Tonight we had a rather provocative #fem2 discussion over privilege, patriarchy, raising boys, identity politics and feminism over Twitter. You can find the discussion through Twitter Search.

I helped facilitate the discussion by opening it with this vignette about kids (it actually happened a couple of weeks ago):

i have two boys and the oldest asked the other day, "mommy, what's a feminist? why are you a feminist?"

i told my boys that i am a feminist because i don't believe women are lesser beings than men.

the 8yr old turns to me and says, "but i don't believe women are less than men, can boys be a feminist too?"

i said, you believe women should have the same rights as men under the constitution? and so my boys declared themselves "feminists"

We had a great discussion about the new generation of boys, girls ruling the playground and whether I believed if Benicio del Toro was a feminist (LOL! Some of us where also ranting about the SAG Awards).

Talking about how to raise boys to be feminists, @phdinparenting sent us a link to a post she has on the subject. Raising A Feminist inspired and spooked me at the same time. Canada declared women "persons" in 1929. Mindbloggling considering my father was born in 1926.

Which takes me to the closing of the twittercast.
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I know, I know, she is no Rachel Maddow (the one with the sultry voice and totally sapphic resume), and most certainly couldn't measure up to my official platonic boo, Donna Brazzille. But Lady Almighty,  Campbell Brown (btw, a totally "top" name for a girl if you ask me) totally knows how to make a feminist squeal with delight.

You can read the whole transcript at CNN.com :

I call upon the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower who will wilt at any moment.

This woman is from Alaska for crying out loud. She is strong, she is tough, she is confident. And you claim she is ready to be one heartbeat away from the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff.

[...]
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Think Progress just discovered that the Bush Administration is forcing HPV vaccines on immigrants :

In July, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services quietly amended its list of required vaccinations for immigrants applying to become citizens. One of the newest requirements? Gardasil, which vaccinates against the human papillomavirus (HPV). From the agency’s press release:

CDC’s revised Technical Instructions to Civil Surgeons for Vaccination Requirements require the following age-appropriate additional vaccinations to adjust status to legal permanent resident:

* Rotavirus
* Hepatitis A
* Meningococcal
* Human papillomavirus
* Zoster

This regulation goes directly against the advice of Dr. Jon Abramson, chairman of the CDC’s advisory committee on immunization practices. In Feb. 2007, Abramson said that he and other committee members advised that Gardasil should not be mandatory because HPV is not a communicable disease like chicken pox.
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We need every single college kid to vote. The margins of victory for Democrats will be within working-class minorities (which historically do not vote) and the under-30 crowd.

Please remind all teenagers that as long as they turn 18 by the date of the election they can register to vote NOW. And make sure they get that voting registration form sooner than later.

It also needs to be said for college students : if your parents have you as a dependent, then you need to use an absentee ballot. If you claim your college residence as your main mailing address, then you need to vote in the district you live in. Just make sure you follow your state's voter registration instructions.

The LA Times reports that La Palin is being embargoed by the McCain campaign on account of the republicanos not believing it is in their best interest to have her speaking to the press.  In other words, they're afraid she's going to make a mistake as Todd Harris says in the video above; because she is not ready to give her opinion on anything a Vice-President could conceivably be involved as co-pilot of the President of the United States.

This is supposedly the woman who will be a heartbeat away from the presidency and who could most possibly succeed in office the 72 year-old John McCain. This is not just another GOP and John McCain strategic blunder. It is down right scary anybody would think this woman is ready to be POTUS.
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Go to Martin and read his mini-assessment of Governor Sara Palin, John McCain's pick as his running mate. Here's the money quote

Considering John McCain's age and history with cancer, this pick has extra importance. It's hard to envision Gov. Palin becoming president on short notice. It also undermines McCain's focus on foreign policy and experience. But, McCain had to do something bold. He is going to try to narrow the gender gap. Will women follow?

When I first read her name on Memeorandum, all I could say was "Who?" followed by a "WTF?!?!" Is an anti-choice, hunting loving semi-nobody from Alaska the best the Republicans could muster to be their stand-in for Hillary Clinton.

WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING!
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