I’m pretty sure I know where she stands on gay rights, too.

March 5, 2008

From an online chat with Charlotte Allen (remember her?):

Washington: “They Scream, They Swoon. How Dumb Can Blacks Get?” “They Scream, They Swoon. How Dumb Can Men Get?” “They Scream, They Swoon. How Dumb Can Latinos Get?” Ha ha! Very funny. I’m laughing my head off. Inside. Get a clue.

Charlotte Allen: Is this a compliment or an insult?

...

New York: Do you think women are aware of the hypocrisy with their anger toward this column? Specifically I refer to the whole litany of TV programs, magazines (like Marie Claire) and society and popular culture as a whole that makes humor at the expense of men everyday. Do you feel the angry responses validated your article?

Charlotte Allen: Very much so. I’ve heard from women with Ivy League degrees complaining that they’re oppressed, female graduates of top law schools complaining that they’re oppressed. C’mon!

Is it possible that this woman seriously doesn’t understand the difference between perpetuating harmful stereotypes about a group that has been historically (and is presently) oppressed, and making fun of those in a position of power?

I mean, I guess it is possible, but I find it much more likely that this is a shameless and disingenuous effort to get Ms. Allen a little more notoriety. I mean, these distinctions are fundamental and obvious ones. People who have actually struggled with injustice, rather than leverage it for a book deal, already understand why going after the powerful is very different from going after the politically- and socially-oppressed.

Posted in Media, Writing