Feminist Fatale

Ah, the 60s. I remember them well. Flower children, pot, bra burnings and the beginnings of the feminist movement. We are now the geriatric generation. We haven't yet gotten it all and we're not going to quit until we do.

What a mind set. We're living longer too so the possibilities are extended. Yet maybe not and our patience is running thin. Here we have the most historic Presidential primary in recent history. Two very able candidates are facing off against one another. There is so much more to be considered in looking at both than whether a woman is going to be denied.

Guess who is making the most out of race and gender? The women of my generation. Robin Abcarian of the Los Angeles Times lays it out rather well in an article in this morning's Spokesman Review entitled Women frustrated as Clinton slips.

What bothers me about the "sisterhood" is intelligent, well educated women making statements like "And I am worried that if Hillary doesn't get elected, I am never going to see a woman president in my lifetime."

Come on. Put past grievances aside. Actually, if Obama wins you may not live to see another black in that office either. It's a pretty lame reason to vote or not vote for either. Especially this day and age when so much is at stake. There will always be racists, there will always be male chauvinists and female chauvinists too for that matter.

What we all need to be looking at is who is the most able candidate to deal with the world as it is today and will be tomorrow. I know I'm not interested in false claims of experience and leadership; I am interested in presence, strength and judgement.

Just consider four headlines that were on the first two inside pages of the Spokesman. Chavez deploys troops to border with Colombia, Bomber Kills 40 in Pakistan tribal meeting, Abbas suspends talks with Israel and Iran president visits Iraq. If that doesn't chill your blood I doubt anything will.

Our generation hasn't done so well. Just look back. Really look back. Then think about those years stretching ahead of you thanks to the miracles of modern medicine. Is it really all that important in the grand scheme of things whether or not a woman is president?