Sen. Boxer attacks Secretary of State Rice personally - 1.12.2007.1

Who does Senator Boxer think she is? I am speaking directly to the comments Senator Boxer made to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I find the comments insulting and unfair. The implications are insulting, on several levels.

If you are unfamiliar with what was said I quote Senator Boxer, "Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young," Boxer said. "You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family. So who pays the price? The American military and their families."

In response, later, Secretary of State Rice said, "I guess that means I don't have kids. Was that the purpose of that Well, at the time I just found it a bit confusing frankly. But in retrospect, gee, I thought single women had come further than that. That the only question is are you making good decisions because you have kids?"

White House spokesman Tony Snow state in regard to this, "I don't know if she was intentionally that tacky, but I do think it's outrageous. Here you got a professional woman, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Barbara Boxer is sort of throwing little jabs because Condi doesn't have children, as if that means that she doesn't understand the concerns of parents. Great leap backward for feminism."

Sen. Boxer has since release a statement that tries to clarify what she meant. In essence she tries to make the claim that she only meant to highlight the sacrifices of military families. In my opinion this is a crock.

I have no doubt that the Senator knew exactly what she said and it’s intention was not what she has since stated. To me it sounds as if Sen. Boxer made the claim that any woman without children should have no voice on the war. It can be further implied that a woman without children is somehow incomplete, according to the statement of the Senator.

I’ll even follow the logic a step further. From the statement made, and considering whom it was made to, the logic follows as such. A Black African American woman, that is not a traditional Democrat, that is single, educated, successful, and without children should not speak about a war where someone’s children will serve and is flawed. Whether the flaw is the lack of marriage and children – as Sen. Boxer stated she had – or that Secretary of State Rice is Republican, is unclear.

How dare she. If either point is her logic then I must say to Sen. Boxer that she has no idea of the cost of this war, as she has never served in the military. If, and I do not know the facts on this, Sen. Boxer’s husband and/or children did not serve in the Armed Forces then she, by her logic, is even further removed from speaking on this subject let alone question anyone else on it.

I may not agree with some choices that feminists have decided to take on over the years, but I do recognize that the choices that any woman has made should be respected. The same respect should be given to anyone that has made choices about their life goals. I deserve respect because of what I have done and chosen to do, the fact I am not married nor have children makes me no less of a man nor a success. Any woman deserves the same. Having children does not elevate the position of a woman, just as it does not a man. To imply such difference is rude and wrong.

To imply, or allow to be implied by the nature of the comment and to whom it is stated, that there is something wrong with an individual due to their political affiliation, education, gender, and/or race is deplorable. If this statement were made by a white male to a woman, feminists would be up in arms. If this were a liberal being told this there would be a rage in the media. IF an African American democrat said this to a white woman republican it would be labeled as racist. The race and gender does not change the merit of what was said. But it seems to affect the attention the media is willing to place on this – giving more time to discuss Mr. Donald Trump vs. Ms. Rosie O’Donnell.

Were I a constituent of Senator Boxer, I would contact her and make it clear she did not represent my views with her comments. Thankfully she is not my Senator. But sadly she has made it necessary for me to write this post.

This is what I think, what do you think?