Laura Bush represents our confusion

Laura Bush is clearly intelligent. Not only is she educated in a traditional sense with a higher education, she is also very well knowledgeable in the political world, the media world, and just being a nice person.

Yet, she is clearly the junior partner in her marriage. I am fine with that. But what is not fine is how women today are so comfortable "choosing" second class status.

In my mind, you are either 100% equal or you're not.

As a society we need to choose and then make our laws and culture reflect our desire.

No one would respect a man (say Sarah Palin's husband) who acted like Laura Bush, but for her it is a total career option to live through her husband. She can choose to be femiine when she wants, intellectual, and then retreat to a traditional role of womanhood where she should be honored and protected.

We all expect that were there any trouble George Bush would sacrifice for Laura and not the other way around.

I think the traditional role of women is correct. If any particular woman wants total equality, that is 100% fine, but she should also have 100% responsibility also.

That means being held to the same exact standard as any man. For example, women should be on the front line in the military, able and ready to be drafted. Ready to fix a broken down car, lift heavy packages, and deal with other menial things every man is assumed to be responsible for.

It is common place to hear stories of competent women who break-down. We tolerate this duality from women, but rightfully scorn in men.

For most women the above is not unacceptable but rather a part of the
complexity of womanhood. Having to deal with emotional outbursts intertwined with intellectual brilliance and/or inconsistency; women celebrate their erractic nature but yet they want equal respect , and equal pay.

This tension is the ultimate problem in marriage today. It is furthered by the nonsense on television and in popular culture in general.

If we would demand that each individual be responsible for their perspective and choices then we could improve our society and our own male-female relations.

Craig Farmer
making the word "liberal" safe again!