Joan Ganz Cooney | 11/03/2009 1:00 pm
Joan Ganz Cooney 'Appalled' at Hillary Clinton's Head Scarf
I have to admit that I was appalled to see Hillary Clinton in a head scarf when she was in Ramallah recently on an official visit. First, I think a U.S. Government official when on government business is genderless, that it is not a woman official or a man official; just an official. Second, the head scarf is a symbol of the subjugation of women and a religious belief, at that. Would she wear a crucifix if she met with the pope? I’m sure she was told she should show respect for the culture but I have to ask why, when the culture supports beliefs that we and certainly Hillary Clinton are repelled by.
Click here to see Hillary Clinton’s picture on the Daily Beast.
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R J
I agree. What does a head scarf have to do with anything. If she can get the respect she deserves from the heads of Pakistan and the other middle eastern country, and generate change for women and girls, then who cares about the head scarf. They would discount her if she didn’t wear it, as if she were slapping them in the face.
Long before political correctness my mother taught me about Cultural Sensitivity - a much more common sense approach to understanding people and culture of the world. Everything doesn’t have to be a statement about something in order to make a difference. Absorb and understand the environment you are in and give your hosts the respect they deserve would seem to make a better statement.
The media would have spent so much time on her "not" wearing a head scarf that the fact that she was willing to tell the Pakistanis, who were criticizing American aid to their country, "Well, then don’t take the aid. You know you don’t need to take it if you don’t want it." She put it back on them to confront their government on how they were distributing the funds. She said you be more active about what your government is doing - and besides that …."Someone around here knows where Osama Bin Laden is, why are you protecting him?" I think that took guts.
THe media criticized it and called it the "charm offensive", but I say good for her, go charm some more. A little ass kicking never hurt anyone. I wonder if she had the same luck with the Egyptians.
What difference does a head scarf make? Remember all the flak Michelle Obama got for touching the Queen of England. All she was doing was trying to extend a generous warmth. I say let these women do what they know how to do. They are very successful and didn’t get there by not taking risks.
Sorry Rachel, first I don’t know what IMHO means, second I’m not discounting her abilitys as a statesperson, or her accomplishments. But she’s wears PANTS suits more then any other woman in the public eye has ever done. A nice dress, or a skirt suit, maybe even a nice print, but that coat she wore, and the oh so plain, drab outfits, she needs a stylist. Granted Jackie O was a First lady but she was the Best Dressed First Lady in our time. Clinton needs to take a page out of her style book.
Deniseann, IMHO means "In My Humble Opinion". :-)
Why should a woman in the public eye have to wear skirts if she prefers something else? I thought we outgrew the whole "women don’t wear pants, they wear dresses" thing? Pants are often far more practical than skirts, so I fail to see why a female politician should have to restrict herself for the sake of outdated fashion. If she chooses to wear a skirt, that’s her preference. But if not, why should we take issue with that decision? It isn’t as though Mrs. Clinton’s pants suits were anything but classy, and in no way disrespected her office or position. I could see taking issue with her clothing if they were somehow disrespectful of the office…but even so, methinks the gorilla comment was uncalled for.
R. J., first thank you for the education, I really didn’t know what it meant.
Second, I will bend on the skirt, dress issue, but Mrs. Clinton does dress properly, but couldn’t she mix it up some, pant suits went out in the eighty’s. Just an update to her wardrobe would be a good thing.
She was the rep. for my home town area in NY and she did a semi-good job (by saying that I mean she wasn’t in office long enough to keep her promises to the people, she was running for Pres. and that took all of her time.)
The Gorilla statement was over the top, and why I chose that image I don’t know, might have been my trip to the zoo the day I made the comment.
But she needs to update her wardrobe for no one but herself.
Deniseann
Sec Clinton has kind of thick ankles and looks better in pants in my opinion. She wore a lot of skirts when campaigning for her husband, and when they were in the WH, but it has been a long time since we have seen that. I guess, to each their own. She has worn a couple of pantsuits that look great on her. Sometimes it is the color on her that makes all the difference.
Well Grace lets see? Yes she’s suppose to be representing the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA where freedom of speach be it written or verbal is a very honored gift to most of us. That gives me the right to state my opinon without getting bashed by
others. She was the rep for NY state and didn’t do anything she promised to do, at least where I lived. So now she’s out there representing us to forigen nations looking butch. (nothing against my many Gay Friends and family).
How hard can it be to take some time and find clothes that look femine instead of like the representative from Rhode Island!!
Grace get over yourself, I’m anything BUT homophobic, I’ve got a brother who’s gay, two of my close friends are gay. Dressing Butch refers to a woman who dresses like a man.
Enough said, please don’t pass judgement on me or anyone else, it makes you seem petty.
Grace I made a statement on the original topic, and for some reason you don’t want to let sleeping dogs lie. You are being petty not I. I’m allowed by the constitution to make a statement it’s called "Free Speech". I defended my country to make sure that right was safe from those that would do us harm.
Let it go already, except the fact I don’t like the way she dresses, in the past and now. That is my VIEW/OPINION. Just except it not everyone thinks in side the same box as you.
Sorry, I was not appalled at all! When I saw her head scarf, I was proud of her! When in Rome….
Hillary was showing the utmost respect for their country’s traditions. I don’t think Hillary would go as far as Michelle Obama did when she met the Pope decked out in black lace from head to toe but what I do know about Hillary is that she understands protocol. The Democratic Republic of the Congo African tour was, in my opinion, her worst moment. That would’ve been a good day for a scarf….over her mouth tied behind her head.