Monday, October 03, 2005
On Harriet Miers: Women Preaching, Dog Walking
The White House distributed information on Harriet Miers today that contains these passages:* Like Justice O'Connor, throughout her career, Ms. Miers has been a female trailblazer.Things like this set my teeth on edge. While I acknowledge that the picture painted is one of an intrepid, intelligent go-getter, the "Oh look! A woman achieved something!" tone reminds me of Samuel Johnson's 1763 quote:
* In 1972, Ms. Miers became the first woman hired at Dallas's Locke Purnell Rain Harrell. In March 1996, her colleagues elected her the first female President of Locke, Purnell, Rain & Harrell, at that time a firm of about 200 lawyers. She was the first woman to lead a Texas firm of that size.
* In 1985, Ms. Miers was selected as the first woman to become President of the Dallas Bar Association.
* In 1992, she became the first woman elected President of the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Miers served as the President of the State Bar of Texas from 1992 to 1993.
Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.Have we achived nothing since then? Can we not get beyond the notion that a successful female is an object of wonder and awe and simply discuss qualifications?
Such as the nominee's views on, oh, I don't know, maybe the Constitution?
Johnson, in another context, said of some individuals of good character and worth who nonetheless by temperament were undeserving of meritorious positions: "A cow is a very good animal in the field; but we turn her out of a garden."
I want to know: Is Harriet Miers a star of the field, or of the garden?
Posted by Amy Ridenour at 10:42 AM
