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She Gives Thanks -- American women have much to be thankful for.
National Review Online ^ | Nov. 26, 2003 | Carrie Lukas

Posted on 11/26/2003 6:48:48 AM PST by ReleaseTheHounds

Traditionally, Thanksgiving means work for women. Dressing the turkey, setting the table, ensuring every family member's favorite dessert is on hand — sometimes it seems like a holiday where men do the thanking and women do the giving.

Nonetheless, American women should be thankful that they live in a time and place where women are thriving. By virtually every measure, American women are succeeding as never before. Women account for 56 percent of bachelor's degrees and master's degrees, and 40 percent of doctoral degrees. They also earn 41 percent of degrees in medicine and 44 percent of law degrees — prestigious fields that, just a generation ago, were almost exclusively the province of men.

Women are entering the workplace in record numbers — 60 percent of women are in the formal workforce today compared to just 43 percent in 1970 — and are becoming leaders in the new economy. Standouts include Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay Technologies, and Carly Fiorina, president and CEO of Hewlett-Packard, ranked 13th on the Fortune 500. In total, there are more than 8.5 million women-owned businesses in the United States.

The future for American women looks even brighter. Telecommuting and innovative new work arrangements, such as job sharing and flextime, promise to replace the once stark choice between working and parenting with the ability both.

Despite the good news, groups that claim to represent women often fixate on — and overstate — old grievances that are anachronistic in our modern world. The National Organization for (some) Women, for example, continues to call for government action to remedy gender disparities in paychecks. They claim that, on average, women make 73 cents for each man's dollar. In doing so, they ignore evidence that this disparity virtually vanishes when variables like education, occupation, age, and years of experience are taken into account. Women generally take about a decade off to care for children or elderly parents. Those men — and women — who work continuously are justly compensated for their extra knowledge and experience. That's not sexism; it's common sense.

There are still obstacles for American women to overcome. Confiscatory tax rates discourage married women from entering the workforce; at the same time, they push women who would rather stay home with children to work in order to pay the bills. Our health-care system remains biased in favor of employer-provided health insurance, raising costs and making it harder for women who move in and out of the workplace to obtain coverage. Burdensome regulations on business stifle job creation, and hinder flexible work arrangements that suit women's dual roles as mothers and employees. America's outdated Social Security system often shortchanges working, married women, and denies all workers the opportunity to build real wealth for retirement. Social Security reform is particularly important to women because they are less likely than men to work in jobs that offer retirement savings plans.

Still, this is not 1950. Women today enjoy choice and opportunity, both in and out of the home. Feminist organizations should stop fighting the last war; they should refocus their energies on reforming policies that limit flexibility and stifle economic progress. And they might focus more attention on our sisters overseas, in places like the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

The millions of women languishing in these regions are living testaments to how much American women have to be thankful for. In Saddam Hussein's Iraq, for instance, men who killed female relatives for the "defense of family honor" were spared prosecution and punishment. In China, women are required to use specific birth control measures and can face significant penalties when they fail to abide by birth limits. These policies have encouraged abortions, especially of female fetuses; for second births, China's ratio was 151.9 males per 100 females. In African countries like Nigeria, women found guilty of adultery may face death by stoning. Such brutality against women should remind American women that we are uncommonly fortunate in the freedoms that we enjoy.

Thanksgiving is a time for all Americans to recognize the blessings in their lives. For American women — even if many will be hitting the kitchen while their husbands, brothers, and fathers hit the couch — those blessings are plentiful indeed.

— Carrie Lukas is director of policy at the Independent Women's Forum.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: africa; disparities; gender; men; middleeast; nosw; taxrates; thanksgiving; women
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Some great thinking and observing here... Something for the hags at NOW to wake-up to. JMHO... I love the reference to National Organization of (some) Women!
1 posted on 11/26/2003 6:48:49 AM PST by ReleaseTheHounds
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To: ReleaseTheHounds
Well, if the feminists want an issue we can all support, how about fighting to end "confiscatory tax rates?"
2 posted on 11/26/2003 6:51:06 AM PST by Enterprise
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To: ReleaseTheHounds
"Traditionally, Thanksgiving means work for women. Dressing the turkey, setting the table, ensuring every family member's favorite dessert is on hand — sometimes it seems like a holiday where men do the thanking and women do the giving"


_____________________________________________

While traditionally true, in this Montana home Pete is making the meal and Mrs. Pete is eating it.
3 posted on 11/26/2003 6:54:35 AM PST by PeteFromMontana
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To: Enterprise
It's sad that the author still defined success for women on the feminists terms, and yet is printed in an alleged 'conservative magazine.'

20,000,000 American women have contracted to murder their own children. Birth rates continue to decline for a host of reasons, which include 'cost' which are artificially high with, as you mentioned "confiscatory tax rates."

No, the crisis in femininity continues unabated.
4 posted on 11/26/2003 6:56:07 AM PST by JohnGalt (How few were left who had seen the Republic!---Tacitus)
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To: PeteFromMontana
While traditionally true, in this Montana home Pete is making the meal and Mrs. Pete is eating it.

Same here... Mr. Spackler really does enjoy to do a large portion of the cooking. With a large portion of the Cowboy's game thrown in...
5 posted on 11/26/2003 7:10:41 AM PST by cspackler (There are 10 kinds of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.)
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To: JohnGalt
"It's sad that the author still defined success for women on the feminists terms, and yet is printed in an alleged 'conservative magazine.'

20,000,000 American women have contracted to murder their own children. Birth rates continue to decline for a host of reasons, which include 'cost' which are artificially high with, as you mentioned "confiscatory tax rates."

No, the crisis in femininity continues unabated."

There are 20,000,000 murdered children who will not be partaking in the festivities. Yeah, you've come a long way baby.

God bless the homemakers, the heart and center around which the lives of American men revolve.
6 posted on 11/26/2003 7:18:31 AM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies he murders some part of the world.)
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To: Search4Truth
Amen.

I am going to give my wife and my mom a call right now. ;)
7 posted on 11/26/2003 7:22:23 AM PST by JohnGalt (How few were left who had seen the Republic!---Tacitus)
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To: PeteFromMontana
**"Traditionally, Thanksgiving means work for women. Dressing the turkey, setting the table, ensuring every family member's favorite dessert is on hand — sometimes it seems like a holiday where men do the thanking and women do the giving" **

Hmmm. In my opinion, this is a blessing.

8 posted on 11/26/2003 8:09:34 AM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
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To: JohnGalt
**It's sad that the author still defined success for women on the feminists terms, and yet is printed in an alleged 'conservative magazine.' **

Sad, isn't it? In my opinion a success is to create a home that's a haven for my husband and daughter....the very opposite of what many people consider successful in a woman.

9 posted on 11/26/2003 8:13:18 AM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
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To: Search4Truth
**God bless the homemakers, the heart and center around which the lives of American men revolve. **

Thank you.

10 posted on 11/26/2003 8:14:00 AM PST by mrs tiggywinkle
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To: mrs tiggywinkle
I am in concurrence with your opinion.

11 posted on 11/26/2003 8:17:24 AM PST by JohnGalt (How few were left who had seen the Republic!---Tacitus)
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To: ReleaseTheHounds
National Organization of (some) Women!

My favorite line, too :-)

I think the column does a superb job of examining the real status of women in America today and then exposing the factually and morally incoherent foundation of the current "womens lib" movement.

As a women thawing a turkey as we speak, I'm bookmarking this as a keeper and thank you for such a terrific post!

12 posted on 11/26/2003 8:21:17 AM PST by Tamzee (Pennsylvanians for Bush! Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PA4BushCheney/)
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To: mrs tiggywinkle
In my opinion a success is to create a home that's a haven

The hardest job of them all and yet given such little credit.... it's turning back around, though, IMHO. I read something recently about the high numbers of "career women" that increasingly and voluntarily drop their high-powered positions to stay home when they have children because they find it more fulfilling and valuable :-)

Great opportunity for women without young children and more respect in society for women who are homemakers... it's a great time to be a gal :-)

13 posted on 11/26/2003 8:32:03 AM PST by Tamzee (Pennsylvanians for Bush! Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PA4BushCheney/)
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To: ReleaseTheHounds; Enterprise; PeteFromMontana; JohnGalt; cspackler; Search4Truth; ...
It appears that feminists have hijacked National Review Online, if this article is representative. Some excerpts with responses are below:

The future for American women looks even brighter. Telecommuting and innovative new work arrangements, such as job sharing and flextime, promise to replace the once stark choice between working and parenting with the ability [to do] both....

(1) There is no such thing as generic "parenting". Fathers and mothers contribute to their children's rearing in distinct ways, as God designed. Pretending otherwise is just an excuse for one or both parents to neglect their children for their careers (This project is really crucial and, besides, my spouse or the nanny or the day care center can contribute sufficient "parental" unit inputs...)

Another negative consequence of the "generic" parenting idea is that it removes any possibility for objection to children being raised by two same-sex "parents".

(2) Raising children is work; it's not the alternative to work. Good mothers have always worked hard to raise their children. Furthermore, before the modern industrial era split up the family household-centered economic unit by providing jobs in factories and other locations far from home, wives also contributed to the family's income by assisting their husbands in their work.

Still, this is not 1950. Women today enjoy choice and opportunity, both in and out of the home.

This snide aside is likewise misplaced in implying that women had neither choice nor opportunity in or outside the home in the 1950s. Why is the author giving up so much ground to the feminists by buying into their caricature of the 1950s?

14 posted on 11/26/2003 9:57:58 AM PST by Stop Legal Plunder
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To: Stop Legal Plunder
Good catches.
15 posted on 11/26/2003 10:08:20 AM PST by anniegetyourgun
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To: Stop Legal Plunder
Feminists have no soul BUMP!
16 posted on 11/26/2003 10:10:03 AM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies he murders some part of the world.)
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To: Stop Legal Plunder
Why is the author giving up so much ground to the feminists by buying into their caricature of the 1950s?

Are you saying that women had the same educational and career opportunities as men in the 1950's?

As a woman and homemaker, I agree that a woman's highest priority should be as caregiver for the children and wife in the traditional role. I've put a serious dent in my career by staying home with my children. I did so joyfully and humbly and don't regret it even a tiny bit. I am pleased, though, that when they are grown and I am back working full-time that I won't have to fight tooth and nail to work as other than a nurse, teacher or secretary.

Additionally... not ALL women are mothers or mothers yet. It is not "feminist" to acknowledge and be satisfied with the fact that those women who are facing higher education and the workplace DO have expanded opportunities.

This author destroys much of the traditional myth that supports the current womens lib agenda... I think she is an asset to conservatism and am happy to see her addressing this issue :-)

17 posted on 11/26/2003 10:23:01 AM PST by Tamzee (Pennsylvanians for Bush! Join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PA4BushCheney/)
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To: Tamsey
It is American men who American women can thank for the freedoms they enjoy, not feminists. Those men are fighting and dying as we write to protect those freedoms.

Feminism has nothing but contempt for men, the traditional roles of women, God, Capitalism, and America.

Know thy enemy!
18 posted on 11/26/2003 10:33:20 AM PST by Search4Truth (When a man lies he murders some part of the world.)
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To: Tamsey
Thanks, Tamsey... somehow I think this article, and the thoughts of the author, have been hi-jacked by some of our fellow-Freepers.

"Despite the good news, groups that claim to represent women often fixate -- and overstate -- old grievances that are anachronistic in our modern world..." Now that's pitching to the NOW-crowd... ;)

"Confiscatory tax rates discourage married women from entering the workforce; at the same time, they push women who would rather stay home with children with children to work in order to pay the bills." That statement should make Jill Ireland proud, right?

"America's outdated Social Security system often shortchanges working, married women, and denies all workers the opportunity to build real wealth for retirement. Social Security reform is particularly important to women because they are less likely than men to work in jobs that offer retirement savings plans." Yeah, look for Hillary Clinton to adopt this into her campaign advertising!

19 posted on 11/26/2003 10:43:01 AM PST by ReleaseTheHounds
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To: Tamsey
Still, this is not 1950. Women today enjoy choice and opportunity, both in and out of the home.

Why is the author giving up so much ground to the feminists by buying into their caricature of the 1950s?

Tamsey: Are you saying that women had the same educational and career opportunities as men in the 1950's?

SLP: No. Reread the excerpt from the article, reproduced above. The language of the excerpt necessarily implicates the 1950s as a time when women enjoyed no choice at home or in the workplace. Obviously, that's historically inaccurate. Just as obviously, it's the modern feminist line.

You may say the author could have chosen her words better, and indeed she could have. But the fact that her error in word choice just happened to be one that reflects the false femist line and the fact that this error, like other errors in the article, was not caught by the editors suggests many feminist assumptions have been internalized at NRO.

20 posted on 11/26/2003 10:44:52 AM PST by Stop Legal Plunder
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