeah, now they’re offended because someone pointed out the 300 million dollar madame.
ENcourage? I don't think so.
“The Offense: Beck called Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) a “high-class prostitute” on his radio show.”
She is. She is Obama’s 100 million dollar whore.
“Since when did this amusing metaphor hurt anyone?”
The truth hurts?
Lisa Bennett, NOW Prostitute Communications Director
Pelosi is the Madame; she taught them everything she knows about fleecing the American taxpayers without so much as a kiss.
But I thought were the ones who got screwed...not her
Seems expensive, I mean have you seen this lady??
Wan’t to insult a prostitute? Call her a politician....... at least real “high-class prostitutes have customers that spend their own money, vice those that do-it-for “charity” [read “welfare” recipients] paid for by someone else’s hard work.
FWIW, I’ve done the math.
A piece of silver is worth $10,000,000.000 in today’s dollars.
OMG are the hags at NOW still around?
I'm amazed they actually acknowledged this point.
Uh. $10,000,000.00...
Hell she is the biggest whore on Bourbon. Wait, make that the biggest whore in New Orleans. Wait, make that the biggest whore in the Senate!
Where are these cs when the Muslim women are getting stoned to death??
NOW is reduced to protecting prostitutes from comparisons to politicians.
And when some average woman is sexually assaulted by the Governor of Arkansas, she’s just trash, you know, the type you find when you drag a $5 bill through the trailer park.
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