Seems to me the Limbaugh/Fluke situation reinforces the whole "women are weaker" thing.

[dkf]

Is getting Limbaugh to apologize really that much of a triumph? Doesn't it reinforce the idea of men as powerful and women as weak creatures who are hurt by words therefore needing defenders?

I guess the triumph is in getting Limbaugh to apologize but i can't help but feel the stronger response would have been to brush it off with an "FU" to Limbaugh and a statement that in this day we can do what we want, just like men can. We will take what we want and make our own decisions.

The reason guys aren't attacked for sex is that it doesn't hurt them.

I see all these responses defending use of the pill. I'd prefer it came from the stronger stance "myodb".

[ProSense]

1. No,

"Is getting Limbaugh to apologize really that much of a triumph...I guess the triumph is in getting Limbaugh to apologize..."

..the triumph would be getting that blowhard fired. No apology from this cretin will be sincere.

[Jester Messiah]

2. I don't think Limbaugh can be said to come out of this looking "powerful."

If anything, a woman and her supporters brought him to heel rather humiliatingly. I hope the pressure is kept on, I'd like to see the old gasbag permanently retired.

[dkf]

8. Yet Limbaugh doesn't need defenders.

All I know is I'm getting kind of ill hearing about how Sandra Fluke is a nice young woman who didn't deserve this. The defense is so freaking condescending. I think that is what is ticking me off, that her defenders aren't talking her up as a strong woman.

[newspeak]

9. wow, limpballs doesn't need defenders?

for some of the racist, hate crap he spews on nationwide media without any challenge at all. His calls are screened and if someone gets through, he hangs up. He's got plenty of defenders, it's his base. And no matter what he says, how extreme it is, the dittoheads are more than willing to back him.

Yeah, I'd love to be in fluke's shoes--not!!! First, he basically is calling her a prostitute, a loose woman. Then, he takes the pill argument and lies. Why should the taxpayer pay for it? Most women have insurance and they pay that insurance. And, his illogical circular fire, not all women who take the pill do it for contraception. Some take it for health reasons.

No, it doesn't make women LOOK weak. It makes some women pissed-enough is enough!!!

[dkf]

10. I doubt he personally feels like he needs to be defended.

I'm sure his self validation is very healthy.

And his comments are so ridiculous as to be laughable. The amazing thing is that they can be taken seriously.

[mmonk]

3. It's doing what forced him to apologize that is the victory.

[Lint Head]

4. Maybe God/Fate will get pissed and deal with Limbaugh the way Breitbart was dealt with.

[Fumesucker]

5. Carefully parsed it wasn't really an apology..

Hell, he compared women's reproductive health to sneakers in the "apology" and we all know what they smell like once they've been used.

Limbaugh talks a lot but he is capable of parsing his language carefully, in a Clintonian manner you might say, the sneaker reference was carefully calculated and slipped very much under the radar.

[mainer]

6. Women look weak if ALL we'll accept is an apology

The only way we'll look strong is to knock him off the air and grind him to dust

[DURHAM D]

7. Who asked for the apology?

Did Ms. Fluke? If she did I missed it.

If she did not the rest of your post is not relevant.

[madmom]

11. The bigger picture to me is he/they blinked!

[Luminous Animal]

12. So what does it mean when people band together to defend a man?

What did it mean when people rose up to protest his racist remarks about Donovan McNabb and Rush was driven off ESPN and quashed his dreams of owning an NFL team? Did it make McNabb look weak?

No, it doesn't mean that women are weak. It means that we won't tolerate a very powerful racist misogynist bigot pig using a platform that wildly dwarfs anything that the average person has to distribute a position.

Defending Fluke or McNabb at the grassroots level means that hundreds of thousands of people can take control, even briefly, wield at least as much influence over the public discourse.