As a member of the DNC, I’ve had the opportunity to hear Dean talk several times as well as sit through numerous analyses of the 2004 election.
Dean has repeatedly said that part of why we lost the election is that people are scared to death by the culture while trying to raise their children. The type of TV represented by the pie ad is exactly what is scaring them.
I’m a liberal Democrat and have a knee-jerk opposition to censorship, but as a parent, I’m appalled at what our culture teaches young people. I have two boys, 11 and 15. How am I supposed to teach them to respect women when they’re constantly bombarded by images of women reduced to their sexuality? (And no, it’s not as simple as “turn off the tv.”) My friends with daughters struggle with teaching young women to respect themselves.
This is what is in the minds of many of the women who didn’t vote Democratic in the last election. While they don’t necessarily agree with the Republicans anti-choice positions, they are disturbed by the oversexualization of popular culture and perceive Republicans as protecting their children.
Personally, the pie ad made me queasy, and the new version of it is worse. It simply says to me, “this is not a place where you are wanted.” That’s fine. I don’t need to go everywhere. This seems like a much nicer place anyway.
