The automobile has brought a lot of change to women's lives. Finally an escape vehicle that can outrun an abusive husband!

No, seriously, my mom did have to escape my father, and thank modern progress that she had a car to do it in.

Why you do think they don't let women drive in Saudi Arabia? Because there's so much a woman can do with a car that it threatens the balance of power in the Kingdom.

Well, Danica Patrick showed THEM. She did what she loved and followed it to the end.

That's really the key -- find something you love and stick with it no matter how much they throw at you along the way.

Became the first woman to win the Dakar Rally in 2001. A far more impressive feat IMO than winning an Indy Race nowadays - especially given how the talent pool has been diluted with the Indy/Champ split a few years ago.

I'm not a spokesperson for the monolithic feminist establishment

Oh riiiiiight, I forgot how feminism isn't monolithic enough to be criticized. But oddly enough, feminism IS monolithic enough to be praised.

With your big, huge brain maybe you can explain how that works exactly? How "feminism isn't a monolith" when someone tries to criticize it, yet feminism IS monolithic enough for someone to praise it?

I mean, isn't that-- what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yes-- IDIOTIC?

If I may act as a spokesperson for monolithic feminist establishment,

There are some core threads to feminism, such as:

...the greater goals for society that we hope to achieve (open doors for women in general to hitherto male-dominated professions, also known as equal opportunity).

Few people would oppose this goal would or could call themselves "feminist."

I don't think hating corporations, the military or religious establishments is part of the feminist core, which is why I wrote: "I think you're confusing some feminists' individual preferences for themselves (don't want to be a soldier or clergy) with" the above.

When I praise feminists and feminism, I don't praise Andrea Dworkin. Do you think I am anyway, even if I don't mean to, because I praise feminism? What would be the appropriate way to denote the sectors of feminism that I am trying to praise? "Feminism without Andrea Dworkin & Catherine MacKinnon"? How many qualifiers do I have to tack on to satisfy your filter?

I don't think hating corporations, the military or religious establishments is part of the feminist core,

Feminism is about tearing down the old structures and indeed ALL structures.

Feminism has gleefully run roughshod over so called patriarchal structures while, apparently as you do, pretending it is not.

Be glad men are willing to die so you have the freedom to hate men because you women certainly are not lining up to defend ANYONE but your own selfish selves.

Feminism is about tearing down the old structures and indeed ALL structures.

Where did you get this crazy idea?

Feminism has gleefully run roughshod over so called patriarchal structures while, apparently as you do, pretending it is not.

Even if it had been the goal of feminism to tear down all structures, which it is not, corporations, the military and religious institutions continue to exist, even thrive, so... I don't know what you're talking about.

Be glad men are willing to die so you have the freedom to hate men because you women certainly are not lining up to defend ANYONE but your own selfish selves.

Did you miss the discussion a couple of weeks ago with a bunch of people supporting Selective Service for women?

It was on this thread, you were there:

http://letters.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2008/04/02/no_bras_burned/view/index.html

Oh wait, you brought your crazy conspiracy theories again, by which i mean, any argument that goes "this is true, but I have absolutely no proof, because the media, the powerful, the politicians, and academe are all participating in a blackout on this issue."

Apart from flying combat missions, women are barred from most combat MOS by law. Women comprise a growing number of the Armed Forces, and the Marines have just begun a major recruitment campaign to include more of them.

As for sacrifice...what do you call death in childbirth?

It still happens, you know. Or do you?

My mother was in the Air Force back in the friggin fifties. I have whole branches of my family who serve in the millitary and the highest ranking of these (The Colonel) is a female.

All of the women consider themselves feminists and yes, they do put themselves on the line every day to protect mine and your freedom, so to speak. The fact that my 40 year old black female cousin has risen so high in the millitary is a source of pride for me and mine, which I won't apologize for; I'm also proud of her brother who is a JAG lawyer. I never wanted to join the millitary, mostly because I don't have the temperment for it (really I don't) but I respect anyone, male or female, who gives it a go.

Some of the things you say are just so unfair. There is certainly a schism in feminism between those peace loving pacifist war is evil types and women like me an Le Castor who think a woman should be able to do whatever the heck she wants. Because like men, we are complicated and have different opinions. As much as some feminists (and men like you who like to deride us) would like there to be, there is no feminist orthodoxy we must all ascribe to.

It is true that there have been many other women who were faster (Shirley Muldowney), won greater titles (Jutta Kleinschmidt), accomplished more for a sport (Michelle Mutton), or brought more technical expertise (Emilie Le Fur), but the fact remains that D.P. actually did win this race when no other woman in Indy cars had been able to accomplish the same feat. It was a pleasure to see her win.

She might not have been the fastest on the track, but she drove smartly and won with a fantastic and risky strategy - and let's be honest - most motorsports are about strategy in combination with technology (i.e. speed and control).

Unfortunately, women are scrutinized more as they strive to do the same things that other competitors do (bring in sponsorships, get press recognition, win races, and be spectacular). D.P. is playing ball with a bikini instead of by eating a lot of Subway sandwiches like Tony Stewart and while I am uncomfortable that she feel that is the way she must do this, her win is a small step forward in leveling the playing field.