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Apr
25
Dear Chairman Redfern,
I left a lengthy (of course) voice mail at your ODP number just now.
The gist of the message is this:
I feel, as an Ohioan who is a female and who supports the Democratic Party with words, deeds and money, that you must make a public statement that explicitly denounces work environments and behavior that impede, demean or otherwise disrespect women, especially women who work on behalf of the Democratic Party’s values and previously supported elected officials.
Regardless of whether any one Ohio elected official who is a Democrat is found guilty (in a court of law) of actions that violate civil or criminal laws that protect women against the plethora of problems they face inside and outside the public service sector, as the newly re-elected Chair of the ODP, I expect that you would make an unequivocal statement that the Party in no way supports individuals who engage in or make it possible for such problems to arise or occur.
Chairman, on a personal level – so many women who identify with the Democratic Party, whether it’s a big “D” or a little “d,” are working to encourage other women to get into the political pipeline. You probably know about The White House Project training that will take place in Columbus in June. And of course the ODP has Liz Shirey who has organized and is organizing a variety of events intended to help women lead Ohio’s Democrats.
But these efforts are undermined unless you and the Party make clear, public statements that indicate unwavering support for creating, maintaining and ensuring that the prevailing attitude of the ODP is that women are valued, at all levels and that no candidate or elected official who wants to affiliate himself or herself with Ohio Democrats will be considered such if their behavior does not facilitate and encourage such an attitude.
These are the two primary incidents which I believe have made push come to shove and demand your public statement:
1. Last week, Marc Dann emphasized that two females filed an EEO against his “friend.” You can read more here. I’ve spoken with Jeff Coryell and confirmed his post’s observations.
My response is that these women filed an EEO complaint against someone Marc Dann approved of as a hire, who therefore is a public employee. To call such a person “friend” demonstrates the Attorney General’s inability to draw boundaries. So long as he goes out in public and calls this individual his “friend” and refuses to take responsibility for the individual as an employee, we can have no expectation of him being independent or able to understand the hostile work environment that reigns under a boss who calls a person he hired who is now under a cloud related to sexual harassment (at a minimum) his “friend.” As someone who donated to the Attorney General’s campaign, literally in the 11th hour because I thought I didn’t want Betty Montgomery, I’m irate with his approach to the current situation in his office.
2. Matthew Barrett: I do not know him. But to be a parent who places public blame on his teenage son, and to then engage with women in the way the pictures allegedly depict? There are more darts to throw at this one than I have time left.
Please, Chairman. Do the right thing. We turned Ohio blue by trusting that we would act better and create a state run by people of whom we could be proud. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, recipient of the Profiles in Courage award and Treasurer Rich Cordray are exemplary figures of individuals who continue to earn our trust.
Please, re-enforce that all Ohioans, men and women, regardless of whether they are in positions of power like Marc Dann and Matthew Barrett, shall be respected and that all elected Ohioans who call themselves Democrats will be expected to adhere to the highest standards of behavior toward all others, women included.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:09 am April 25th, 2008 in 'Roots News, Civil Rights, Courts, Crime, Culture, Democrats, Government, Ohio, Politics, Scandal, Social Issues, Women
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17 Responses to “Letter to Chris Redfern: Denounce the disrespect of women”
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Well said Jill.
I don’t understand why Redfern “must” make a statement. Does the absence of a statement constitute tacit condoning of bad conduct? Does he have to make a statement for people to believe that the majority of people, Democrats or otherwise, find sexual harassment objectionable?
Thanks very much, Judy. That was not an easy letter to write, esp. because I don’t think of myself as a “party” girl so much – but I feel burned – I”m trying to step up as they say but this crap that these “rising stars” and whatever you want to call them are involved with is inexcusable. And frankly embarrass me.
I want Redfern to put his foot down – this shit is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated and won’t be allowed to drag everyone down. END OF STORY.
WestEnder – It is a necessary statement becuase the existence of the problematic behaviors are overwhelming the implicit expectation that people find the behavior objectionable.
How do we know people find it objectionable if these people are elected and retain office? If others do not denounce them?
Maybe some people never though that Obama needed to say anything about Rev. Wright – but a lot of people felt that he did.
Maybe some people didn’t think that Clinton needed to have one of her underlings resign for problematic online videos – but a lot of people thought she did.
Yes, he must. That’s, obviously, how I feel.
I dont think he will say anything
As you could predict I’d say, that’s no reason for me not to ask. He should know that it’s an expectation of at least one Ohioan who is a female and who has donated to the Democratic cause in Ohio. Obviously, there are at least a few people who feel similarly.
His saying nothing – at any level – even to say why he won’t issue a statement – still says something (you did know I’d say that, didn’t you?)
Maybe instead of calling on him to issue an official statement you should call on him to get rid of Dann and “his friends”. I’m sure the thought has occurred to him already, though.
The thought has crossed my mind as well – I just haven’t had time and when the Matthew Barrett thing happened, I just thought – they are in the same area of the state, both are in the statehouse, how could Redfern not know? Maybe he didn’t but seriously – some scolding at a minimum is in damn serious need.
Yeah – I’d been holding off on Dann – wanting to write about that use of “friend” for a while -just no time til now.
Regarding the Rev. Wright and Clinton underling examples, I always differentiate “people” from “media talking heads.” The MSM is out of touch and just because they harp on something does not mean that’s what people are thinking. Just wanted to make that point.
I still don’t see why Redfern has to make the statement. This scandal has nothing to do with him, the party, or with politics. It just happened to occur in a government office. If it occurred at say, Pfizer, would we ask the head of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Assoc to make a statement? If it was a bank would we ask the Ohio Chamber of Commerce to make a statement?
Redfern is not responsible for the behavior of state officials or other Democrats for that matter. All he can do is what any other organizational leader can do: eliminate those who violate rules and laws.
Now if you’re asking for that, that would be one thing. But to demand a statement that basically says “We think these bad things are bad” seems pointless. If the behavior is to be denounced it should be denounced by the public, not a party official who has nothing to do with the office where it occurred.
It’s also worth considering why sexual harassment occurs. It’s not because it hasn’t been denounced. Racism doesn’t occur because it hasn’t been denounced. Discrimination doesn’t occur because it hasn’t been denounced. Murder doesn’t occur because it isn’t denounced. There will always be smart people who do stupid things. All we can do is try to prevent it and ensure consequences when it happens.
If the system works, sexual harassers would lose their credibility and job status and face legal consequences. That’s a lot more than a statement can do.
I have a hunch that what you’re really after is not an end to discrimination but rather an official acknowledgment of the victim status of women. Is there any of that in your feelings about this issue?
(pardon the length)
You’ve read this blog long enough – we love length here!
Pfft re: victim status of women. The opposite is what I want: declaration that women will lead, shall lead and are supported on their way to leading.
Redfern isn’t doing that and if he is, it’s not loud enough and if it’s been loud, his message isn’t getting through because people like Dann and Barrett are behaving the way they allegedly are behaving and that is with great disrespect to women.
Damn straight companies should condemn such acts – when there was plagiarism by the White House director of public liaison a couple of months ago, it was a farce that no one denounced it more.
This administration (Bush) has made it seem ok to say nothing. That is wrong.
Blogs are about speaking up – if we don’t speak up – how does anyone know? Behavior is one thing – but I don’t see what’s being done to show that women can, will and shall be respected by the ODP in the face of this other crap.
Do you?
Liberal Democrat here who voted for Dann.
Thanks for writing about this. The lack of professionalism on the part of the AG and the staff who are involved in this mess is astounding. If Dann stays in office, there’s no chance that the Dems will hold onto that seat, and he may well hurt the Democratic Presidential nominee’s chances this fall. We need a competent Democrat in that office.
Thanks, Marwood. I appreciate it. I am very sad and angry about it but there is no excuse for his conduct in regard to the investigation. A clear line needed to be drawn – and he has not done that because of the involvement of his “friend.”
Way to go Jill, I’d hate to see you mad! You actually used the s-word here. Bravo.
I find the Dann incident to be sadly typical. Of course Anthony Gutierrez is his ‘friend’ and so are many other people both in and out of government. In fact, one might say that ANY government structure, Republican or Democrat, is a network of ‘friends’ who share one common goal-propagation of their power and influence. People outside of their circle of ‘friends’ (which can and often do cross political party boundaries) are truly outsiders even though they are stakeholders in the system.
This is why I don’t think Redfern will say anything. And it was the same in the GOP under Taft. It’s a systemic problem with the political culture.
And with Barrett it has turned from farce to tragedy. He should resign. He’s a scumbag for blaming his son. I would rather die than accuse my son(s) of doing anything I was responsible for.
……thanks for speaking up, Jill. It’s blogs like WLST that get the word out, and the truth for that matter. Us minnions, the people who matter, need to hear the truth, not just the “biased” opinion passed on to us by MSM, who will only give us enough info for the sole reason of making a buck or two. Woman are “not” the squid-shit of the world, and therefore should not be treated as such.
There are a lot of women who work in the AG’s office. I wonder how they feel about this. Poor morale has been an issue there for a while, as I understand it. This Dann/Gutierrez/Jennings mess can’t help.
People like Dann and this crew forget that what they’re doing is supposed to be about PUBLIC service, not service to “friends,” as you point out.
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