“Nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
Nothing is wrong with that. There is something wrong with results that have happened because of measures taken however. Read United States v. Virginia. This Supreme Court ruling is concerning allowing a woman to attend Virginia Military Institute. At that time, only men were allowed to attend. However, as a result of that Court ruling, it has been successfully made so that any college that desires to only allow one sex can not “constitutionally” be for men. Otherwise, it is violating the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.
There’s nothing wrong with having a women’s only college. But should men ask for a men’s only college, the women jump up on the defense claiming that would violate their rights under the Equal Protection Clause.
In some ways it is strange that today the people who are most likely to get a job and accepted into schools are minorities and women. The last people who would get a job or an acceptance would be white males. But discrimination is so violently protested in this day and age. So then why the discrimination against the men? In the effort to not discriminate against women and minorities, we have gone to far over the edge on the other side, and now discriminate against white males. Are we now to be hypocrites?
Something needs to be done. We can not stray to the left, nor to the right on this issue. The quest stands upon the edge of the knife. Discrimination must be kept in full rein if we are to worry about it. We can not let one side go slack.
Nicely done, Miss Kroger! Those were the precise sentiments that I had while reading United States v. Virginia. Very well-written and concise!
1. As far as I see it, the major problem was that VMI was state military college and yet men’s only. Places like Wellesley and Smith are private colleges and in the past have chosen to only allow women.
2. You said: “In some ways it is strange that today the people who are most likely to get a job and accepted into schools are minorities and women. The last people who would get a job or an acceptance would be white males” Not necessarily true. 99% of all firefighters are still male. Men still are paid more than women, as are minorities. . .and there still is an employer hiring prejudice.
I agree with you that there certainly are imbalances and problems with today’s views of men and inequalities. . . but at the same time, we must be aware that that we have not yet solved the problem.
“1. As far as I see it, the major problem was that VMI was state military college and yet men’s only. Places like Wellesley and Smith are private colleges and in the past have chosen to only allow women.”
That is their choice. It is the choice of the college, but ladies, and I am speaking as one myself, do not have the right to bully their way into getting whatever they want. Gentlemen have rights too. I do not believe ladies should be on the front line of duty, and I do not believe they should be at a military college. But VMI had a long standing tradition, and I do not believe that the young lady was justified in her suing of VMI.
“I agree with you that there certainly are imbalances and problems with today’s views of men and inequalities. . . but at the same time, we must be aware that that we have not yet solved the problem.”
Perhaps there is also a problem with the way people react. If you can’t take a bloody nose you should stay home. Just because someone says something you don’t like doesn’t mean that you can get all upset about it. We advocate tolerance, but then sue because people have a difference of opinion.
Good points! I agree that excessive suing can be quite problematic. Yet, I was not advocating “tolerance”, I was advocating equality. VMI was not sued because of a “difference of opinion”, it was sued because it was a state school that would not allow women in. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. Slave owners had a long standing tradition of having slaves, Muslims have a long standing tradition of polygamy, some Africans have long standing traditions of mutilating females – long standing traditions do not make something proper or right. It is fine to personally believe that women should not be in military schools and on the fronts lines – but it is evident that others believe differently. No one is forcing you to attend VMI - but I find is reassuring to know that no one is restricting you either. On that note, I think that you wrote a well thought article/editorial about your beliefs. . . and I look forward to the next one. :)