A Confederate Yankee
By Bill Mayers
(Town of Sullivan, NY – Oct. 2014) As Hermione Granger, actress Emma Watson served as an effective ballast on the sometimes-wild vessel that was Harry Potter. As a woman activist speaking to the issue of women’s status in the world, she gave an intelligent, coherent and sometimes impassioned speech before the United Nations.
And for that bit of passion, she has been excoriated by sexist demagogues around the globe: Vituperative. Condescending. Socialistic nonsense. Out of control.
The snark grows more rabid as time passes.
Fer cripes sakes, it’s 2014, people; well into the 21st century, and we’re still treating women like… well, if we guys treated “man’s best friend” like this, said “friend” would take a mighty healthy bite out of our butts.
And t’would be well-deserved.
Denial ain’t just that river in Egypt. But to listen to the rabid right wing these days is to risk being deafened by denial of racism, ageism, sexism…
“No means yes,” vomits Rush Limbaugh.
“The only real purpose for a woman is to provide a home for a penis!” prattles the pastor of a mega-church out west.
These bits of nonsense accompany the assertion by a Republican legislator from Arizona that if he had the chance, he’d remove all choice from women everywhere. The NFL in hot water over its failure to properly address assault on women by its players.
The repeated refusal by right-wing legislators to accept that women deserve equal pay for equal work coupled with mindless resistance toward laws aimed at toughening protection of women against domestic violence…
Guys, women are not property. Whether you’re married to her or not, a woman is not yours to do with what you damn well please. She’s an equal partner. How come this hasn’t gotten through to so many males in America? How come, when chastised for sexist remarks and unwanted physical contact with their female high school classmates, so many young men go, “Isn’t that what ho’s are fo’?”
Matthew Mackowiak, speaking for a Republican candidate for Congress, calls rape and incest “minor issues.” Rush Limbaugh continues to attempt to demonize Sandra Fluke, repeating the “slut” insult. Another candidate for Congress calls a professional reporter “sweetheart” and patronizingly pats her on the shoulder in response to a serious question regarding his ethics.
It’s symptomatic of the disregard too many men hold for women. Then you have the Congress-critters who actively try to nullify the protections women currently have under the law. Men who continually attempt to restrict woman’s choices, not only in regards to reproductive issues, but in the workplace and even in politics.
“There’s things men can do that women cannot, and things women are better at than men,” goes one supremely stupid song. Does it make y’wonder, neighbors? What might those things be the women can’t do, that makes them automatically inferior?
As a senior medic (clinical specialist) with the 86th Combat Support Hospital, 101st Airborne, it was part of my responsibility to oversee the set-up of a MUST unit – the replacement for the Korean War-era MASH hospital. That required beaucoup muscle power. And the women had to get right in alongside the guys, get dirty and get sweaty. I didn’t require less of them because they were women. We had to get that hospital put together and operational NOW.
The women were undeniably up to the challenge.
Through the pages of the Marine Corps League magazine Semper Fi, we meet the new commandant of the storied training facility at Parris Island, Brigadier General Lori Reynolds. Another formal resource, Navy Times, told us of the (four-star) female admiral in charge of a Navy battle group that includes numerous warships ranging all the way to aircraft carriers.
A few issues before that told the story of women pilots flying combat aircraft off and onto aircraft carriers: one of the most demanding jobs in the military. Pick up almost any issue of Army Times and you’re likely to read about women flying combat support missions, in combat helicopters, as well as medical evacuation craft.
Generally speaking, women are not quite up to men, in general, in terms of brute strength. But men have developed tools which get’er done with less of that muscle power, and women can use them to more than compensate for their minor deficit. So, guys, can you tell me just what jobs you’re better at? I don’t think y’can.
So what’s with the sort of degrading, insulting prattle about Ms. Watson’s “emotional” words – words that were roundly applauded by her listeners before the U.N.? Are you guys so insecure in your manhood that you have to resort to childish insults and name-calling like ol’ Rushbo?
Maybe I should turn you over to my eldest daughter – a very experience drill sergeant. Master Sergeant Allison just might straighten youse guys out.
William D. “Bill” Mayers RT, RN, of Sullivan is a retired senior U.S. Army Corpsman. A certified healthcare professional since 1964, he holds two professional licenses, including that of Registered Professional Nurse licensed in New York, Alaska, Virginia and Louisiana. He has four children, two stepchildren, three grandchildren and is an avid analyst of current events.