Senator Specter's statement was arrogant, condescending, dismissive. Was it sexist? It's easy to say yes. Yet, truly, who amongst us knows? We can't see into Specter's heart. Senator Specter has no trouble being arrogant, condescending, and dismissive to men.
And it doesn't matter. Only Specter's actions matter, and he has a long record of actions which may be investigated and studied. It is useless, and meaningless, to speculate as to whether or not Specter's private thoughts cross some threshold of which we disapprove.
When Rep. Bachmann says: "I was treated, really, like a little girl. I was patronized," it makes her sound weak. It sounds, to my ears, like special pleading on account of being female. Probably Rep. Bachmann doesn't mean it as special pleading. She certainly needs no special treatment, as half the leftists in America are constantly in a dither over her various barbs and assertions. Rep. Bachmann can take care of herself.
She probably intends her statements to weaken Senator Specter in Nov 2010. Still, I don't like it. Doesn't sit right with me.
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I seem to recall he acted similarly when being questioned by Laura Ingraham.
Well, the man can instantly become angry-haughty, and does use angry-haughty as a weapon. And it's EASY to imagine him being an unenlightened sexist in various ways.
Slightly adjusting the direction of the conversation:
Since posting this, have wondered: Am I being a dilettante? I'm primly demanding that Sen. Spector be taken down strictly based upon his record of governing, as opposed to being taken down partly due to accusations of sexism. Am I out of touch? Ignoring gritty political reality? I don't know the answer.
My own thoughts on handling sexism, racism, et al:
I'm completely comfortable with taking private action - in one's own private life - which is based upon a hunch that another person is sexist, racist, et al. However, I'm wary of taking down public figures via accusations of sexism, racism, et al. Some public sexists and racists need public shaming. However, such is tricky business. Our society's cavalier attitude about threshold of evidence feels a lot like Che Guevara's command to underlings regarding men whose loyalty to the revolution was suspect: "If in doubt, shoot him."
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