[William McKinley]

First off, I want to preface my comments here. I disagree with the author consistently. I find a lot of his views misguided and repugnant, and what I am saying here is not a defense of what he has written at all. It is merely a critique of your reply.

He said "his unmistakable faith in sexual egalitarianism... [is] fundamentally anti-conservative."

You said "Is it "conservative" to believe that... women are politically inferior?"

I don't think that one follows from the other. I do not believe in sexual egalitarianism. I also do not believe women are politically inferior (or less intelligent, or so forth).

I do not believe men and women are equal. I do believe they have comparable value (actually, I believe women have more value) but they are not equivalent, they are not the same.

However, knowing Gottlieb, I have little doubt that he does consider women politically inferior. So probably your point is valid in this case.

[TomB]

LOL. As soon as I read that comment on "sexual egalitarianism" I immediately thought of a scene from Monty Python's "Life of Brian":




JUDITH:
I do feel, Reg, that any Anti-Imperialist group like ours must reflect such a divergence of interests within its power-base.
REG:
Agreed. Francis?

FRANCIS:
Yeah. I think Judith's point of view is very valid, Reg, provided the Movement never forgets that it is the inalienable right of every man--

STAN:
Or woman.

FRANCIS:
Or woman... to rid himself--

STAN:
Or herself.

FRANCIS:
Or herself.

REG:
Agreed.

FRANCIS:
Thank you, brother.

STAN:
Or sister.

FRANCIS:
Or sister. Where was I?

REG:
I think you'd finished.

FRANCIS:
Oh. Right.

REG:
Furthermore, it is the birthright of every man--

STAN:
Or woman.

REG:
Why don't you shut up about women, Stan. You're putting us off.

STAN:
Women have a perfect right to play a part in our movement, Reg.

FRANCIS:
Why are you always on about women, Stan?

STAN:
I want to be one.

REG:
What?

STAN:
I want to be a woman. From now on, I want you all to call me 'Loretta'.

REG:
What?!

LORETTA:
It's my right as a man.

JUDITH:
Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?

LORETTA:
I want to have babies.

REG:
You want to have babies?!

LORETTA:
It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.

REG:
But... you can't have babies.

LORETTA:
Don't you oppress me.

REG:
I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb! Where's the foetus going to gestate?! You going to keep it in a box?!

LORETTA:
[crying]

JUDITH:
Here! I-- I've got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can't actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody's fault, not even the Romans', but that he can have the right to have babies.

FRANCIS:
Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to have babies, brother. Sister. Sorry.

REG:
What's the point?

FRANCIS:
What?

REG:
What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?!

FRANCIS:
It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.

REG:
Symbolic of his struggle against reality.