That it was March and so for the entire month I have to hear about Women’s History month. How could I forget? Every day when I come to work and go to get on the elevator I have to look at a sign telling me “Its time write women back into history.”
Oh really? So Betsy Ross, Joan of Arc, Anne Boleyn, and Mata Hari ( to name a few) were not a part of history? Could have fooled me. And here I thought women always were a part of history as Uncle William Shakespere reminded me. “From women’s eyes this doctrine I derive:They sparkle still the right Promethean fire;They are the books, the arts, the academes,That show, contain, and nourish all the world.”
Seems to me women have been in the history books since day 1, right when Eve turned Adam into the first man to be lied to by a woman. ( Regrettably he was not the last…as the tradition continues right up to today.)
No-when one says, “writing women back into history”-it really needs to be translated into its real meaning:
“Setting the bar for historical achievement so low-than any average everyday achievement for either a man or a woman becomes ‘historic’ if it is done by a woman”
You can quote me on that if you wish.
How do I know this? I read it the other day in the paper. There right on page one, I read all about the “historic” achievements of Trish Beckman. Who is she you ask? Well lookie here:
“Among her other aviation accomplishments, Beckman – who retired from 28 years in the Navy as a commander in 1999 – was in a group of women who testified to Congress about the importance of them being able to train for and fly combat missions.”
When you dig into it you find this-she basically did the same thing many men did-only they never got a subpoena to testify in front of Congress. She flew EC-130’s. She got to go Test Pilot School. She got back seat qualified in a few fighters. (So did I-the fighter part- not the TPS part.). That and $ 3.20 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
Hate to break this too you-but lots of people get to do that. Hell, I’d have gone to Washington on my own dime to tell Congress what a bone headed idea it was to have mixed gender squadrons.
Summing it up another way-she is historic for showing up for work on time for 28 years. How many men did that and all they got was a kick in the ass out the door? No entries in the history book for them.
You can read about more great non-achievements here, here, and here.
I need to answer the door now-the thought police are here to take me away…………
Kind of like when Congress has Hollywood actors testify about farming because thsy played a part in a movie about farming.