But of Course: NOW Blames the Victim

As Caroline May writes at the Daily Caller, “NOW defends Palin against Maher attack, but says ‘We are on to you, right-wingers’:”

In the wake of Bill Maher’s tasteless slur against Sarah Palin Friday night, in which he called the former Alaska governor a “twat,” the National Organization for Woman (NOW) has not only denounced the use of such sexist words, but also issued a warning to conservatives who they believe are attempting to use the issue to discredit their organization: “We are on to you, right-wingers.”

“Listen, supposedly progressive men (ok, and women, too): Cut the crap! Stop degrading women with whom you disagree and/or don’t like by using female body terms or other gender-associated slurs,” Lisa Bennett, NOW communications director wrote in a statement.

In addition to chastising men (and women) like Maher who use their position as progressives as a shield against charges of sexism, NOW made it clear that their denouncement of Maher’s sexist remark toward Palin is in no way an endorsement of her or conservative policies.

“You’re trying to take up our time getting us to defend your friend Sarah Palin. If you keep us busy defending her, we have less time to defend women’s bodies from the onslaught of reproductive rights attacks and other threats to our freedom, safety, livelihood, etc,” wrote Bennett. “Sorry, but we can’t defend Palin or even Hillary Clinton from every sexist insult hurled at them in the media. That task would be impossible, and it would consume us. You know this would not be a productive way to fight for women’s equal rights, which is why you want us stuck in this morass.”

NOW’s reactionary bumper-sticker worldview can be summed up thusly:

Found via John Nolte at Big Hollywood, who writes, “Good grief, I would’ve had more respect for the National Organization for Women (not a high bar) had they just said nothing.”