Redemption for the Women’s Movement?

For the past few decades the once proud women’s movement in America has been in significant decline. Their reputation hit rock bottom during the Clinton – Lewinsky scandal when they chose political expediency over protecting vulnerable women in the workplace from being exploited by powerful men. The lukewarm condemnation of the antics of Bill Clinton exposed the National Organization of Women (NOW) and others as little more than branch offices for the Democrat Party.

More recently these historical women’s organizations have turned a blind eye to the plight of women in the non-Western world. The basic human rights and freedoms that are taken for granted in our country are being systematically denied to women in vast areas of the developing and third world. Some of the worst abuses occur under Islamic Shari’a law. Instead of marches and rallies to demand the rights of their sisters abroad, the modern women’s movement seems to be taking an “I’ve got mine” attitude and have shown little interest in less fortunate women.

This may all be changing.

There is a new breed of feminist that has not lost its way and is demanding action. Lead by the intellectual author and teacher Camille Paglia and outspoken radio personality and author Tammy Bruce, the tide may be turning. These bright and articulate women are using their megaphones to call on all true feminists to return to their traditional role of promoting and protecting the rights of women everywhere.

Recently, Tammy Bruce joined us at a conference addressing the rise of Islamic states and spread of Shari’a law; and she spoke passionately on the plight of woman in the Muslim world. We were fortunate enough to get Tammy to share her views in a short but extremely powerful video. I would recommend you take two minutes and watch this important video by one of America’s new breed of women’s activists.

Some comments from Tammy Bruce:

I’ve found that the obviously right thing (such as assisting in the liberation of people) usually comes with the concomitant benefits—in this instance, remembering our own responsibilities and reawakening the voices and power of American women. The major difference with this 21st century effort, of course, is the authentically universal nature of the call for freedom and liberation. The so-called feminist movement rooted in the 60s was simply a co-option of that sentiment by leftists, which simply rode the back of the oppressed in its search for power, guaranteeing its ultimate abandonment of women and failure in general. Today’s silence of what is left of the American feminist establishment in the face of our extraordinary misogynistic Islamist enemy has been unforgivable.

Here we have a remarkable opportunity to, indeed, reawaken the power of American women, individually acting together as a voice of support and advocacy for women here and internationally. The mission is not complicated—remind the civilized world that the abuse, debasement, and murder of women is unacceptable, whether it be touted as ‘religious,’ a ‘private family matter’ or ‘cultural.’ The templates of understanding exist--oppression of people of color, as an example, is scorned worldwide as barbaric and tyrannical. South Africa reaped outrage from the world after what it had sown with the scourge of Apartheid.

We now face Apartheid of women, all in the name of religion. Just as South Africa’s racist oppression was couched as ‘cultural,’ the Islamist scourge of misogyny is touted as religious in significance. Perhaps in the uncivilized ancient world it was, but as slavery of Africans made way for the decency of the civilized world, so should oppression of women in the name of ‘religion.’

Our challenge is to not take for granted the gifts we have as Americans. American women have a special responsibility, indeed a duty, to use the power of our voices and influence to improve the quality of women’s lives, everywhere.

Click below to watch Tammy Bruce's comments: