Campaigns of Feinstein and Van de Kamp
Melanie Lomax’s commentary (May 7) in support of Feinstein’s bid for the democratic gubernatorial nomination was as lacking in substance as is Feinstein’s campaign. While Lomax claims to have based her support of Feinstein on the “unarguable bottom line” that she would not support anyone solely because of gender, she provided no good reason to support Feinstein other than Feinstein’s gender.
Lomax’s conclusion that Feinstein is deserving of her support because “it is clear that the near-monopoly that the white male has on political power . . . cannot be corrected unless more non-males and nonwhites are elected,” is nothing more than a plea to vote for anyone who is non-male and nonwhite.
With respect to supporting women’s rights in California, Van de Kamp’s record gives me much more comfort as a woman and as a feminist than does Feinstein’s. It was Feinstein who, as mayor of San Francisco, instituted a dress code mandating that her senior female staff could not wear pants; it was Feinstein who, as mayor of San Francisco, consistently opposed comparable worth plans, going so far as to support a ballot initiative aimed at overturning the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ comparable worth plan.
Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Greenbrae) spoke for many women when she proclaimed Van de Kamp to be the “best feminist” in the race.
JANICE KAMENIR-REZNIK
Sherman Oaks
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