Broad Minded
Dear Linda,
Hi, Ms. Hirshman. Enjoyed your entertaining article about the wrath of stay-home moms, although, as a former stay-home mom, I disagree with your premise that these women are wasting intellect and talent, and avoiding risk. As my signature block attests, I’m a public affairs officer/major in the Army, and have won awards for my writing at DoD level, so hopefully would qualify as a “woman of intellect.” The nine years I spent as a stay-home mother were blessed – and please don’t think that affiliates me with the fundamentalists, as I am very open-minded about religion despite my own strong faith. I’m sure you did a great job raising your daughters as a working mom, and many do, but I don’t understand why you seem to despise the choice that some women have made to devote a portion of their lives solely to the enriching endeavor of raising their own children by themselves, vs. paying someone else to do it. I guess I concur with the woman you lambasted for her poor wording about feminism being about supporting other women’s choices… isn’t that truly what it IS all about, choice? And talk about risk! If I hadn’t done my job properly, my children might not be the gifted, large-souled adolescents they now are. Any way, best to you, ma’am, and do think YOU might work on opening YOUR mind a bit… narrow-mindedness being a particular, if untrumpeted, failing of those on the left.
Broad Minded
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A Little from Linda
Dear Broad Minded,
I have long thought the military might be an outlet for female energy and talent in a discriminatory market place, so I am interested in your success and justifiable pride in it, particularly since you overcame the substantial odds against women ramping back onto the workplace after a long absence.
I do wish that you and others who have not read the book would stop writing and 1) chanting the word "choice" and 2) telling me about your blessedness. In the book, I made a powerful argument that choice is NOT what feminism is all about. If you have a counterargument, fine. But just saying "choice" again and again is meaningless. It is not a magic incantation. As to blessedness, I have also said at least a thousand times that there is no discussion to be had with people who talk to god. What kind of counterargument could I make? That I have better access to god than you do, so MY decision to work is actually the blessed one? Since there is no counterargument, blessing seems wholly out of place in political discourse.
ps
I'm glad you are willing to read material from us narrow minded lefties, but it strikes me as a little strange to assert that narrowmindedness is "a particular failing of those on the left." Is that what passes for a broad minded position of those on the right?
L