Response to Dean's call for unity

Dr. Dean:

Nope. You stood by while Hillary and her reputation were besmirched and slandered, stood by while the worst display in my lifetime of misogyny sanctioned by both my (former) party and society took place. And then, overriding the wishes of the voters in MI and FL in this “most exciting primary contest in a generation” (in which, it could be argued, the wishes of the voters are even more important than usual), your party not only refused to penalize Obama for his breaking of the rules by advertising in FL, you took four of Hillary’s earned delegate votes from her and granted him delegates from the uncommitted voters, which delegates should have stayed uncommitted until the convention in August. I have written and called with complaints and never received a response, and I don’t expect to now, but in November perhaps you will pay more attention.

I will not vote for Obama, who has received all the benefit from these tactics, and from the press coverage, and who has indulged in sexist behavior himself. I am no “McCain Democrat”; I grew up in a very liberal household, and I am left of center politically. I am a woman in my thirties with a graduate degree, and am a member of the so-called creative class. But this year the Democratic party will not get my vote, and I am not alone. I will vote Green or abstain, but I will not vote for Obama. I choose to prioritize my principles before my safety. Using “safety” concerns to justify unethical behavior whose goal is to force party loyalty is traditionally a Republican tactic, and I am ashamed that the Democratic Party has seen fit to stoop so low. You’ve lost my loyalty and my respect.

As for your plea for unity, I will not be a member of a family which takes me for granted, feels it appropriate to treat with disdain and contempt, and then tells me I have to tow the party line. I have better boundaries than that. Your kind words for Hillary now, in this moment when you have discovered that you need her supporters, are too little, too late. If you don’t have the grace even to apology and to acknowledge the reality of what happened during this campaign, you don’t deserve my support. No real apology has ever been offered, and this year’s season has set us back in terms of what is considered acceptable treatment of women. You should be ashamed of your duplicity. Obama will lose, and the blame will be laid squarely (if not completely) at the feet of the DNC and the party leadership.

With total sincerity,