Family Values

I was saddened to hear of Lady Bird Johnson's death recently, but heartened by the way she has been remembered across the news channels. "Lady Bird Johnson was a true, strong, Texan woman," declared one current Texan politician. "She supported her husband's career, and some say she even saved it," said a news person. It makes you think for a minute about that expression "behind every successful man is an exhausted woman." Not only have we worked harder and done a better job for less money, we've been doing it on behalf of the whole family, and in Lady Bird's case, the whole country.

So different from some of the competing headlines today about the sex scandals of "Family Value" candidates and their prostitution escapades. I wouldn't care so much about what they do in their bedrooms, if only they didn't care so much about what happens in the bedrooms of their constituents. Hmmm... "Me thinks thou dost protest too much..."

As far as I can tell though, we've never really gotten over our chagrin at giving women the vote to begin with. The next thing we know, women want to read, have equal access to education, college admission, professional opportunities, and maybe some day - equal pay. We have a historical struggle with strong, outspoken First Ladies. Roosevelt has an entire chapter in Doris Kearn-Goodwin's book "Roosevelt" called "I Can't Do A Thing About Her," in reference to Eleanor’s incorrigible social reform agendas. I remember living in DC when Bill Clinton was elected and the Washington Post was obsessed with speculations about who would actually be wearing the pants in the administration. We know who was not wearing the pants, but more importantly, why were we so intimidated about a high profile woman with ambition, and why were we so disconcerted about a woman with visions for health care and education reform? Remember "It takes a Village"? Was Hillary wrong to speak out on the verge of globalization? Is it inaccurate to say the time has come to revisit the role of our local community economies? Stunning isn't it, that less than 100 years after being granted the right to vote that we would be after the White House. Lady Bird would be proud. Come to think of it, so would Martha, Abigail, Louisa, Eleanor, Jackie, Rosalynn...