I hope it's not the same Marty Nemko, but I fear it is...

Last week somebody wrote one of those "if women ruled the world we wouldn't have wars" letters to the editor:

Women should rule the world

Editor -- In the Aug. 20 "Two Cents" column, "Are you more hopeful or fearful these days?," Kate Ann Scholtz, of Dublin, wrote: "I am hopeful about my personal life. However, from a global perspective, I am more fearful. Leaders of all countries should meet with a small baby from their family or a friend's. They should walk around in a big room and take turns holding each others babies. No talk, just babies. It might help soften their attitudes."

Do you know any man who would think of doing this? Women should rule the world.

BEV BENDER
San Francisco

Someone fired back a reply:

Editor -- An Aug. 26 letter to the editor was headlined, "Women should rule the world.'' The letter-writer waxed about how female leaders would hold each others babies and not say a word. Very nice.

I wonder, if the world were run by women, would you be confident that we would have the inventions we count on: telephone, refrigeration, airplane, the computer, the car, even the birth-control pill that allows women to have babies only when they want?

MARTY NEMKO
Oakland

Oh dear. Is that the same Marty Nemko who writes about career issues and has a radio program on KALW? I had no idea he was such a big jerk!

Now I will admit I've never found the argument that women are inherently more peace-loving all that convincing. I think it has more to do with power and who has it. And the peace-promoting ability of babies is dependent on one's tolerance for loud unstoppable screaming fits, I suspect. A couple nights with a colicky baby could make it more likely that a world leader would press the big red nucular button, not less.

But similarly, powerless people are unlikely to have access to education and tools that would allow them to invent much... nor would they get the credit for their inventions. So Mr. Nemko's argument is just about as dumb as Ms. Bender's... but also a lot meaner. Feh.

(I have to admit this letter made me laugh: "Editor -- Regarding Bev Bender's Aug. 26 letter, 'Women should rule the world': I'm not sure the world would survive the monthly threat of annihilation. GREGORY J. CHASE, San Francisco")