independent women s forum feminism?and a longtime iwf friend, was the discussant. bowman analyzed...

Woman of ValorIWF presents the third Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor award to the Honorable Condoleezza Rice. ää See page 6

Woman of ValorIWF presents the third Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor award to the Honorable Condoleezza Rice. ää See page 6

I N D E P E N D E N T

WO M E N ’ S F O RU Mq u a r t e r l y n e w s l e t t e r o n w o m e n ’ s p o l i c y i s s u e s

SUMMER 2006

I N D E P E N D E N T W O M E N ’ S F O RU M

SUMMER 2006NEWSLETTER

Contents

INDEPENDENT WOMEN’S FORUM

1726 M STREET NW,TENTH FLOOR

WASHINGTON, DC 20036(202) 419-1820 • IWF.ORG

[email protected]

3 President’s ReportBy Michelle D. Bernard

4 IWF EventsIs Manliness Outdated? Harvey Mansfield Speaks

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Women, Sex, and Feminism—IWF Vice President Carrie Lukas Publishes a Book

Chivalry and Feminism: Author James Bowman Assesses the State of Honor

6 Cover StorySecretary of State Condoleezza Rice Named IWF’s

Woman of Valor

8 Expanding Horizons:IWF’s International Program

9 And the Envelope Please . . .College EssayContest WinnerAlexandra Valenti’s Winning Essay

10 Yasmine Rassam Talks About Democracy,Women, and the Middle East

MISSION STATEMENT: Founded in 1992, the Independent Women’s Forum is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit organiza-

tion. Its mission is to rebuild civil society by advancing economic liberty, personal responsibility, and political freedom. IWF fos-

ters greater respect for limited government, equality under the law, property rights, free markets, strong families, and a power-

ful and effective national defense and foreign policy. IWF is home to the nation’s next wave of influential female scholars—

women who are committed to promoting and defending economic opportunity and political freedom.

PRESIDENT & CEOMichelle D. Bernard, Esq.

INKWELL EDITORCharlotte Allen

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS & COMMUNICATIONS

Stacy Chin

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENTJennifer Gustafson

SENIOR EDITORCharlotte Hays

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS &COMMUNICATIONS

Christina Hobbs

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER & VICE PRESIDENT FOR

ADMINISTRATIONMartha H. Hutto, CPA

DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS PROGRAMS

Allison Kasic

VICE PRESIDENT FOR POLICY & ECONOMICS

Carrie L. Lukas

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FORINTERNATIONAL POLICY

Lida Sahar Noory

DIRECTOR FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICYA. Yasmine Rassam, Esq.

BOARD OF DIRECTORSHeather R. Higgins–Chairman

Nancy Mitchell Pfotenhauer–Vice ChairmanMary E. Arnold

The Honorable Carol T. CrawfordJennifer Ashworth Dinh

Randy KendrickLawrence Kudlow

The Honorable R. Gaull Silberman–Chairman Emeritus

DIRECTORS EMERITAE The Honorable Lynne V. Cheney

Midge Decter Kimberly O. Dennis

The Honorable Wendy GrammElizabeth Lurie Kate O’Beirne

The Honorable Louise V. OliverSally C. Pipes

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSekayi A. Brunson


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AS THIS NEWSLETTER REACHESyour mailbox, the nation will be brac-ing itself for the fall election season.The stakes are high not only for ourown democracy, but for emergingdemocracies around the world. As wefocus on domestic issues such as theprice of oil, immigration, the economy,education, criminal justice, health care,and the proper role of government, wewill pay particular attention to ournation’s role abroad, to national securi-ty, and to combating terrorism.

This is a moment of undeniableimportance for emerging democraticinstitutions in Iraq and the rest of theArab world. In the midst of ongoingcivil strife in Iraq and Afghanistan andthe threats posed by despots in coun-tries such as Iran, North Korea,Somalia, and Sudan are women who aretruly oppressed. It is our belief thatwomen’s full participation in the eco-nomic, political, and social fabric ofthese nations is a matter of inalienablehuman rights and is particularly impor-tant to the national security interests ofthe United States. Supporting demo-cratic ideals and women’s human rightsabroad may prove to be one of the mosteffective long-term strategies for ensur-ing freedom abroad and at home. As Dr.Rice stated in her remarks at our May10th dinner, “In the dynamic 21st cen-tury, no society can expect to flourishwith half its people sitting on the side-lines, with no opportunity to developtheir talents, to contribute to theireconomy or to play an equal part in thelives of their nations.” As Kuwaiti suf-fragettes have said, “Half a democracy isnot a democracy.” We must do all thatwe can to advance and support a respectfor the rule of law, property rights, andeconomic liberty in these nations.

It meant a great deal to all of us thatwe had the privilege of presenting ourthird Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor

award to Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Dr. Ricerepresents the American promise,reminding women everywhere that theyare limited only by their ability to dream.

This year’s dinner was an energizingmoment for IWF. I would like to recog-nize and thank our dedicated staff, whoworked long hours and seven-dayweeks, for making the evening a nightnone of us will ever forget. Also, I wouldlike to thank you for your loyalty andsupport. Without you, the dinner wouldnot have been possible. Thank you!

In light of current world events, Dr.Rice’s speech was a particularly impor-tant statement about the role of theUnited States and about what we areaccomplishing, often with enormous sac-rifice, around the world. I would like tohighlight what to me was one of themost moving parts of Dr. Rice’s speech.Describing a trip to Afghanistan, shesaid, “I met the young players of a girls’soccer team. It was quite a striking con-trast from the Afghanistan in which fouryears ago the Taliban turned soccer sta-diums given to them by the internationalcommunity into killing fields and con-demned women to death for learning toread. You know, when they want to sup-press people, they always go after theright to read. Slaves were not allowed toread, because if you can read, you knowwhat your horizons are. And so thatwomen in Afghanistan are now beingtaught to read openly and supported bytheir government is an amazing fact andshows that Afghanistan is progressing.”

IWF will continue to be at the fore-front of our nation’s policy and cultur-al debates, promoting individual liber-ty, limited government, free markets,and a powerful and effective nationaldefense and foreign policy.

We have had an exciting spring andsummer and look forward to moregrowth and adventures in the comingmonths. n

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Michelle D. BernardPresident and CEO

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Is Manliness Outdated?AN IMPORTANT THEME IN IWF EVENTS IS RADICALfeminism’s effect both on men and on the very concept ofmanhood. With this issue front and center, we felt it wasimportant to bring Harvard government professor HarveyMansfield to Washington to talk abouthis new book, Manliness.

At a packed book forum (co-sponsoredwith the Hudson Institute), Mansfield setout to reclaim manliness from its critics.Although men have been denounced fortheir vanity, stubbornness, and propensityfor violence, Mansfield noted that thesequalities find their positive aspects inmen’s heroism, courage, and willingnessto stand up for something. Arguing thatthese qualities are essential to defending acivilization’s values, Mansfield remarkedthat “as a dog defends its master, so thedoggish part of the human soul defendshuman ends higher than itself.”

Mansfield noted that feminism hasattempted to create a society that deniesdifferences between men and women. Drawing from history,psychology, and literature, he exposed the folly of the feministpursuit, asserting that men are inherently more eager for drama,more assertive, and more adapted to public life than women.There are exceptions to these rules, of course; Mansfield citedthe former British prime minister Lady Margaret Thatcher as awoman who operated in a manly fashion.

Although the subject of the lecture—and the spirited ques-tion-and-answer period afterwards—was manliness, the

Washington Post coverage of the event, a front-page article in the“Style” section, focused on one of our favorite women—IWFpresident and CEO Michelle Bernard. The newspaper reported:

“Harvey C. Mansfield, a neocon government professorfrom Harvard, has a new book out abouta crisis of manly behavior (the lack of it,the casting aside of it). We were sent tohis lecture/book-floggin’/cocktail partyat a K Street think tank yesterday after-noon to write something manly about it.

“Which is sort of a joke, because wehaven’t even cracked Mansfield’sManliness, with its stark black-and-whitecover, and the very first thing we want todo, upon arriving, is to tell the presidentof the Independent Women’s Forumhow much we love her skirt. She’s aboutten feet tall and looks like WonderWoman in an embroidered, pleatedMexican dancing skirt and black boots.She is fabulous and we tell her so, in anunmanly gush.

“‘Thank you,’ Michelle Bernard replies, and then launchesinto a discussion of how her group is engineering a new fem-inism, the rights of the individual, and how worried she isabout the girlification of little boys, who she says are beingkicked out of preschool en masse or Ritalinated ‘because ofboy behavior.’”

We’re glad we have a president who can think on herfeet—and we have to admit we called her Wonder Woman fora few days after the lecture. n


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“Manliness is still around, and we still find itattractive.What do we like about manliness?Two things I would say for a start—the confi-dence of manly men and the ability to com-mand. The confidence of a manly man giveshim independence from others. He is notalways asking for help or directions or instruc-tions, for it is out of manliness that men donot like to ask for directions when lost. . . .

“For some reason, manliness includes oris hospitable to too much manliness. But itemphatically rejects someone who has toolittle of it. Perhaps it is because a manlyman wants his manliness to be visible, so heis often portrayed in novels, in the movies,or wherever in exaggeration, even thoughtoo much manliness is also a defect and canhave disastrous consequences. . . .

“Manliness is best shown in war, thedefense of one’s country at its most difficult

and dangerous. In Greek, the word for man-liness, andreia, is also the word for courage.Aristotle says that courage is best shown inbattle.The issue raised over women in themilitary today concerns the sovereign claimof manliness as the title to rule. For ifwomen can fight as well as men, why canthey not govern as well and as deservedly? . . .

“The problem of manliness is not that itdoesn’t exist today. It does exist, but it’sunemployed. …” n

Mansfield on Manliness

Professor Harvey Mansfield spoke on his bookManliness at an IWF book forum co-sponsored withthe Hudson Institute. Dubbed “A Bicepsual Conceptof ‘Manliness’” by the Washington Post, the event washeld in March.

APPARENTLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THEfate of manly virtue. More than ninety people attended a talk onthe subject by James Bowman, author of the recently publishedHonor, A History. The Independent Women’s Forum and the Centerfor Ethics and Public Policy sponsored the talk. Scholar ChristinaHoff Sommers of the American Enterprise Institute, author of WhoStole Feminism? and a longtime IWF friend, was the discussant.

Bowman analyzed why our culture has repudiated chivalry as amasculine ideal and discussed the consequences of that repudiation.He argued that honor is denigrated today as masculine excess and iseven linked to acts of violence. But in its heyday, a man’s code ofhonor acted as a constructive force, engendering respect for womenand civility among men. Bowman believes that women’s mania forequality with men in all things has created a much more dangerousworld by removing the restraints upon unbridled masculinity thathonor and chivalry once imposed. Asked if he thought the culturalappreciation of different standards of manliness and womanlinesscould be restored without sacrificing feminism’s accomplishments

IWF CONGRATULATES CARRIE LUKAS, OUR VICE PRESI-dent for policy and economics, on the publication of her firstbook, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Women, Sex, and Feminism.Carrie has already made it onto the Washington Post’s presti-gious bestseller list.

Dr. Laura Schlesinger, a big fan of The Politically IncorrectGuide to Women, Sex, and Feminism, featured the book on one ofher shows in June and gave away copies to her audience. Carriehas also appeared on Fox News’s Dayside, on Your World withNeil Cavuto, and on Christian Broadcast News promoting herbook. She has also been on talk radio, discussing her book onthe G. Gordon Liddy Show, on Janet Parshall’s America, and evenwith Chicago shock jock Mancow. Additionally, she has spo-ken at a number of events, including one at the HeritageFoundation and another hosted by Accuracy in Academia. Thelatter attracted an audience of seventy mostly college-aged stu-dents—exactly the people who most need to hear this message!

“An ethic of silence has surrounded issues like the nega-tive sides of casual sex, the relationship between age andinfertility, and the effects of daycare and divorce on kids,”Carrie argues. “This silence has real consequences for women,

their families, and our society.”Among the subjects Carrie tackles are

the differences between boys and girls (ataboo topic for feminists, as formerHarvard president Larry Summers foundout the hard way), feminism’s hostilityto the notions of chivalry or romance,and the feminist view of women as vic-tims. “The problem with the modernfeminist movement,” Carrie explained inan interview with National Review, “isthat instead of celebrating women’s progress, it continues tryingto convince us that we’re all held back by discrimination. They’rehooked on women as victims. They lobby for ever-larger govern-ment, for special treatment for women in academia, and pretendthat there are no differences between men and women.”

IWF friend and prominent conservative Linda Chavez put itbest: “A whole generation of ‘liberated’ women has been keptin the dark by feminists in the schools, universities, and media.Carrie Lukas exposes the damage these ideologues havewreaked and gives young women the chance to make trulyinformed decisions about their own lives. It’s the advice yourmother should have given you but may have been afraid to.”

The book is part of Regnery’s popular series of PoliticallyIncorrect Guides. IWF will be hosting a book event for Carriesometime in the coming weeks. Watch our website (www.iwf.org)for details. n

Author! Author!

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Is Chivalry Dead? Should It Be?



in establishing women’s full humanity andcivil rights, he was not enthusiastic about theprospects, fearing that honor’s decline hadbecome inevitable.

Hoff Sommers was more sanguine. Shedid note, however, that one of the mostforgotten monuments in Washington isthe one dedicated to the men of the Titanic,who died so that women and childrenmight survive. She mentioned that IWFsent a bouquet this year on the April 15thanniversary of the Titanic’s sinking, andwe were delighted to hear the sponta-neous burst of applause this provoked.

Hoff Sommers emphasized how honorand masculinity are under assault in our schools. However, shewas optimistic that honor could never fully disappear, notingthat much of society still recognizes and celebrates it. n

Author and scholar JamesBowman spoke at a jointIWF and Ethics and PublicPolicy Center discussion ofhis book Honor:A History.The discussion, led byChristina Hoff Sommers,was held in early June.

Carrie Lukas’ first book, ThePolitically Incorrect Guide toWomen, Sex, and Feminism,was published in late April.


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Condoleezza Rice Named IWF’s Woman of Valor

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THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN’SForum’s third Barbara K. OlsonWoman of Valor award was given thisyear to the Honorable CondoleezzaRice. “We honored Dr. Rice as a womenof valor because of her commitment toadvancing the common causes of free-dom, justice, and equality for all and forworking to build sustainable democrat-ic institutions that respect the rights ofwomen around the world,” said IWFPresident Michelle D. Bernard.

A video biography of Dr. Rice’s lifeprepared especially for the dinner includ-

ed lighthearted toasts from outgoingNFL Commissioner Paul Tabliabue, whojoked about Dr. Rice’s wanting his job,and from Clive Gillinson, executive andartistic director of Carnegie Hall, whospoke of Dr. Rice’s support of the arts.He teasingly suggested that with themiracle of modern communications, shecould play at Carnegie Hall without leav-ing Washington! Zainab Al-Suwaij, exec-utive director of the American IslamicCongress, also toasted Dr. Rice on behalfof grateful women in Iraq.

The award was presented by TheHonorable Theodore B. Olson, formersolicitor general of the United States. He

was married to Barbara Olson—author,commentator, and a beloved and much-admired leader in IWF’s early days—whoperished in the Pentagon attack of 9/11.

Dr. Rice made a speech that was rele-vant to understanding U.S. foreign policyand the State Department’s objective oftransformational diplomacy, stating,“President Bush has forged a foreign pol-icy that rejects the false dichotomy ofideals and interests and recognizes thatsecurity is only achieved when people,especially those on the margins of socie-ty, gain freedom and justice and opportu-

nity within their countries and whendemocracy is on the march. We under-stand of course, that different peopleswill build democracies that reflect theirown cultures, of course they will. They’llbuild democracies that reflect their owntraditions and their own experiences, justas we in America did. America is not try-ing to impose democracy. You don’t haveto impose democracy; you have toimpose tyranny. Democracy lives andbreathes, liberty lives and breathes, in theheart of every human being.”

Dr. Rice also had gracious words to sayabout IWF. “The Independent Women’sForum is stronger than ever today, and

much of its success is due to the inspiredleadership of my dinner partners, [IWFboard chairman] Heather Higgins andMichelle Bernard,” Dr. Rice said. “Thanksso much for your leadership of this greatorganization. This is an organization thatis promoting individual responsibility,economic liberty, and democracy, and it’smaking a true difference in the lives ofwomen around the world, especially thewomen in places like Iraq andAfghanistan. And I want to acknowledgethe work that this organization has doneon Iraq, where the Iraqi Women’s

Educational Institute, founded just twoyears ago, has grown into a hopeful forcefor women’s inclusion in the new Iraq.”

Dr. Rice added that she was particu-larly pleased to receive an award namedafter Barbara Olson. “I’m deeply hon-ored to receive this year’s Woman ofValor Award and this honor is all themore meaningful to me personallybecause it carries with it the name andthe memory of Barbara Olson, who wasa beloved friend to so many of us.”

She also thanked AmbassadorJeanne Johnson Phillips, chairman ofthe dinner, for all her hard work—agratitude we at IWF eagerly second. Our

“I do believe that with enough moral courage, with enough optimism and with enough human agency by

people like those who make up the Independent Women’s Forum, that there will come a day when we look

back on Iraq and Afghanistan and Sudan and troubled spots of the world, and we will ask, ‘Who could

have ever doubted that liberal democracy would take hold there?’ Indeed, what sometimes today might

seem impossible will seem quite inevitable.”—Dr. Condoleezza Rice at the Independent Women’s Forum’s third Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Dinner, May 10, 2006.

outstanding dinner chair was crucial inmaking our high hopes a reality.

Dr. Rice’s speech was interrupted byapplause numerous times. She receivedan especially warm burst of applausewhen she spoke about the yearning fordemocracy, freedom, justice, and oppor-tunity in other parts of the world.“President Bush has called these aspira-tions the non-negotiable demands ofhuman dignity and he has defined themas the rule of law and limits on statepower, free speech and tolerance of dif-ference, freedom of worship, equal jus-tice and property rights, and finally, butnot last, respect for women. It is that lastpoint that I’d like to speak to tonight

here in the presence of this great organi-zation that is doing so much to promotethe rights of women. When we talkabout respect for women, we are refer-ring to a moral truth. Women are free bynature, equal in dignity and entitled thesame rights, the same protections andthe same opportunities as men. This is astandard that, quite frankly, we in theUnited States have fallen short of in ourhistory. It took our country one hun-dred and thirty years before we interpret-ed the phrase ‘All men are created equal,’flexibly enough to let ladies vote. WeAmericans are, to be sure, an imperfectpeople, but we are fortunate to be guid-ed by ideals that summon us to become

even nobler, and, indeed, to pursue ourperfect union. Those same ideals leadAmerica into the world to combat thedehumanization of women in all itsforms, especially the international evil ofhuman trafficking, a modern form ofslavery for millions of women.”

The dinner committee includedRush H. Limbaugh, several members ofthe U.S. Congress (including membersof the Iraqi Women’s Caucus and theCongressional Black Caucus), IWF sup-porters, members of the internationalcommunity, and luminaries fromWashington’s policy and think-tankcommunity. We thank each and everyone of you for your support. n



Expanding Horizons:IWF’s International Program



AALTHOUGH OUR INTERNATIONALprogram is a relatively new facet of IWF,we are already in the process of expand-ing it. A unique blend of research, edu-cation, public awareness, and participa-tion in development efforts abroad, ourinternational program has become anintegral part of IWF.

IWF’s current international programwas launched in October 2004, when theU.S. Department of State awarded IWFapproximately $1.5 million in grantmonies to conduct an Iraqi women’sdemocracy initiative over a twelve-month period. Over the last year, IWFhas worked with approximately 150 pro-democracy Iraqi women leaders. We arehonored to be a part of Iraq’s burgeon-ing women’s rights movement.

We are pleased to announce that IWFhas been awarded approximately $750,000to expand our work in Iraq to NGO capac-ity-building and economic empowerment.With our friends at the American IslamicCongress, we are providing a select groupof women’s NGOs in south and southcentral Iraq with small grants and trainingto build their capacity and sustainability.We are also developing two NGO resourceand women’s empowerment centers to belocated in Basra and Karbala. Each centerwill house written materials related toNGO capacity-building for independentIraqi women’s NGOs concentrating oneconomic empowerment and women’shuman rights. They will also serve as aforum where women from the region canmeet, host speakers, acquire skills training,and gain knowledge about economicdevelopment and human rights.

Our work in Iraq has persuaded usthat we must also become active in Iran.

We plan to develop an Iranian Women’sDemocracy and Civil Society Initiative.The thrust of this program will be edu-cating Iranian youth and helpingstrengthen the influence of pro-democ-racy women. All aspects of our programwill be translated into Farsi.

Additionally, IWF plans to focus ontransnational trafficking for sexualexploitation and modern-day slavery,which is often fueled and driven bymafia-like criminal organizations. TheBush Administration has put this issueon the top of its national security agen-da. IWF will examine U.S. policy effortsto date, focusing primarily on theTrafficking in Persons Act and otherprograms designed to prevent traffick-ing and protect trafficking victims.

Finally, this year IWF will issue a newseries of special reports on the status ofwomen in countries strategic to the waron terrorism, namely Afghanistan, Iraq,and Iran. Exploring how the democrati-zation processes in Iraq and Afghanistanhave advanced women’s roles in society,the reports analyze the remaining chal-lenges to securing women’s equal status,education, and economic empowermentin these countries, and also examinehow advancing women’s rights in devel-oping countries can help alleviate theroot causes of terrorism. The first study,Women’s Participation in the DemocraticProcess in Iraq and Afghanistan:Achievements and Challenges, authored byMichelle D. Bernard, A. YasmineRassam, and Lida Sahar Noory, exam-ines the progress women in both Iraqand Afghanistan have made in terms ofpolitical participation and discusses thechallenges that still remain. n

“IT’S TEMPTING FOR THE UNITEDStates to shift focus, and resources,away from Afghanistan. The Talibanand its allies will take advantage of anyfailing on our part to support essentialfriendships. Americans must rememberthat in this war on terror; whether youname our enemies ‘Taliban’ or ‘al Qaeda’makes no difference. They represent thesame risk that our nation recognized asintolerable five years ago.

“Those Afghans who sincerely workon the side of peace and progress needhelp now more than ever from theinternational community to defeat ter-rorism and prevent any extremistregime from holding Afghanistan backfrom stability and democratization.

“Let us not forget that Afghanistan,with the help of the U.S. and its allies,has made remarkable strides since theend of 2001. It has an elected govern-ment, its children are going back toschool, and it has fashioned a constitu-tion that U.S. Ambassador ZalmayKhalilzad has referred to as ‘the mostenlightened in the Islamic world.’

“Afghan women who had been (andcontinue to be) targeted by the Talibandid not miss a beat after the regime’sfall. Afghanistan has now seen its firstfemale presidential candidate, firstfemale governor, several female MPs,and even a few female cabinet members.

“However, these gains are by nomeans permanent. . . . Today’s Afghansstruggle to ensure that the next genera-tion will live the lives they never had. Itwill be a long project that will requirean extended commitment from theinternational community.”

—Lida Noory, Human Events Online

“RememberAfghanistan—Our Enemies Do”

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The Winning Essay tain value system solely because one is awoman. Thinking for oneself and notaccepting stereotypes of what a woman“should support” are the traits of anindependent woman. A woman mustrecognize that her ideology is not only afunction of her gender. When hearingthe militant cries of my liberal counter-parts, I often wonder whether they haveever questioned themselves or whetherthey understand, or care to understand,that the policies they support do notactually help women. Blaming men, vic-timizing women, and relying on the gov-

ernment are not the actionsof a true feminist or an inde-pendent woman.

Today, being an independ-ent woman is to recognizethat the liberal ideology is notconsistent with traditionalfeminism. Supporting affir-mative action programs thattreat women as inferior is notfeminist; charging men withall the ills of the world is notfeminist; supporting govern-ment entitlement programsthat are a substitute for menas provider is not feminist.

A truly independent woman takes pridein personal responsibility and does notexpect anyone—whether a husband, afather, or the government—to fill the rolesthat men once filled in our lives. Likewise,an independent woman does not chargethose women who freely choose to stay athome and nurture a family as “submissive”and “weak,” for it is these strong womenwho are raising the future of America andpreserving the traditions that make thiscountry the greatest in the world.

It is not only counter to the ideals offeminism to deny that this is independ-ence for a woman, but it is truly un-American. Perhaps I am just being self-ish and intolerant, but I believe thattoday, to be an independent woman is tobe a patriotic American citizen.” n

WHAT IS AN INDEPENDENTwoman? Alexandra Valenti, winner ofIWF’s 2005–06 essay contest, explains:

“You’re just being selfish,” rebuts myroommate ever-so-eloquently.

Phrases like this can often be heardwithin the walls of my dormroom during debates with myleftist roommate. In this caseshe was failing to make acoherent argument against thefact that I support the recentcut of federal funding for stu-dent financial aid. What myroommate fails to realize isthat supporting personalresponsibility and wanting thegovernment to reward and notpenalize hard-working peoplelike my parents, who can affordto put me through collegewithout the help of federal aid,is not selfish at all. Unfortunately, theattitude of my roommate is the rulerather than the exception on my collegecampus. Even more unfortunately, per-sonal attacks and mindless rebuttals arealso the rule.

Though I have taken part in construc-tive debates, there have been moreinstances in which I have been personallyattacked and told that I am racist, sexist,and intolerant (and selfish, apparently)because of my conservative values. Yet,when my classmates label me with theseterms, I cannot help but wonder who istruly tolerant. If my liberal colleagues wereas open-minded as they claimed to be, theywould not be making gross generalizationsbased on the political beliefs of their peers.This has been the hardest part of being a

conservative female on campus: the utterhypocrisy of my liberal colleagues. It is nota display of academic freedom when myclassmates tell me I am wrong, backwards-minded, and intolerant. A goal of highereducation should be to foster an environ-ment where dissent is accepted.

While I have had many professorswho have encouraged open debate, I havealso had professors who far too oftenexpress their opinions and give assign-ments that force me to take a positionwith which I disagree. The open expres-sion of one’s beliefs is not encouragedwhen professors blatantly try to impresstheir ideology upon you. This is notintellectual freedom, nor should it be thetype of environment accepted at universi-ties. This environment, though, hasenabled me to test myself and realizehow deeply I believe in my values and myideology. The daily challenges have onlymade me stronger in my convictions andbetter equipped to defend them.

I have learned that to be independentis to refuse to be pigeonholed into a cer-

The Honorable Lynne V. Cheney and IWF President and CEO Michelle D. Bernardpresent Alexandra Valenti of George Washington University with her award forwinning IWF’s first college essay contest.

SYasmine Rassam Speaks at Grove City CollegeSPEAKING AT GROVE CITYCollege’s conference “Mr. JeffersonGoes to the Middle East: DemocracyProspects in the Arab World”—whichalso featured American EnterpriseInstitute scholar Michael Novak, MiddleEastern expert Daniel Pipes, and filmcritic Michael Medved—IWF’s YasmineRassam delivered an IWF policy paperentitled “Women’s Participation in theDemocratic Processes in Iraq andAfghanistan: Achievements andChallenges.” Michelle Bernard, LidaNoory, and Yasmine Rassam preparedthe paper (available from IWF’s website)especially for the Grove City conference.After the event, Yasmine Rassam wasapproached by students who wanted toknow more about IWF.

Here are some highlights from thepaper:

“After the advent of the new millen-nium, few would have dared imaginethat both Iraq and Afghanistan wouldbe democratically governed within thenext five years. Yet, today both coun-tries have taken monumental stepstoward democratization, namely hold-ing free and fair elections and ratifyingpermanent constitutions. As thesecountries emerge from the legacy ofdespotic regimes, governments and citi-zens alike are taking crucial steps toguarantee that political freedom takesroot in lands where dissent and civicengagement were ruthlessly forbidden.

“Women, often the first sector ofsociety to be negatively impacted bywar, conflict, and economic upheaval,suffered tremendously under theTaliban and Saddam Hussein. Despiteyears of degradation under these

regimes, both Afghan and Iraqi womenemerged as full participants in civil andpublic life as their countries embarkedon the path to democratization. Even atthe expense of their personal security,Iraqi and Afghan women activelyengaged in the electoral process andadvocacy efforts to shape national poli-cy on a host of issues, includingwomen’s rights. Women joined politicalparties, voted, and ran for office inrecord numbers. As a result, Iraqi andAfghan women are represented in thevarious echelons of government as min-isters, parliamentarians, and membersof local government. In addition,women’s non-profit organizations haveestablished themselves as key stake-holders in these countries’ nascent, yetflourishing, civil societies. . . .

“Since the fall of Saddam’s regime inApril 2003, Iraqi women have played avital role in the building of the newIraq and its governance structures.Their success to date is even moreremarkable given the continuousstream of violence that plagues theirefforts. Religious extremists use carbombs, shootings, and assassinationsto dissuade female candidates fromrunning for office. Nevertheless, Iraqiwomen have persevered in their effortsto become full participants in the polit-ical process. . . .

“Ensuring broad political participa-tion and representation of women isonly one of the myriad of challengescurrently facing Iraq and Afghanistan.In both countries, the lack of securityand essential services, endemic unem-ployment, and poor education systemsthreaten the fragile underpinning of



these emerging democracies.Ultimately, the true test of the electedregimes in Afghanistan and Iraq will betheir ability to secure and safeguard theeconomic, social, and political wellbeing of all of their citizens. One pre-dictor for the longevity of a stabledemocracy, however, is the degree towhich women’s basic human rights areprotected and, indeed, promoted.

“Despite these challenges, Iraqi andAfghan women’s political participationin the electoral and constitution-mak-ing processes to date remains a remark-able achievement. Iraqi and Afghanwomen are making their voices heard,and in so doing, they are helping shapetheir democracies. While political rep-resentation alone will not guaranteewomen’s rights, it does ensure thatboth Iraqi and Afghan women will con-tinue to play an integral role in thedecision-making processes that facethese nations for years to come.

“Promoting an active and effectivevoice for women in Iraq’s andAfghanistan’s democratization processesis a gradual course, but considerableprogress is already underway.” n

IWF director for international policy, A. YasmineRassam presented a new IWF international policypaper entitled “Women’s Participation in theDemocratic Processes in Iraq and Afghanistan:Achievements and Challenges” at Grove City College’s“Mr. Jefferson Goes to the Middle East: DemocracyProspects in the Arab World” conference in April.

IWF

IN T

HE

ME

DIA

TELEVISIONChristian Broadcast News

l Carrie Lukas on her book, ThePolitically Incorrect Guide to Women,Sex, and Feminism.

CNBC’s Power Lunchl Michelle D. Bernard and Carrie

Lukas on the HPV vaccine.WUSA TV’s Eye on Washington

l Carrie Lukas on the war in Iraqand various political subjects;Charlotte Hays on politics.

FOX NEWSl Carrie Lukas on chivalry and the

value of stay-at-home mothers;Nancy Pfotenhauer on HillaryClinton’s chances in the 2008presidential election, biased com-ments by teachers, and the deathof Abu Musab al-Zarqawi;Yasmine Rassam on the war inIraq and other hot topics.

Regional News Networkl Yasmine Rassam on the war in Iraq.

PBS’s To the Contraryl Michelle Bernard on the war in Iraq,

presidential approval ratings, themommy wars, and immigration.

PRINT AND WEBThe D.C. Examiner

l Carrie Lukas op-ed on how col-leges are failing to prepare womenfor the many decisions they faceafter graduation.

Human Events Onlinel Allison Kasic on campus strippers

and the Duke rape case, mislead-ing sexual harassment research,and safe sex ad campaigns oncampus; Carrie Lukas on genderdifferences; Lida Noory on contin-uing military support forAfghanistan; and Yasmine Rassamcriticizing the Dutch for revokingAyaan Hirsi Ali’s citizenship.

National Review Onlinel Carrie Lukas on her book, rape

statistics, Title IX, and a Harvardreunion.

Opinion Journal Onlinel Yasmine Rassam on feminists

who forget about the atrocities ofSaddam Hussein.

Townhall.coml Carrie Lukas on the mommy wars.

The Washington Postl A front-page “Style” report on

IWF’s book forum for HarveyMansfield; “Reliable Source” onCamille Paglia at IWF’s Woman ofValor gala.

The Washington Timesl Carrie Lukas on the mommy wars.

AIRWAVESAlan Colmes’ Listen Live

l Charlotte Hays on whether strip-ping is a moral way to earn a living.

Dr. Laural Carrie Lukas on her book The

Politically Incorrect Guide to Women,Sex, and Feminism.

G. Gordon Liddy Showl Carrie Lukas on her book.

Janet Parshall’s Americal Carrie Lukas on her book;

Yasmine Rassam on the Ayaan AliHirsi case.

Paul Weyrich Showl Carrie Lukas on her book.

Radio Americal Carrie Lukas on whether college

women are prepared for the realworld.

RightTalk.coml Carrie Lukas on her book.

USA Radio Networkl Carrie Lukas on her book.

VYCl Carrie Lukas on women and the

marriage crunch.

Upcoming from IWF

Poverty: In the wake ofHurricane Katrina, many calledfor a national discussion onpoverty. As our nation approachesthe one-year anniversary ofHurricane Katrina, IWF will take avery serious and thoughtful lookat poverty in America. At an IWFevent this fall, experts andscholars will provide insight intothe root causes of poverty andhow we might eradicate it.

The Mommie Track: Fifteenyears after the term “mommietrack” was coined, the issue ofmothers and work remains ahot-button issue. This fall IWFwill revisit the debate over themommie track. Watch our website for details on theseupcoming events.

NOW Turns 40: This summer,the National Organization ofWomen (NOW) turned 40. Be onthe lookout for a new IWFreport on the state of feminismtoday and how second-wave feminism is failing Americanwomen.

Essay Contest: Our secondcollege essay contest is also com-ing up. We will be announcingthis year’s essay question andrules early in the fall.

Are you getting IWF emailalerts? If you’re not gettingmaterial from us, log on to ourwebsite and give us your emailaddress. We are updating ourevents list and would love tohave you on it.

Stay tuned to IWF.org to see more media coverage of the IWF team and sign up to receive e-mail alerts about upcoming appearances!



J O I N I W F AT W W W. I W F. O R G

“I do believe that with enough moral courage, with enough optimism and with enough

human agency by people like those who make up the Independent Women’s Forum, that

there will come a day when we look back on Iraq and Afghanistan and Sudan and troubled

spots of the world, and we will ask, ‘Who could have ever doubted that liberal democracy

would take hold there?’ Indeed, what sometimes today might seem impossible will seem

quite inevitable.”

—Dr. Condoleezza Rice at the Independent Women’s Forum’s

third Barbara K. Olson Woman of Valor Dinner, May 10, 2006.

independent women s forum feminism?and a longtime iwf friend, was the discussant. bowman analyzed...

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