E PLURIBUS DUO

The women’s march on Washington, with its pink hats and explanatory signage marks a strange and scary development in American politics.

It used to be that Americans were divided between Republicans and Democrats. Or between liberals and conservatives. Or between black and white. Or between young and old. Rich or poor.

In the 1972 movie, “The Candidate” there is a scene in which Robert Redford, weary of repetitious speech making, bursts into a litany of the opposing groups he asks to vote for him. It is truly hilarious.

But pink politics is something new. By dividing the electorate between males and females, it seems that the marchers are demanding that our national sovereignty must be controlled by the female sex.

Admittedly, males have dominated the profession of governance for as long

as history is recorded. It is still true that the vast majority of elected officials in the United States are men.

The Nineteenth Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920, almost a century ago. In that time, women have asserted themselves at the ballot box and in every facet of society. Many laws which were written to protect women have been scrapped. The so-called glass ceiling has been shattered in the professions, in business, in education and indeed in government.

Socially, the women’s liberation movement, often called feminism, has had a tsunami influence on American culture. Griswold v Connecticut, a U. S. Supreme Court case decided in 1965, declared anti-contraception laws unconstitutional. That was one of the first feminist victories.

As pregnancy became more of an option than the anticipated result of mating, both males and females found themselves ‘liberated’ from the consequence of sexual activity. Women were free to choose a full time business or professional career outside of the home. Men were relieved of responsibility for pregnancy.

The statistics show how the American family has changed through the years.

When Polly and I were married in 1951 there were about 11 marriages and 2.5 divorces for every 1,000 Americans. Today, those numbers are roughly 6.0 and 3.0.

So about half as many people get married, and the divorce rate is higher. The statistics don’t tell the whole story. Marriage has become optional. Men and women pair up and simply live together. Back in our day, that was frowned upon. Now it is just a ‘significant other.’ For many, ‘going together’ is a revolving door. Nobody keeps statistics on all the moving in and moving out that goes on in our cities.

The birth rate reflects the sexual revolution. Like most European countries, the birth rate in the United States is less than the 2.1 required to maintain the population. Only the immigration of people from Mexico has kept our population growing.

The feminist revolution has had deep cultural overtones. Hormonal differences between males and females dictate attitudes, tendencies and preferences, all of which are related to the reproductive role nature has assigned to the sexes.

Because the good Lord has given all human beings free will, we are capable of learning to act as we wish. Despite natural instincts, women can become professional wrestlers and men can learn the profession of manicuring.

The push toward eliminating the differences between sexes, fueled by the mantra of political correctness has given us gay marriage for both sexes, a demand for universal public toilets, and now, a political movement defined by genitalia.

Admittedly, Donald J. Trump is a throw back. But he is not a misogynist. He does not hate women. Quite the contrary, he loves women. Married three of them and bought himself a beauty contest. Hired one to be his campaign manager. If anything, Trump is a sucker for female pulchritude.

There will be a woman President in the United States some day. That is a given which no one denies. I sincerely hope that the day after her inauguration there will not be a mass protest in Washington D.C. attended by men wearing stove pipe phallic symbols on their heads.