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Wonder Woman speaks her mind

I have always loved Wonder Woman. Something about those star-spangled hot pants and that Golden Lasso spoke to untold parts of my prepubescent psyche. Oh, and there was also that little bit about her being a kick-ass Amazon princess who took out the bad guys. So naturally I loved Lynda Carter, too, and after hearing her thoughts on Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, I couldn’t possibly love her more.

Last week, when asked offhandedly by Philadelphia Magazine what she thought of Palin being compared to her most-recognized character, Wonder Woman, the 57-year-old star pulled no punches:

Don’t get me started. She’s the anti-Wonder Woman. She’s judgmental and dictatorial, telling people how they’ve got to live their lives. And a superior religious self-righteousness … that’s just not what Wonder Woman is about. Hilary Clinton is a lot more like Wonder Woman than Mrs. Palin. She did it all, didn’t she?

Pardon me while I swoon.

But the daughter of Hippolyta wasn’t done yet – not by a long shot.

No one has the right to dictate, particularly in this country, to force your own personal views upon the populace – religious views. I think that is suppressive, oppressive, and anti-American. We are the loyal opposition. That’s the whole point of this country: freedom of speech, personal rights, personal freedom. Nor would Wonder Woman be the person to tell people how to live their lives. Worry about your own life! Worry about your own family! Don’t be telling me what I want to do with mine.

I like John McCain. But this woman – it’s anathema to me what [Wonder Woman] stands for. I think America should be very afraid. Very afraid. Separation of church and state is the one thing the creators of the Constitution did agree on – that it wasn’t to be a religious government. People should feel free to speak their minds about religion but not dictate it or put it into law.

What I don’t understand, honestly, is how anyone can even begin to say they know the mind of God. Who do they think they are? I think that’s ridiculous. I know what God is in my life. Now I am sure that she’s not all just that. But it’s enough to me. It’s enough for me to have a visceral reaction. And it makes me mad.

People need to speak up. Doesn’t mean that I’m godless. Doesn’t mean that I am a murderer. What I hate is this demonization of everybody but one position. You’re un-American because you’re against the war. It’s such bullshit. Fear. It’s really such a finite way of thinking about God to think that your measly little mind can know the mind of God. It’s a very little God that way. I think that God’s bigger. I don’t presume to know his mind. Or her mind.

Wow, that’s what I call a Wonder Woman-sized smackdown. I know lots of folks have issues with celebrities inserting themselves in the political discourse. I, for one, don’t really mind. Heck, they’re citizens too and judging by the amount of time the general populace spends obsessing about them, they’re the only citizens we seem to really care about.

Carter’s criticism joins a chorus of stars (from Matt Damon to Pamela Anderson to Pink, and even Lindsay Lohan) who have come out against the potential VP. And, if Tina Fey‘s dead-on parody from Saturday Night Live is any indication, glasses-wearing celebrities aren’t too pleased with her either.

Regardless of how you feel about stars talking politics, Carter’s comments are particularly salient given the imagery used by both the campaign and press to describe the Alaska governor. Remember those “GI John & Superwoman” signs from the Republican Convention?

And if you don’t think the Wonder Woman metaphor has been made quite forcefully enough, check out the (terrible) Photoshopping on these T-shirts. A word of warning: Actually wearing one might make you the least popular lesbian at the annual softball tournament this year.

Though, if we’re going to talk Photoshopped super-politicians, this is by far my favorite:

So, was Carter out of line in pulverizing Palin’s politics? Or was she just bound by her own lasso of truth? And remind me never to make Wonder Woman angry.

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