March 23, 2005
Have you heard about the debate over women on the opinion pages of our newspapers?
It got heated when the liberal democrat Susan Estrich, the former Dukakis campaign chair and law professor went public in a letter to LA Times editorial page editor, Michael Kinsley.
Her contention is that Kinsley allows too few women on his page and, she says, there are too few women writing columns.
Two things about this.
Plenty of women are writing columns, but most are conservative.
It isn't the gender that is a problem for Kinsley and even Estrich.
It is the ideology.
From Suzanne Fields of the Washington Times, to Michelle Maulkin, Kathleen Parker and Linda Chavez, there are plenty of women writing columns.
But conservatives, especially conservative women, don't count in the eyes of liberals like Kinsley and Estrich.
What should we call them: ideologically sexist?
When you hear about this debate, remind yourself and editors that plenty of women exist.
That many are conservative should not deny them a spot on op-ed pages, anymore than being women should.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
