There is perhaps nothing more stereotypically masculine than war.
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It’s not that there haven’t been women inclined to make war, but this need to hit, to thrust, to dominate, to claim supremacy is downright boyish. And there has perhaps been no U.S. presidential administration more unrelentingly macho than this one.
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In the midst of this dangerous game of nuclear one-upsmanship, five women—joined by women’s and peace groups from around the world—hope to do nothing less than change the course of history. And why not? These five—all Nobel Peace Prize winners—are not strangers to that goal.
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In the 105-year history of the Nobel Peace Prize, only 12 women have ever won the honor. Seven are still alive, and five of them have formed the Nobel Women’s Initiative: Jody Williams from the U.S., Shirin Ebadi from Iran, Betty Williams from Northern Ireland, Wangari Maathai from Kenya and Rigoberta Menchú Tum from Guatemala. (Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi remains under house arrest in Burma, and Mairead Corrigan of Northern Ireland is not active with the other laureates.) Together they represent a large portion of the globe: North America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Central America. Their long-term goal is to help change the status of women world-wide, but in the short term they have focused on stopping the U.S. from going to war with Iran.
the article continues . . . .
5 comments
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March 3, 2007 at 1:05 am
Catherine Morgan
Since I was a kid looking at the covers of TIME and other magazines that had pictures of the Vietnam war on them…..I remember thinking that if women were the leaders of the world, there would be no war. I was probably only about seven or eight, but it is a very strong memory, and one that even now I wonder if it really isn’t true. If all leaders in the world were women, would there be any war, or would we figure out some other way to solve our problems?
March 3, 2007 at 3:09 am
earthpal
Yes, isn’t it ironic Helen that most atrocities… most acts of violence are carried out by men…that most wars are started by men and that only twelve women have won the nobel peace prize in it’s history.
If more women were involved at higher levels in peace talks, I believe there would be more effort to find peaceful solutions. Women tend to keep negotiations going in a dispute far past the point where men would be punching hell out of each other.
But I wonder if,as Catherine also wonders, more women became leaders of nations there really would be less war. Is it not that women who reach such high levels of powers are just as ruthless, hawkish and aggressive as men, if not more so because of the extra ‘fight’ they need to apply to compete in such a male-dominated world of politicals?
I would say that, generally speaking, women are much more naturally instinctive peace-makers and as such, I feel that they should certainly be more involved in global peace negotiations and should be given a louder voice in decisions where conflict is an issue.
(I haven’t time to read the article yet, Helen but it looks very interesting and inspirational. I will catch up with it later.)
March 3, 2007 at 11:13 am
helenl
Hi Catherine and Earthpal, I think both of you make good points. Sadly, by the time women have “fought” their way, they, too, do become aggresive. Too bad we can’t figure out that “equality” doesn’t mean everyone’s now a man.
March 6, 2007 at 2:04 pm
tommyjoe
Helen: I’m a strong peaceMAKER. After all, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matt. 5:9). I do think, however, that there is a time for war, and to me, it’s not a “male thing.” It’s a spirit, and some men have it (but so do some women). When I think of the “severe side” of God (Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God . . .), it let’s me know that sometimes there is a time for war, and God often uses nations to judge other nations. One day, God also will take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Am I making sense?
March 6, 2007 at 4:18 pm
helenl
No. Tommy. It sounds like “the same old same old” that hasn’t worked in the past and won’t now. Why not try something different?