Is It Sexist To Want The Person Flying The Plane To Be A Pilot?
With all this talk about Sarah Palin redefining feminism and people who don't support her candidacy being sexist, I think we could use a little clarification.
Women's progress at work and in government is critically important. We are not, after all, living in the Dark Ages. But, and this is a VERY IMPORTANT BUT, consider the following scenario.
You're about to board a plane and a flight attendant says, "Today as part of our responsiveness to customers program you may choose Mr. Jones here as co-pilot. He will fly the airplane should something go wrong with the pilot, who isn't at his best today. Mr. Jones has been a pilot for twenty years and has an impeccable record. He is, however, a man. Because you support the advancement of women in the workplace, we also have a woman here who is willing to fly your plane. She is not a pilot but she didn't blink when asked to do this and for the past week a team of experts has been talking to her a lot about how to fly."
Who would you choose? If you chose Pilot Jones, would that be sexist? Or would you simply not be a complete idiot?
Apply this to Sarah Palin. She has not spent time in Washington as a senator or a congresswoman. She has spent most of her life in Alaska. From her interview with Charlie Gibson, it is clear that she is proud of not blinking about making decisions that affect millions of lives. And she is uninformed about the workings of the U.S. government.
Personally I'd have nothing against Sarah running for a seat in the House or Senate. It's a reasonable next step. And were she blocked from this path because of her gender, disparaged and demeaned in the press, I'd be miffed for sure. That would be sexist.
But just because I'd like to go to NASA and tell them that by November I want to be an astronaut, doesn't mean they should hand over the space shuttle.
There is far too much at stake to put someone completely inexperienced in the ways of Washington and the world so close to the presidency. There's no excuse for it, really. John McCain should know that. That's not sexist; it's simply common sense.
Dr. Reardon also blogs at bardscove.
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The Right Wingers in the Red States are talking about succeding if 0bama wins in November. They are saying that the country will fail under liberal/ socialist policies..
As if 30 years of ReaganOMICS has worked.
ENOUGH!!!!
They are all going to Alaska?
It probably would be sexist to say you don't want a women with children as a pilot or to force her to meet a higher standard then male counterparts.
what higher standard are you talking about?
I love how America elects governor after governor to the White House and now all of a sudden that means nothing . . . you do know the last Senator we elected to the WH was 30 years ago right? Maybe we did that because Senators act like little kids
UnbiasView is a huge fan of the Comedian Rush Limbaugh, can you really take anyone seriously who listen to someone who calls them a DITTOHEAD and makes 400 million dollars doing so.
UnbiasView are you part of the group of traitors who is talking about succeding from the United States if 0bama is elected?
Hmm ,I listen to Ed Shultz so I fail to see your BS on that one . . .
Just for the record its spelled seceding.
but I agree with athenaswords main points
Gov. for 18 months of a state that has a smaller population than Indianapolis, IN. Not much meat there I'm afraid. You can't exactly compare that to Gov. of TEXAS or CALIFORNIA that are the size of some European countries! C'mon. No one said it's meaningles
US Senator for 20 months on Obama and running for President the whole time? That is the top of the ticket . . .
As a Senator, you have no real responsibility, your vote means nothing without a group, you have no budget to stay within, etc.
That is 18 months of executive experience that SP has had over Mr.0.
Such a bull story!!! well if sarah has no experience in a vp slot than really people Obama has none i wouldn't want him starting off flying the plane. give me a break people keep pointing to sarah record but where is Obamas record he going for president!!! you all need to wake up, go ahead let the children decided who should be president you know the ones who can, clean there room, do there own laundry ,pay there own bills live on there own not what i would want to decided for me
Illiterate comment.
How is that illiterate?
I don't have to read and write or be educated to understand these things!
It's Common Sense! Something Sarah Palin does not have!
Obama does have a formal education! A formal education helps you apply experience to prevent costly mistakes. Which we can't afford as American citizens!!!
Hear my story. I graduated with a BA from a "bad" southern school. I applied to the top school in my field.
I assumed I was behind.
Let me disabuse you of your notions.
I not only excelled, I knocked it out of the ballpark.
let me repeat.
My BA from the "bad" school did not stop me one bit.
I graduated with a MA which was tops in my own field.
And I never had one ounce of problem competing.
Anyone who has been paying attention for the past 8 years could easily do better than the Republicans if they are not Republicans. Of course, there are those without the brains to run the country except in the the ground just like the Republicans have done and would continue to do if John and Sarah gets anywhere net the seat of power.
I would not want Gov. Payless to hand out coke and peanuts on the flight, let alone attempt to fly the plane!
Also, where exactly was Sarah Palin in the GOP primaries? If she believes she has what it takes to be commander in chief, why was she not running for the Republican nomination? Biden sure as hell has.
Great analogy Kathleen. The utter inexperience of Sarah Palin, clearly displayed by her, and essential for a person to guide our nation is profound, as you show by this great example. Palin’s ignorant off the cuff remarks, re Georgia and war with Russia are an example of her lack of pilot ability, and should disturb every person on earth, especially those with children they care about. John McCain’s critical decisions are shown to be lacking an essential quality with this choice....
The potential of Palin as prez must make the Neo-Republicans and right-wing salivate with anticipation. I am reminded of the brand-new AG, Janet Reno, and her inexperience to take control, and was used by the FBI and BATF at Waco, and 74 innocent American men, women and children (21 under 16) were burned to death by "law enforcement", largely due to Reno's inexperience and inability to take control and exercise good judgment; all those deaths were unnecessary.
Some presidents have come to office with what some could say was "limited experience". but their critical decision-making capabilities, education, world experience and the people they choose to bring to their cabinets made them great presidents; that cannot by any stretch of the imagination be said of Sarah Palin, as shown by her distortions, world views, choices and rhetoric, and that includes John McCain’s ability.
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It's a bit scary that she is prone to use force again, just like the Bush Doctrine, of pre-emptive war.
Her comments on Russia were scary.
Scary too that she seemed unsure what the Bush Doctrine was.
Her position on Georgia mirrors Obama's. He has just never been questioned to the degree that Palin has. What does that tell you about our media?
I dont' think anyone has been questioned LESS than Palin has.
Her position on Georgia, before the intensive tutoring she's getting while she hides out from the media, was that she felt Atlanta was a fine city.
What does the fact that you think she has *her own* position on Georgia tell us about you? McCain's people rehearsed her and rehearsed her and helped her cram answers for the big test of ...Charlie Gibson. At least Obama has the education, perspective and judgement to form his own position.
The foreign policy? Exactly the same.
These bloggers are attacking her on bright?
They are so incredibly dumb.
Scarier still is that she seemed to admit that her views on Russia are based entirely on her view OF Russia from Alaska. Despite being able to see it, she has never actually ventured over there, however.
That statement was unbelievable -- laughable, in fact.
The debate about Obama vs. Palin's experience is a straw dog. Obama had already thought seriously enough about Iraq before we invaded to accurately analyze the situation and point out how as policy an invasion in Iraq would be a costly distraction from locating and apprehending those people responsible for attacks on September 11, 2001. Sarah Palin just this week in public statement still appears to be laboring under the misconception that Iraq and 9/11 were related somehow,.
It's not that Sarah Palin was a mayor of a small city, but that while raising local sales taxes and recieving millions in earmark project addons to federal legislation, she put her town into $20 million of debt.
It's not that she's been a governor for a brief period of time, but that recent scandals in the Justice Department about abuse of power in federal hirings and firings, her administration is currently embroiled in a similar scandal because Mrs. Palin did not recognize the conflict of interest at hand.
It's that she thinks national security is simply about oil wells and pipe lines in Alaska, a myopia that glasses can't repair.
It's that in the 21st Century no ally or rival such as Russia or China would imagine having their second most powerful official someone who did not understand the difference between the basis for all biological understanding and superstition.
Sarah Palin isn't unqualified because she is a woman or relatively inexperienced; she's unqualified because she doesn't know squat.
The 20 million debt is a canard. That was a capital debt which is not usually counted as debt.
Did it exist before she entered office?
What accounting school did you go to? . a debt is a debt whether capital or expense. The only difference is how its treated on the books. Either way ....you pay now or later...
Release the Hounds....
ah........
O was way off on the surge.
Mac is right. O called it wrong.
Either he owns it or not.
You have to blame the McCain campaign for dereliction of duty. They dropped the ball by not vetting her properly. That was their job and they didn't do it! She is only responsible for her reaction when she was asked and didn't BLINK! Heck, why she didn't blink is beyond me, as anyone who was rationale at all would have realized she would be in way over her head.
This is wonderfully written and the perfect comparison
Obama/Biden
I'm at a complete loss to explain what is wrong with 1/2 of the American people. You'd think the fact that Obama offers a comprehensive health insurance plan and a tax cut for the middle class and wants to get out of Iraq (since polls show 80% of Americans want to leave Iraq) would be enough for them since they don't think deeply into most of the issues. But no.....the
That is the question Hill's supporters were asking in the primaries.
What is bothersome about Governor Palin is not her course to Washington; others have become president without being a member of Congress first. In my brief observations this woman lacks the depth in understanding world affairs, the mechanics of federal government and the magnitude of both. What reasonably intelligent person would not blink or deliberate with intense seriousness over such an important consideration to become the nation’s next president? .. Or go to war?
Much of her ABC interview reminded me of a contestant’s response to judges: Well-rehearsed and performance based.
For Mr. McCain's service to country, what a terrifying juxtaposition he would carelessly and selfishly place our nation at risk in the hands of an ill-prepared vice president with a substantial probability she will step into the presidency before his first term ends. Our nation and women have been dealt a disservice to use this woman as a distraction particularly as she arrived packaged with a unique set of legal problems too. The obvious attempt to polarize disenchanted women voters and solidify the Republican base with hard-core anti-abortionists was his blatant agenda.
Listening to Governor Palin pompously suggest Mr. Obama regrets for not having selected Senator Clinton as his VP, immediately I thought they honestly believe women are so naive and simple to fall for this subterfuge.
I want the pilot who can land this plane regardless of race or gender ... and in a timely fashion. The urgency of this time calls for such a person!
Amen. She really shows hubris - that frightening combination of arrogance, pride, confidence and lack of real understanding and skill.
Yes, JFaye, I am with you all the way!
The scariest thing about Sarah Palin is her hubris- she actually thinks she's ready to be president if needed. She doesn't even know what she doesn't know. The scariest thing about John McCain is his arrogance. He knows Sarah Palin's ignorance but doesn't care.
Also scary - is this shows how he'll make life and death decisions in the white house. By not vetting this VP pick - the first and maybe most important executive decision he's made - he shows us that he does not do his homework (uh-oh. another "gut" president!) so he'll be making uninformed decisions. He also shows us that he's a gambler - so he'll most likely gamble with our lives with use of military (Iran, Russia, etc.). With this pick, it shows that he is really NOT in control - his party decided this VP pick for him. McCain wanted Lieberman but there would have been a brawl at the RNC. So who will be in control when he's president? Talk about RISKY!
"The scariest thing about Sarah Palin is her hubris- she actually thinks she's ready to be president"
The same thing could be said about 0bama, and it probably will be after the GOPhers collect enough negative comments about SP........
OK, she may have not piloted a jumbo jet, but she piloted a cessna. I would prefer her, who has some experience flying, over someone who was pulled from business class.
I don't have a problem with her being a pilot, but not VP.
I agree with you!!! If she is a pilot, I don't have to participate.
So who was pulled from business class? Bidden????
There is no comparison to flying a Jumbo jet to a Cessna.
Just because you know the basics, dosen't mean you can fly a Jumbo jet.
There is no comparison of one to the other.
Take it from someone who is qualifed to know.
I want to know in that scenario, would you actually get onboard knowing that?
The decision could be fatal.
I want to know when I step on a plane, that the pilot is experienced and well educated to fly that Jumbo jet and keep me safe.
I want to feel confident in that knowledge. I want to know the pilot will be able to handle any kind of emergency that arises.
I also know, that all you people out there that fly the friendly skies, as soon as you hear there is a maintenance problem or whatever, with an aircraft.
You are ready to switch planes because, you don't want to take any chance at comprimising your safety!!!
The "no experience" thing just doesn't fly... not with Biden and certainly not w/ Obama. Not anymore. Thanks for playing (and, no I'm not going to list his resume again... it's getting tiresome)
WONDERFUL! The analogy is perfect. This point needs to be preached beyong the choir!
Of course you want a vice president who can take over and run country for at least a few years before the next election. Harry Truman was convinced he wasn't that guy and was very concerned to be FDR's veep especially since Roosevelt hardly seemed to notice that he had a vice president. Truman wasn't clued in on any of the important foreign policy and national security decisions either. Yet four months after the inauguration FDR was dead and the "sun, moon, and stars" fell on Truman. Many felt he could not possibly do the job but he did, probably better than any president, considering the problems he faced. So I don't know if it is right or fair or even historically correct to blast Palin because she doesn't fit into the mold we have of the vice president. I have my views for not supporting her but assuming that she can't do the job isn't one of them.
Have you compared Truman's resume against Palin's? Are they comparable? At least, according to what you say, he had the modesty to consider himself unfit for the position. This woman claims she didn't even blink when McCain asked her. This is downright scary. Especially, given her family situation, which looks like anything but plain sailing. I am not sure even if she had proper background and experience, her performance wouldn't be compromised with everything else going on in her weird family (DS baby, pregnant teenager, a son in Army, two other younger kids...).
At least Truman had the humility to examine his own qualifications for the job. Palin didn't blink! Either she's not telling the truth (not a good sign) or she is (even scarier).
We are not assuming. She was never vetted to be credible. Senator McCain and campaign failed in their duties. The interview with Charlie Gibson is all we have to go on and she showed she wasn't up to par. Plus, she has failed in my judgment in being a mayor for a town of 6,000 and a Governor for a population of 600,000, so why would we want to chance her capabilities for 300 Million and the power of the only remaining Superpower?
I found this in a comment on another blog, and while I don't like repeating the slander of others, it's instructive to see how the club-heads think when they're let out of the dark.
I have to say I struggle to see the media as 'liberal', but there you go - the promise of totalitarianism given unadulaterated and in its pure form (have tried to italicize it but not sure it'll work):
[i] The FACT is the Democrat Party together with their corrupt liberal "enablers" are the one's that have are like "poison in the bloodstream of this great country". And more and more Americans are coming around to that concept everyday. We do need real change in November and it starts with the election of McCain and Palin and then comes the REFORMS...
Blanket generalities "liberal mass media" and "liberal higher learning" are labels that illustrate what's wrong with the logic.
What does "liberal" mean anymore? What does "conservative" mean? You have to admit that the labels have evolved - conservatives do not believe in conservation. Conservatives (if you're talking about Republican party) believe that the government has the right to intrude in a private matter between her doctor, her minister and her family concerning her choice of whether or not to have an abortion. How in the hell is THAT conservative? Conservatives want to spread democracy (using coercion no less) throughout the world. Is THAT conservative??? Conservatives have bankrupt our treasury. Now come one, I am a fiscal conservative and I am most decidedly a Democrat. So don't be tricked with labels. They're MEANINGLESS. Think for yourself, but THINK!
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