Women should take a stand

As many newspapers are reporting, including the Indiana Daily Student, it is well known that John McCain chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate in the hopes that women and some democrats would vote for her just because she is a woman. This is why I feel a need to write about this. I am hurt and scared for the women of this country because I am now realizing the type of world we live in. For so long white men have run this country and have been in charge of the rights of the people, especially of women. So to assume that women are too stupid to look beyond their own gender is appalling. We are supposedly living in a world where women and men are equal; however, what is happening in 2008 only proves that this is not the case.

Barack Obama has been criticized from the beginning for his lack of experience and young age. However, Palin is younger than Obama and has less than two years’ experience in real government. Sure, she was mayor of a small town of fewer than 9,000, but are women expected to not notice what is going on here? The IDS noted that Palin “is seen as a strong conservative who balances out a more moderate McCain,” but how can she balance any sort of power with less than two years experience? What say could she possibly have that anyone would take seriously? If she was a man there is no way she would have possibly been considered for the vice presidential position. This is why I am disgusted that as a woman I am supposed to look past her inexperience and vote for her. If this country was truly equal, gender would not even be mentioned, and the Republicans would not “use” women in such a cheap way to gain votes. As a woman I urge every woman to get involved politically, even if it is to just watch the news, the facts are out there. Do not be made a fool of. Vote for the candidate that benefits you, and it may not be a woman.

Melissa Hendriksen
IU senior