Abigail Adams gets it right

Mrs. Adams, writing to husband John: “I have sometimes been ready to think that the passion for Liberty cannot be equally strong in the breasts of those who have been accustomed to deprive their fellow Creatures of theirs. Of this I am certain that it is not founded upon that generous and Christian principal of doing to others as we would that others should do unto us….

I long to hear that you have declared an independency and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.

That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no dispute, but such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of Master for the more tender and endearing one of Friend. Why then, not put it out of the power of the vicious and the Lawless to use us with cruelty and indignity with impunity. Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which treat us only as the vassals of your Sex.”

John laughed this off. Abigail was not pleased: “whilst you are proclaiming peace and good will to Men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining an absolute power over Wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken”

I quoted this from Kristin Kobes Du Mez’ review of a book on liberalism’s supposed failure, part of which (according to the book) is that women’s “growing emancipation from their biology” merely freed them up to become corporate drones. The possibility some women like their jobs or don’t want to give birth doesn’t occur to the author, Paul Deneen — patriarchy knows what’s best for women. Women who build careers in patriarchy do too: other women should stay home and breed babies.

Kobes du Mez does a great and thoughtful job dissecting his arguments. I recommend it. But mostly I just wanted to post the Abigail Adams quote. She rocks.