TransGriot Note:Philadelphia magazine recently interviewed Lynda Carter about her three week show at an Atlantic City casino. The interviewer asked a question about the comparisons that Repugnicans are making to Palin and the Wonder Woman character she played back in the 70's. Needless to say Ms. Carter has very definite opinions about that.
PHILADELPHIA: Okay, last question. I'm sure you've seen all the comparisons in the media and among Republicans of Sarah Palin to Wonder Woman. How do you feel about that?
CARTER: Don’t get me started. She’s the anti-Wonder Woman. She’s judgmental and dictatorial, telling people how they’ve got to live their lives. And a superior religious self-righteousness … that’s just not what Wonder Woman is about. Hillary Clinton is a lot more like Wonder Woman than Mrs. Palin. She did it all, didn’t she?
No one has the right to dictate, particularly in this country, to force your own personal views upon the populace — religious views. I think that is suppressive, oppressive, and anti-American. We are the loyal opposition. That’s the whole point of this country: freedom of speech, personal rights, personal freedom. Nor would Wonder Woman be the person to tell people how to live their lives. Worry about your own life! Worry about your own family! Don’t be telling me what I want to do with mine.I like John McCain. But this woman — it’s anathema to me what she stands for. I think America should be very afraid. Very afraid. Separation of church and state is the one thing the creators of the Constitution did agree on — that it wasn’t to be a religious government. People should feel free to speak their minds about religion but not dictate it or put it into law.
What I don’t understand, honestly, is how anyone can even begin to say they know the mind of God. Who do they think they are? I think that’s ridiculous. I know what God is in my life. Now I am sure that she’s not all just that. But it’s enough to me. It’s enough for me to have a visceral reaction. And it makes me mad.
People need to speak up. Doesn’t mean that I’m godless. Doesn’t mean that I am a murderer. What I hate is this demonization of everybody but one position. You’re un-American because you’re against the war. It’s such bullshit. Fear. It’s really such a finite way of thinking about God to think that your measley little mind can know the mind of God. It’s a very little God that way. I think that God’s bigger. I don’t presume to know his mind. Or her mind.
14 comments:
I was honestly shocked to see her speak out like that. This totally changes my impression of Linda Carter. Good for her, for seeing Palin for exactly what she is.
Renee,
She did such a wonderful job in that role its hard to think about any other actress even coming close to playing it.
Thanks for the heads up. What a great post. Palin gives me the willies and I'm glad I'm not alone in that.
Thanks for this post. I think it's fabulous that Lynda Carter is willing to speak out and speak up for the icon she's inhabited for so many years. And she makes some articulate, compelling points.
"That’s the whole point of this country: freedom of speech..."
Why do those with no belief in what the Bible teaches use the freedom of speech phrase to shut down those with a belief in what the Bible teaches. What statement(s)has Sarah Palin ever made where she is telling anyone how to raise their families? Maybe, just maybe her beliefs and the way she lives her life upsets some people to the point that they feel some guilt or inadequacy about their own lives. How is that Sarah Palin's fault, or the fault of any believer? Why is that feedom of speech one sided? Only non-believers have the right to an open forum? That was not the purpose for the writing of the first amendment. I know that may be a surprise to some but if you think about it, it's not very shocking. The bill of rights is no longer taught in most American schools and hasn't been for decades. Could it be so that we American citizens can be dumbed down as to what its true purpose is? Why are the religious views of non-believers given free reign, but the religious beliefs of the Christians should be silenced?
@KrlyQ: Of course Sarah Palin has the right to free speech and people who disagree with her have the right to criticize her as they see fit.
What statement(s)has Sarah Palin ever made where she is telling anyone how to raise their families?
Actually, Sarah Palin seems to me to be all about governement intervention in what I think are personal matters: she wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, for one, which is -- no matter your stance on the issue -- telling people how they are supposed to raise their families and make decisions about their own bodies.
Also, she's against same-sex marriage (a "moral" judgment that I don't think she's qualified to make) and she supports creationism being taught in schools, clearly going against the separation of church and state, which is also part of the first amendent.
Ahh, the Repblitrolls make their appearance.
If Sarah was such a good 'christian' she'd be following the Ten Commandments to the letter.
One of those commandments states, 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor'.
Cruella de Palin is getting skewered because she's a compulsive LIAR and 'christian' of political convenience.
REAL Christians are tired of their faith being used to cover up racism, selfish greed, xenophobia, and ignorance, all of which Sarah Louise Heath Palin is a lipstick clad representation of.
Fourth wave, you wrote, "...and she supports creationism being taught in schools, clearly going against the separation of church and state, which is also part of the first amendent." No it's not. The first amendment reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The phrase 'separation of church and state is NOWHERE in the constitution. That phrase came from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association assuring them that the government would not interfere with the church or how the citizens worshiped. That's the purpose of the 1st amendment. It was not to keep religious beliefs out of state policy. Religious beliefs are what is considered in law making, or as you put it 'government intervention'. So the question becomes WHO'S religious beliefs will create the laws of this nation?
Consider this; Thomas Jefferson's letter is being used to keep religious beliefs out of public policy yet while he was president of the school board, in 1804, Bible reading and the use of the Bible as a textbook was implemented in the first public schools of the District of Columbia. Guess he didn't realize there was a "separation of church and state", at least not in the way it's being misused today.
I'll leave you with this since so many think that civil servants aren't supposed to have a religious belief based on Thomas Jefferson's letter. He said, "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God? That they are not to violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." - "Yes, we did produce a near perfect Republic. But will they keep it, or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction."
Monica I agree with most of your statement, "REAL Christians are tired of their faith being used to cover up racism, selfish greed, xenophobia, and ignorance, all of which Sarah Louise Heath Palin is a lipstick clad representation of."
True Christians are sick of the faith being misused. It gives a false representation of the Christian faith and I for one am very sick of it. However, I don't know enough about Mrs. Palin to say one way or the other. I've attempted to obtain some information from my sister who lives in Alaska and "...can't stand the B!" If you have any specific information about her I would be grateful and willing to take a look at it.
My previous post was in reference to Ms. Carter's statements about the 1st amendment. Just like we true Christians are sick of our faith being hijacked by liars, racists and the like we American citizens who have taken the time to know and learn the true founding of this country, are sick of the ignorance, misuses and misquotes about our rights. This redefining of the constitution that has been taking place for decades has actually taken away more rights than the average citizen realizes.
Thanks in advance for the Palin info.
@KrlyQ: Thomas Jefferson wrote, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." That sounds pretty clear to me in terms of the separation of church and state. Even though it's not technically in the Constitution in so many words, it's been upheld by the Supreme Court over and over again.
Regardless, the problem with religion being taught in public schools (e.g. creationism) is who's to decide which religions are taught. Christianity is certainly not the only religion or the "right" religion.
That said, what does this have to do with Lynda Carter exactly? (Monica, sorry for monopolizing your comments section!)
Fourth Wave, let me give a better explanation of my position and why I originally posted. As I mentioned in a later response, I have a sister who lives in Alaska and she, who is a Christian, does not like Sarah Palin. I've never heard of the woman until she was chosen as the VP candidate by McCain. My sister doesn't follow politics and gave me no real explanation as to why she didn't like her. She mentioned the book thing and the firing of some persons but I have not been able to find any concrete info. My sister did mention, however, that once she was in office there were no longer any blacks working there. As a black woman I find that to be an issue, but unless it is actually addressed we will never hear the excuse she will offer in reference to that. So for now we can only strongly assume that she is a racist. We'd know more if the media would address that instead of focusing on her religious beliefs.
So I have waited for more information about this woman because everyone has secrets and I would like to know what hers are and if they are damaging. However, all I've heard from the media are cracks about her religious beliefs. Since that's all I'm hearing, I'm left still not knowing enough about her.
I posted in reference to Lynda Carter's statement, "That’s the whole point of this country: freedom of speech..." because I would like to know how Sarah Palin's beliefs stunt Lynda Carter's or anyone else's freedom of speech? EVERYONE with a belief system forms judgments, but it seems that those with a Christian belief are pointed out as being judgmental. I post often on different message boards and blogs to express my ideas and get a feel of the pulse of our society and let me tell you, you wouldn't believe the hostility I face when I express Christian views. I often will post for quite sometime, deliberately not expressing my Christian beliefs and my opinions are addressed and commented on with tolerance. But as soon as I make a statement in reference to my faith, things turn ugly, to say the least and tolerance goes out the window.
Any candidate running for office will bring his/her belief system with them when deciding policy. But that is not an issue for many people unless the belief system is Christianity then the word tolerance looses all meaning. Like you said previously, no matter what your belief on the abortion issue is, someone's belief system will decide that policy. Which belief system will it be?
I mentioned Jefferson (and that was a great quote you posted from him) because he spoke often of the 1st amendment to assure the church that the government would not interfere. But if you take a look at his and many other of the founder's policies, and read their writings, you'll see that their intent was not to remove religious belief from government. Those men and women came from a place where the rulers of their country tried to tell the church how to worship and they didn't want that here. So if a Buddhist gets into the White house he/she will make decisions based on his/her beliefs and that's ok because the people elected him/her. He/she cannot pass laws telling us how to worship or create laws to silence certain religious talk. It's unfortunate that the silencing is happening from other citizens.
(I too would like to apologize for taking up so much comment space, Monica. Thank you for your tolerance. Yours, too, Forth wave)
I'm sorry one more thing:
Fourth wave you wrote, "Also, she's against same-sex marriage (a "moral" judgment that I don't think she's qualified to make)"
Who is qualified to make that moral judgment?
I can't speak for Lynda Carter, but I think she was objecting to the idea of religious beliefs being forced on the public through the government (i.e. teaching creationism in school, etc.).
It's a bit of reach to say that all the media is talking about are Palin's religious beliefs. If you do a search of major newspapers, you'll find there's a lot more on people's minds (troopergate, her qualifications, her foreign policy experience...)
I shouldn't have said that the same-sex marriage issue was about morality. That's how some people, mostly conservatives, frame it, which seems pretty judgmental to me because, as you say, who's to make that call? I actually think it's a civil rights issue. Why should certain segments of the population be treated any differently than the rest of the population as regards marriage, etc?
Fourth Wave
I want to thank you, (and you Monica) for your cordiality. As I said previously, I have encountered some message boards where people openly express their hostility to conservative views. If either of you ladies (assuming you are a woman, Fourth Wave. Accept my apology if I'm incorrect) have information about Sarah Palin, I would appreciate it if you would forward the source to my attention.
I won't reply to the specifics of your last post, Fourth Wave, here on Ms. Roberts' comment section because I feel as if I am beginning to monopolize the space. I will, however, give you an open invitation to refute any of my beliefs on my blog and take up as much space as you like to do so. I say that because I often will write my own article in reference to a statement someone made and the explanation requires more space than should be taken up in someone else's comment section.
I know that you and I may disagree on many things but I hope that doesn't keep you from accepting my invitation to refute or agree with my views on my blog. I believe completely in what Proverbs 27:17 reads, "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
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