Monday, January 15, 2007

The Lady of Our House

I must admit that I am jealous of Condolezza Rice. Not because she has an army of staff at her beck and call. Not because she has the ear of the most powerful man on earth. Not because she is a great pianist. Not because she knows what make up to use. Not because I admire her accomplishments even though I am not fond of her. Not because she lies with a straight face. Not because she is fit. Not because she doesn’t smoke. Not because she is fluent in Russian. Not because she never looks sleepy. Not because of her slick suits. Not because she travels first class…well not even because she has a private jumbo jet at her service. But because she has managed to do what scores of Arab women over decades have failed to (no disrespect to Arab women at all).

Just one look at any meeting or any press conference with the male puppets behind her (or next to her) every time she visits an Arab country and you would know what I mean. Maybe if Arab men realize that there are many Condolezza Rices among them, they would spare us all the scene of seeing them so humiliated and humbled by Ms. Rice. This is not to say that she is a role model. But she is definitely someone who has inadvertently highlighted the mediocrity and double standards of the leading figures of our male-dominated societies. For once we get to see them "matronized" as opposed to the many patronizing postures we have grown accustomed to.

It seems that behind every Condolezza Rice is a bunch of very confused men!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

understood that she is sleek and impressive...but what u see is also a reaction to the power she represents..Donald Duck could fly in on an airforce jet with that kind of power and impose himself on this powerless part of the world.
re mediocrity...marhaba...it often applies to both sexes around here by the way....all insects in a showcase

Anonymous said...

Hello Anonymous...Thank you for your comment. I totally agree with you regarding the overall level of mediocrity one finds in our part of the world. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander...What applies on the goose applies on the gander.

However my point was also that what is good for a man is equally good for a woman; or, what a man can have or do, so can a woman have or do. Today gender driven entitlements can no longer be tolerated. I hope that the forces are out there (in our part of the world) that pose a serious challenge to rights that have not been duly earned.

Anonymous said...

agreed, what developing country can afford gender differentiation...but still amazing how well u would be listening to - even if u were a hermaprodite - if u could ship in WMD the next day

Unknown said...

No comment!!!