Land of the male

[Mitera Nikkou]

This country should be ashamed. You'd think that a country like ours would have a female leader first, or by now. That seems to be the sort of idealism that we have, anyway: to make the first leaps in freedom, or to be the first and best at anything, really. And yet Britain would have a female leader before us (Margaret Thatcher, right?). I'm not sure whether the president or chancellor is the top seat in Germany, but the current chancellor is Angela Merkel, and I've actually seen her out and about, so... Then there's Palestine, with its differences in culture, where Benazir Bhutto managed to become prime minister. (Not once, but twice; despite accusations of corruption. And she could have been prime minister a third time.)

I just expect more from a country that supposedly leads the free world. And yet I find areas that are lacking, that I'd consider crucial to exceed in, which I'd expect a sort of merit badge for already.

Now, I'm no proponent for Clinton, and I certainly can't say that I'd consider her a good president, but I just expected this to be a non-issue by now: a been there and done that. Same with the black side of things. Even so, I don't think this country is mature enough to have either as a president, considering our culture, although it goes without saying that their failing to meet my expectations for president is a part of the reason for why I think they're unqualified.

In the end it shouldn't come down to race or gender; rather, it should be about capabilities. But it makes me wonder, what with how our country has had problems with interpreting the declaration of independence and constitution, now and in the past. It took us about a century to realize that "all men are created equal" should extend to those in slavery, and later to extend more rights to women.

I wonder if this is as good as it gets.

[Gee-chan]

I agree that the whole leadership thing should be based on capability. Its just co-incidence really that most of the leaders have been male. That being said, the last thing we want is another loony like Thatcher. Damnit, now you want me to find the Spitting Image version of Thatcher to have as my icon....

[Desumo]

I quite think it should come down to capabilities, on this one. I cirtianly don't want loonies in office, and that Clinton person... *shivers*. As to where it comes from, it's definately the old-fashoned view on things. In the past, women were the in-home people... submissive, and all that. I'm not arguing for something like that, by any means... but that's why it's been that way for so long, everyone knows that. While I am a little surprised that we haven't had a female presedent yet... I don't think it's necessarily a "bad' thing. It's not a good thing either... just a thing. I don't want to put a woman or a minority or whatever into office just because they're different, so we can be "free-thinking" or whatever. Isn't that just another form of racism, or sexism, just turned upside-down?

I don't care about the gender or race of my president. I want an intelligent person that will repair the problems in our country and continue to lead the free world. So far... the only candidates for that have been male. I wouldn't vote for a woman just because she was a woman... I would vote for her because she actually had better ideas and could do a better job than the males. If someone like that comes along, you can be sure she'll have my vote.

[Mitera Nikkou]

The question is whether there really is a requisite for being capable, or if it's just made up as we go along. Definitions change, and we change them. A word is just a word until we give it meaning, and power, with an idea.

But if it really came down to capability, then why do we still have this president in office? Why, with a job (or civil duty, if you will) as glorified as his, has he not been given the pink slip? Whatever happened to the government that was for the people, and by the people?

What does this have to do with the subject matter, you ask? Just think about it. Why did it take so long to come to the conclusion that slavery was wrong? Why did we have issues with racism and racial segregation? Why are females still shy of having the same rights as males, despite the suffrage that occurred so late in human history?

Because there is no requisite. We do this to ourselves. And while I'd like to say that most people are idiots, I wonder if that's applicable since the few intelligent people are the ones that allowed the idiots to control things.

No matter who becomes the next president, be it Obama, Clinton or McCain (or some mystery person that enters later), they will be capable presidents because we will accept them no matter how bad they do. Or, at least, I think it's common sense to kick someone out and replace them with someone more promising when they show a consistency of failure.

But since we fail as a whole to do what we should be doing, and what we should have done a long time ago, I guess we have no one else to blame but ourselves. Those ideals that we hold to the highest regard will remain delusions instead of reality, or mere imitations of what we truly desire, because there is no meaning to anything until we give it meaning. And the problem with that, is that mankind, despite whatever superior quality that it may hold over other creatures, has yet to master said superior quality.

And I don't expect us to master it any time soon.

[Helel]

All things considered, America has been around fifty to a hundred years behind countries like Great Britain when it's come to giving equality to certain groups. It applied to Slavery, I think it applied to women's rights, and even racial rights. We're slow, I suppose.

But, putting things in perspective, given the relative age of this country we're doing pretty good. We've been around for slightly more than 230 years and America has accomplished what it has- in a time that it's taken other countries in the past much more time.

Also, saying America is the leader of the free world is possibly the single most obnoxious thing I can imagine anyone to say about America or shift onto other countries.It always seems to be used to either put all the blame on America for something, or make America seem superior to other counties, which is utter BS.

[Mitera Nikkou]

I don't think the age of the country has anything to do with it. Then what of the Native Americas, eh? I would think that that would put the true age into perspective. However, since the majority of the populace have come from the other countries, our people are as old as them, which in turn affects the age of the country (since people make up a country). So it's not like other countries had a head start or anything.

And I guess it's a good thing that I didn't state that America is the leader of the free world. But many people do believe that it is, and as such they have to live up to the expectations of being such. And they just aren't.

Some countries have free health care and/or free college tuition. And we call ourselves the land of the free? Well, if that's about breaking away from England, I think we can drop the issue now. ;/

But, yeah; mankind is slow, all things considered. A different sex or race isn't going to change that. Male-oriented ideas and culture will likely persist until our imminent demise, because I really think that we're that slow. It just goes to show where millenniums worth of wars, religion, slavery, rape and all sorts of other things will lead us. Even now we haven't broken away from any of the ones mentioned, despite however wrong or bad we think (or may not think, in relation to religion) those things are. What mankind does best is consume itself, and that, aside from some global catastrophe, is what I expect of our future: to finish ourselves.

[Raleigh]

The 'free' health care and education comes at the price of much higher taxes. Something no politician would ever truly try to implement unless he intends political suicide. You ask why we haven't elected these people and the simple reason is that most don't raise up to the level to even compete for the votes of the unwashed and uneducated masses as they aren't good enough liars to make it that far. You elect the best liar, simple as that, and apparently wasps have remained the top on that list.

[Mitera Nikkou]

I wish I could change things. But I'm one of the few people who see things the way that I do, so... Not much of a chance, there.

[Knight Errant]

While our leaders, be it in politics, industry, or art should be chosen due to their aptitude... SHOULD seems to rarely come into the equation when it comes to people.

Our country has always been led by rich, white men. From the Founding Fathers on to now. Now thats not saying they have done a bad job... though thats another argument.

The point is that people hate change... they want consistency. What they really want is tomorrow to be pretty much like to day.

So, dont expect many female, black, or Mexican leaders in America. Because the majority of stupid white men dont want to see it.

Its our world... and it is screwed up in too many ways to count.

Which makes me glad I have the faith... Because if this world ruled by stupidity and evil was all their was... I think I would sink into a very deep depression.

[Mitera Nikkou]

Like the depression that I sunk into? XD

[Knight Errant]

*nods* Yepyep!

I just made a HUGE post. Pouring out my soul... and what I believe is true. Then I realized that... something like what I wrote will either change a person for life, or make them think I am insane.

So I deleted it.

But I saved it in my word processor... if I ever need it...

Back to the topic... I am not surprised. Anyone who sits down and thinks about the world, and the people in it for long enough will get depressed.

The only way you will ever get over the depression is through medication, religion, suicide, or by just not thinking about it as much as you can.

Or a combination of those things.

[Mitera Nikkou]

Well, they do say that ignorance is bliss. But I like to learn and think too much. ^^;

[Knight Errant]

Yeah... really it is better to know. Just dont let yourself dwell on it and you should be fine.

Videogames, books, and forums like these are all good ways to distract yourself from reality.

Reality sucks. Which is why I like to live in fantasy when I can.

[Mitera Nikkou]

Some would say that living in fantasy is a bad thing. But I suppose it should be our choice whether or not we accept how the world has been fashioned. I never wanted it this way, and I'm sure many others don't want it this way. But most people either accept how it is or actually believe that this is simply the way that things are supposed to be. The fact that the world's condition is beneficial to so few people should be a good enough wake-up call, but I guess not many really think about things critically.

[Knight Errant]

The world is not the way it should be.

But I also know there is little I can do to change it, since people are the root of the problem... and giant mountains made of primordial granite have proven more easily changeable than the average person.

So I subconsciously ignore the problem... occasionally thinking about it at times like now... wishing things could be different.