Essential Estrogen

Last night while driving I-80, I took advantage of the quiet (and forced myself to stay awake) by listening to conservative talk radio. I wish I could tell you which head was talking. I think it was Michael Reagan... at least I know another topic of conversation I listened to ("John Edwards must think his wife's cancer is a blessing") was hosted by Reagan but I cannot remember if what I want to discuss here was also Reagan or if I flipped the station. Oh well... it was definitely one of them.

I almost changed the channel after listening for a few moments because I thought it was a rerun. The topic of conversation was... of course... Hillary Clinton and Merle Haggard's song, "Let's Put a Woman in Charge." For most of us this song is... well... old news. It seems, however, that FOX news just picked up on it while covering Clinton's weekend fundraiser in Hollywood. In any event, the announcer picked up on that song and asked if listeners felt that song was true. "Is there anyone out there who is voting for Hillary Clinton just because she is a woman?" he asked. "Call in and let us know why you think a woman needs to be President."

He went on to add his thoughts on the Clinton campaign targeting women (and how the GOP should be very leery in placing Clinton against Giuliani because of his past 'indiscretions' with women). He also inferred the only reason someone would vote for Hillary was because of her gender since, according to the host, she had no other credentials.

While this discussion offered a great deal of blog fodder, I hadn't planned on writing about it. That changed this afternoon when I was once again in the car and once again tuned into conservative talk radio. This afternoon Rush Limbaugh launched into yet another castigation on feminism. According to Rush, we all know someone who had a boy and painted his room pink and gave him Barbie dolls to play with. We also all know someone who had a little girl, painted her room blue and give her G.I. Joe to play with. Also according to Rush, such people had been fooled into believing something which wasn't true. Basically, Rush launched his own 'nature' vs. 'nurture' argument without using those words and, according to Rush, nurture has nothing to do with how we interact and behave. Such differences, again according to Rush, are a part of us from the beginning.

While discussing the little boy in the pink room with the Barbies, Rush said the parents were shocked when the boy had the Barbies fight, "kill each other and play war." He added, "that is what boys do."

If that is the case (and, of course, Rush has never been mistaken... just ask him!) then I guess the other conservative talk show host now has his answer.

Why would anyone give preference to or vote for someone just because of their gender?

Well, according to Rush Limbaugh, it's because boys like to make things fight, kill each other and 'play war.' Those of us who wish to see an end to war then can play politico-eugenics and remove boys from the system.

Unfortunately, Rush gave no insights as to how the girls in the blue rooms behave with G.I. Joe. There's always tomorrow!