The Weaker Sex?

The apostle Peter refers to women as "the weaker sex", at least, I'm pretty sure he does.

It seems that Canadian courts hold this view, at least when it comes to holding Canadian women accountable for murdering someone (especially their newborn child or husband).

If a man kills his child or his spouse, he is a killer, and he does the time. If a woman does the same, that's a different kettle of fish. It seems the courts go out of their way to excuse women who kill.

The latest example is found in this story from the Canadian Press (CP)

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OTTAWA (CP) - The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the acquittal of a Quebec woman who shot and killed her abusive, alcoholic husband.

Rita Graveline killed her husband, Michael, in 1999 after a 31-year marriage.

Her lawyers argued that she acted while in a trance-like state brought on by years of abuse and the trial judge also suggested to the jury that she might have been acting in self-defence.

She was acquitted, but the Crown argued that the two defences - self-defence and 'automatism' - are contradictory.

The Quebec Court of Appeal agreed and ordered a new trial.

The Supreme Court has overturned the appeal court, leaving the acquittal to stand.

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If you are in an abusive relationship, you have the right to leave, but not to kill the person. Feminists like to argue that the woman is so beaten down, she doesn't have the where-with-all to leave an abusive relationship. In doing so, they too are making the "woman as the weaker sex" argument.

The Bible sometimes receives unwitting support from the strangest places.

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When we hold women to a lower standard than men, is that not sexism?

And when we hold native Canadians to a lower standard than non-natives, is that not racism?

I remember Preston Manning saying that he believed all Canadians should receive equal treatment under Canadian law. As I recall, Sheila Copps denounced this statement, which I believe is a wonderful ideal, as bigoted and racist. He was denounced for suggesting that all Canadians should receive equal treatment under Canadian law. Imagine!