THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
MAES MIRIOS MASKS MAKELIB COSTIMES
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
GUEST COMMENTARY
PAGE 7A
A new female precedent
I have never been so infuriated and downright amazed at the ignorance and severe lack of logic presented in the article "Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, a woman president." First of all, as a woman, I do not enjoy being compared to an imaginary fat man.
Secondly, the article was based upon 1950s stereotypes that lacked any form of logic, making the entire argument pathetic and contradictory. As a favor to all women who are in college to learn and make something of themselves, I have gladly taken the liberty to take this article apart, piece by piece, just so there is no confusion that a woman can and should become president if she so desires.
First point, the writer claims that in the past, men believed that woman were too incompetent to be put in positions of power. Of course, this stigma still exists today.
If it did not, then women would be making just as much money as men and holding a seat in the presidency.
The problem lies in the writer's claim that a woman cannot and should not become president because of this misogynistic stereotype.
To discredit this view, I would like to highlight that scientific evidence shows that females, on average, actually have higher IQ scores and are better at interpersonal communication than males.
The last time I checked, interpersonal communication and intelligence were both positive attributes desired in a leader.
In conjunction with this, the writer talks about politics being a WASP playground.
Anyone who pays attention to this fact would have to agree, but thank goodness not everyone has given up and accepted this reality.
True, the white male still outranks the African American, the Hispanic and female population in Congress, but the power is no longer absolute. Thank goodness not everyone just accepted that having an African American in Congress was equivalent to believing in Santa Claus.
Third point, the writer argues that a woman should not become president because she would have no time for family, and if she did have a family,
MICHELLE GOODRICK opinion@kansan.com
then her "maternal instinct" would get in the way.
I guess the writer assumes that due to this lack of "maternal instinct" in males, fathers must not feel some kind of responsibility to their family and have no problem giving their "undying attention" to the oval office.
Also, while we're at it, because this article is based totally upon baseless facts, why don't we all just assume that every women must have a
"You can find yourself living vicariously through the male genitalia, but I will keep my dignity as both a woman and a human being intact by using my God-given talents that do not revolve around sex or food."
family and totally ignore the reality that many women remain quite active and competent after age 40, a time when most presidents are elected and women finish child rearing.
My fourth point starts with a quote from our writer in reference to the incompetence of women as leaders because of biological factors such as PMS.
"The chemical imbalances during this time have several side effects from cramps to becoming total bitches who crave chocolate."
Now in this article I am going to ask you all to at least pretend to be college students who can use reason and logic in the face of facts.
A woman experiences PMS (pre menstrual syndrome) when levels of estrogen fall. As a result of this reduction, the ratio of testosterone to estrogen increases.
Therefore, during these times that men complain women are so moody and the writer claims that women are so irrational, in all actuality, a woman is more like a man then any other time of the month. As for being physically weaker, let's see a man give birth.
The Nazi's — and I am by no means condoning these tests, just reporting the results
tested the endurance of males and females and found that females stayed conscious longer than males during trials of severe pain.
This makes sense when put in the context of childbirth. This also makes sense when put in the context of politics, or any other profession. Just because a woman may not be able to bench press 200 pounds, does not mean that she cannot lead 200 or more people. The belief that women are the "fairer" and "weaker" sex exists only because the very ideals of what strength consists of is built upon a patriarchal construct.
My final point takes the writer's mention of the examples of Queen Boudicca, Queen Elizabeth, and Margaret Thatcher and says, "Hey, you just mentioned and highlighted three prominent leaders of the western world, all of which were women." This eliminates and forces your argument to be reviewed as total crap.
I do not know about the rest of the women on this campus, but I am willing to bet that taking advice about politics from Kim Cattral is not going to be viewed as the best source.
You can give as many "blow jobs" as you want, wear heels and pearls while making breakfast, and find yourself living vicariously though the male genitalia, but I will keep my dignity as both a woman and a human being intact by using my God-given talents that do not revolve around sex or food.
It all depends on your perspective and talents as a human being, not your position as a man or as a woman.
♦ Goodrick is a Meridan Junior in psychology and Spanish.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Turn down the stereotypes
I am so glad that Sara Garlick finally figured it all out for me in her latest column, "Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, a woman president." Because our country has never had a female president, why start now? After all, we wouldn't want those chocolate cravings to get in the way of running a country, would we?
Give me a break!
be. If we instead use the classic stereotypes of men, then they would be unfit for commander in chiefs as well. Beer-guzzling, football-watching, ball-scratching, girl-oogling; all of these daily activities would be too much of a distraction for any man to run the country.
Garlick used the ultimate stereotypes to defend her position on how incompetent a woman might
Well, if it wasn't for women like Garlick who condone this treatment, I highly doubt that men would fail to support their women in any way possible. Or perhaps this is just my mental inferiority to men settling in. Or perhaps my PMS has started making me delusional, and men really are far superior.
support for them to be in office."
Of course, if any woman gave that man a blow job, well, as Garlick put it, "if it wasn't for the wives of politicians, I highly doubt their husbands would have public's
Jayme A. Aschemeyer
2005 KU alumna
Austin Caster, editor
864-4854 or acaster@kansan.com
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Ellis Ford, Yanting Wang, Joel Simone, Dan Hovt, Ann Weltner, Wiltain Pilel, Nathan McGinnia, Joah Goeting, Sara Garlick, (ravin Brown, Julian Portiloo, David Achar
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THE KING OF BEERS
held accountable for, he chooses a natural disaster. To me, one of the main arguments for a democracy, as opposed to a monarchy like the one we rebelled against, is that everyone can be held accountable under law.
Columnist's Rendition of Karl Rove
Rove: a smooth criminal
On Thursday, Sept. 15, right after "The O.C.," President George W. Bush walked out in front of the New Orleans capitol building and accepted blame for the federal government not doing its job correctly.
It doesn't matter anymore if you are Republican or Democrat; you can't let things like this go. Rove's actions are a definitive, tangible, illegal breach that there is no defense for.
He was alone at his lectern; no aides, no security visible, and no Dick. Just as he was warned before September 11, he was warned about Katrina, and even though he is in charge of the greatest military in the world in the richest country, he did almost nothing until it was too late for thousands of Americans.
At this point, it's irrelevant to try to argue about Bush's presidency based on moral beliefs or opinions. Look whom we elected twice, and let's look at its immaculate track record: it allowed September 11 to happen, lied about WMD's, causing thousands to die at war, and did nothing despite numerous warnings when Katrina was coming.
You would think someone in this presidential cabinet could be convicted of some crime. Well, it has, and it all goes back to the man who Satan would start a fan club for. Karl Rove.
MAX KREUTZER opinion@kansan.com
Rove indicated that Valarie Plame was a CIA agent to Time reporter Matt Cooper in 2003.
I'm not worried about Rove eventually having something negative happen to him because of this.
Under Executive Order 12958, all White House officials who are subject to classified information must sign a Classified Information Nondisclosure agreement stating they understand the laws of the Executive Order 12958. Section 5.5 of this Order states that, "Officers and employees of the United States Government, and its contractors, licensees, certificate holders, and grantees shall be subject to appropriate sanctions if they knowingly, willfully, or negligibly disclose to unauthorized persons information properly classified under this order or predecessor orders."
Matt Cooper was not an authorized person. The important part of this is the "knowingly, willfully, or negligently" the defenders of Rove all say he can't be held legally accountable if he did not knowingly release her name.
Rove has signed this form,and
This Executive Order was designed with people like Rove in mind, so that there would be no way someone could release classified information, even if he did do it "unknowingly," without harsh legal consequences.
The Order also specifically states that the president has to, at a minimum, "promptly remove the classification authority of any individual who demonstrates reckless disregard or a pattern of error in applying the classification standards of this order." and launch an investigation into the breach separate of any other ongoing investigations.
Basically, Rove signed a legal document saying he would not reveal classified information or acknowledge any classified information, and he did.
This seems to be old news; senator Henry Waxman of California has been talking about it for years and sending letters to Bush asking for action. Other senators have started sending letters as well as community organizations.
Under the Executive Order 12958, if someone does leak information, the president is supposed to initiate an investigation and immediately revoke that person's classification clearance. The president has not done any of this.
It amazes me that, of all the things Bush could and should be
Rove so clearly broke the law that, though he probably has some favors from Satan still, some legal action will be taken against him. The wheels of justice grind slowly, especially when they have to grind a whale of a jerk like Rove.
After all, in the early similar presidency of Richard Nixon, Nixon wasn't the first one to go. The topple began with men who had positions similar to Rove's. H.R. Haldeman was a presidential counselor, and John Ehrlichman was just in Nixon's inner circle. Haldeman, the White House chief of staff, followed, and then Nixon himself.
My main concern is that we all understand that Rove did something illegal.
The reason being that U.S. News and The New York Times have reported White House insiders saying that Rove is going to have a big hand in the rebuilding of New Orleans.
To me, this would be like putting Hitler in charge of Disney Land on Children with Terminal Illness Day. Have the people of New Orleans not suffered enough? He doesn't deserve to be in New Orleans; he should be in jail instead.
.
Free All for
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Kreutzer is a Leavenworth senior in film studies.
I'm an alumni of the 1962 Rhombus House pledge class.
Betsy, I'm really sorry about your bunny.
That really, really sucks.
If you place a needle on Bill Brasker's nipple,
it plays the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds."
I was told that there was an architect that jumped off a building because they built it facing the wrong way. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
The girls in Ellsworth are damned sexy
★
If the guy who threw the bunny off a balcony goes to prison for a year, and he goes to prison and they ask him what he's in for, and he has to say because he killed a bunny, then that would be stupid.
I've given up on girls, I'm going to become a monk.
I want to set the Rhombus House on fire because it's dumb.
George W. Bush doesn't care about bunnies.
Sara Garlick is making conservatives look bad. I bet you a million dollars that she would vote for Condoleezza Rice, just like I would.
Is it just me, or has Free for All become a gathering place for bitter GD's?
I just want to say that the women population of KU do not consider Sara Garrick one of their own.
If the crossword puzzle sucks, printing it again is not going to make it not suck.
Me and my Greek friends had a frat-tastic time at the Lake of the Ozarks with 100 hot chicks! Beats sitting in the dorms, doesn't it?
Sara Gerlick: I hope you become president.
True or False: The Free for All misspelled Manhattan
Whenever you guys publish something that I say, I always cut it out and put it on my wall. I'm so darn lonely.
People in fraternities and sororites don't buy their friends. People in dorms just don't know what friends are. They only know about drug dealers!
Sara Garlick: I'm going to be the female president you said this country couldn't handle.