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A letter printed in the Friday, March 7, Grand Island Independent greatly saddened me and I must respond. To read that a young man in today's America could think that women are not seen as respected leaders bothers me greatly. Women leaders across the world are, indeed, very well respected. From the beginning of time women have been heads of state and done well by their peoples. We Americans, sometimes take an ethnocentric view of the world and forget to look outside of our sphere of influence. I'm sure our ethnocentrism is part of the reason Master Broxterman holds the view that the U.S. should not have a woman president because women are not respected by leaders in other countries.
However, to refute his suggestion that women leaders are not respected simply because they are women, a brief internet search or a trip to a local library will bring you all kinds of information about past and current women in leadership around the world. Let's start with Queen Elizabeth who ruled Great Britain from 1558 to 1603 or Queen Hatshepsut who ruled Egypt from 1458 to 1479.
In more recent times there have been women like Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir, who held that position from 1969 to 1974. Golda Meir was very highly regarded around the world. Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990. Margaret Thatcher held that position longer than any other person in that century. She could not have done that without being well respected by many around the world.
Indira Gandhi was prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 to 1984. Iceland had a female president from 1972 through 1980 - Vigdis Finnbogadottir. Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga held office from 1994 through 2005. Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was elected in 2001 and remains in that position today. Even the Middle Eastern country of Turkey elected a female, Prime Minister Tansu Ciller, from 1993 to 1996. What about the recently assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan?
Every one of these women dealt with economic, military, social and international issues, among others. They are just a few examples of women who were or are respected world leaders. There are currently around 40 female heads of state around the globe. I suggest you look up the Council of Women World Leaders that is currently chaired by Mary Robinson, the former leader of Ireland, for a bit of information.
To put this issue in a local flavor, Grace and Edith Abbott, from Grand Island, Nebraska were very influential in United States social policy and a presidential cabinet during the early 1900's. Everyone should go to the Abbott Sister's collections at the Grand Island library and at Stuhr museum to learn more about these amazing women.
Hillary Clinton is well respected around the world. That does not mean everyone likes her but she is respected for her work ethic, intelligence and tenacity. In addition to what is presented in today's news media, one or more of the biographies currently available about Senator Clinton, or any of the other presidential candidates, may be useful to gain information. She started life in a middle class family in Chicago, not far from our own life in Nebraska.
Whether Senator Clinton will make a successful United States President is for the voters and possibly history to decide. Either way, you may not like her but she has deservingly earned great respect in the U.S. and in other countries, as have many other female leaders. Maybe it is time for the U.S. to give the helm to a woman.
Margaret Kohl lives in Crete and is a legislative aide at the State Capitol in Lincoln. She is a graduate of Kansas State University with a major in journalism and a minor in women's history. She may be contacted at: roses_iris@yahoo.com
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