Posted on 10/12/2017 4:17:21 PM PDT by markomalley
Feminists are fighting this week after the Women's March announced Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is slated to deliver the opening speech at their upcoming convention.
Sanders is set to address the group's Women's Convention, a three-day event hosted in Detroit, on Oct. 27.
"We believe as women ... that we ought to have more than just women at the Women's Convention," Women's March co-founder Tamkia Mallory told the Detroit Free Press. "People want to hear from the leadership from within our government who can give us some insight about what's happening ... so we can know what we need to do to be able to organize."
Influential feminist leaders and organizations were not convinced.
"Incredibly disappointed @womensmarch.You couldn't find any inspiring, powerful, woman to give the opening speech? I can give u a long list," tweeted Will & Grace actress Debra Messing.
"Pretty amazing. How did the WomensMarch not find any woman for this gig? Unfollowing," Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden said.
MSNBC host Joy Reid responded to the news by asking, "So... there were no women available ... to open the womens convention...?"
Alex Griswold of the Washington Free Beacon has a good roundup of the reactions here.
Ostensibly frustrated by confusion on social media, Mallory clarified later on Thursday, "MAXINE WATERS IS THE #WOMENSCONVENTION HEADLINER! Y'all may not have noticed but we announced that weeks ago." While Sanders will be the convention's first speaker, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has the distinction of being its headliner.
Since its demonstrations the day after President Trump's inauguration, the Women's March has enjoyed broad support from feminists, engaging some of the movement's most extreme figures in subsequent activities. Though its post-inauguration rallies somehow managed to find appeal with women outside progressive circles, the organization has since proved its leadership is primarily interested in representing the values of radical progressives.
Reflexive expressions of outrage and disappointment over the group's decision to give Sanders the opening platform are another reminder of why tensions are running high in the Democratic Party right now. Some of the upset over Sanders' speech is certainly rooted in lingering resentments held by staunch supporters of Hillary Clinton. Some of it also shows how pressures from progressives increasingly bent on demanding nothing short of purity (like the Women's March itself) easily inflame intra-movement conflict.
As of Thursday evening, the Women's March has not reversed its decision to have Sanders open the conference.
The Detroit Free Press just ran a half page article on this Women’s Convention last Sunday in the Lifestyle section. The organizers came off sounding very disorganized about the whole thing and admitted that as recently as August, they still had no idea where they were even going to hold this gig. It didn’t even sound like they had a place reserved by the time they published the article because the venue wasn’t mentioned. They also said they were downsizing the attendance estimate from 5,000 to 3,000. (And that’s probably exaggerated, too).
Where’s Hillary???!!!!!
Oh hell, he’ll wear a dress and they can’t say anything.
As with the second failed Women’s March, things will fall apart completely when the BLM sistahs tell the elitist cracker hoes to check their white privilege and stand down.
Do you remember the second Woman’s March from a few months ago? No one does, actually!!! It was a complete failure, the black and the white hoes couldn’t get along at all.
Caitlyn Jenner wasn’t available? Chaz Bono previously booked?
“Give us insight on what’s happening so we know what to do”?! If you don’t know what your cause is, then why are you gathering?
You could sure use some male help, “ladies”. Sanders is prominent politician, is this a political thing or a lesbian party? You guys gonna drink wine and braid each others hair?
Too funny!
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