Georgetown University Law student Sandra Fluke became the poster child for the Democrats faux “war on women” theme this past spring when she was brutally mocked as a “slut” by Rush Limbaugh for whining to Congress about her Catholic university’s refusal to pay for her contraceptives. Fluke has parlayed that foolish insult into a full-time career as a liberal activist and will appear at the Democratic National Convention to denounce the Republicans and urge President Obama’s re-election. Fluke has no interest in the fact that her fight for free contraceptives infringes on the religious liberty of Catholics and others who object to being compelled to pay for services that violate their consciences. She believes her demands trump the constitutional rights of others.
Today, she appeared at a pre-convention Planned Parenthood rally at which she urged women to work for the GOP’s defeat. The group was reportedly disappointed by the poor turnout for the event that was apparently caused by an Occupy Wall Street standoff with police preventing Democrats and activists from getting to the rally. But thanks to Fluke, they got some publicity because of the catchy battle cry she issued to supporters:
She announced her new rule: “No sleep ’til November!” Fluke called on Planned Parenthood supporters to talk to “everyone…if there is one woman or one man who loves women in America who doesn’t understand what these candidates stand for in November,” Planned Parenthood supporters will have failed.
But what exactly does the would-be lawyer mean by that? It might be just an awkward metaphor. But does she expect all women to be pulling all-nighters working at Obama call centers or knocking on doors canvassing? Or is she channeling Greek poet Aristophanes’ play Lysistrata, first performed in 411 B.C.E., in which the women of Athens vow to withhold their sexual favors until their men obey their demand to change a state policy?
If the latter, it would be a highly inventive campaign tactic as well as a tribute to Fluke’s erudition. It would, of course, be very bad news for Democrats of all sexual proclivities and, no doubt, cause some strife in households where the partners are of different political persuasions. In Aristophanes’ version of history, the women eventually do prevail and manage to bring a halt to the Peloponnesian War.
Far be it from me to offer any advice about how any attendee at the DNC should make use any of the sexual organs that some of them are dressed up as this week. But one imagines that Democratic women would be far better off going Lysistrata until November rather than suffering the horrors of insomnia. There is also the added benefit that at least for the next two months, it would cut down on the costs of the contraceptives that Fluke and her supporters are so anxious to have paid by taxpayers and Catholic institutions.
Wow!! I always inferred that Commentary readers and contributors were an erudite bunch, but Jonathan, you have taken it to a level unseen in the blogosphere with references to Aristophanes and Lysistrata. I don't remember VDH over at NR, a classical scholar, ever elevating political discussions to this level.
It's been nigh onto 50 years since I read "Lysistrata" but I recall the victory of the Athenian women was brief, failing because the youngest woman in the organizing group couldn't bear witholding her favors from her husband home on leave. I hesitate to speak of all of history for all cultures, but I don't believe the tactic has ever been reprised, certainly not on any scale, although the sentiment surely remains.
Okay, you guys want to play this game. When appropriate, I'm going to write about transmission mechanisms, rational expectations and neo-classicism; the latter not referring to ancient Greece.
Every word about contraceptives, a war on women, abortion, and the like is a word not spoken about the failed record of the last four years, I say.
If women's liberation was to become finally a fight for free birth control for some woman going to an elete and expensive private law school, then I say what a sorry fight it was. I want to believe most women are insulted at the thought that big daddy government thinks they are incapable of taking responsibility for their own needs. I know I am. Sandra Fluke is a disgusting representative of women's lib. Does she get free food, free housing, free tuition at Georgetown? I guess not. Then why should anyone have to pay for her sexual activities. If she can't afford birth control, then don't have sex.I'm just disgusted with her attitude and expecting religious organizations such as a Catholic college to be forced to pay for her. Everyone, religeous or not, should be outraged!!