11/07/97

Madame President Part 2

To those who perceive the "Madame President" article as hostile toward men, I offer the following comments:

I know many capable and compassionate men.  I was fortunate enough to marry one.  As a father, my husband teaches our three daughters and son to strive for their personal best and to "make the world a better place."  As an educator and administrator he sets high performance standards, confronts mediocrity, and rewards achievement, regardless of gender.  I have no quarrel with men such as he.

My quarrel is with the arrogant, rigid, and even hostile men who suppress women.  Too many men in our society abandon their unborn children, physically or emotionally abuse their spouses or girl friends, and actively exclude women from equal participation in society.  I call on these men to embrace their responsibilities and their women, as equals.

There are many women, too, who feed the divisiveness you rightly criticize.  Some women seek pregnancy even though unprepared for the responsibilities of motherhood; others accept "second class" status in their households and at work.  Still others teach their sons to fight and their daughters to yield.  I call on these women to demand for themselves and their daughters the respect and recognition they deserve, while teaching their sons to negotiate conflicts and nurture others.

Election of a woman president is not about man-bashing.  Election of a woman president is about the dignity of both sexes and full participation in a democracy.  In a true democracy men and women alike hold the reins of power and influence and raise children as partners. And they do these things, as equal adults, together.

When we elect a woman President in the United States, the ripple effects will be felt around the world, as a statement about equal rights for men and women everywhere.

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.