Some women are smarter than men, and some aren't. But to suggest

In the words of Campbell Brown, “Some women are smarter than men, and some aren’t. But to suggest to women that they deserve dominance instead of equality is at best a cheap applause line.” These words shine with clarity and balance, for they cut through the fog of false flattery and reveal the deeper truth of justice. She reminds us that the pursuit of liberation is not about one rising above the other, but about walking side by side with dignity. To promise dominance in place of equality is to replace one injustice with another, and such promises are empty words that stir the crowd but leave the world unchanged.

The ancients often warned against this temptation. In Greece, when the people first tasted the sweetness of democracy, some sought not equality but revenge against former rulers. Wise philosophers counseled that true harmony was not found in exchanging masters but in abolishing mastery altogether. So too does Brown’s voice echo this wisdom: men and women are not meant to stand in rivalry, but in mutual respect, where each one’s worth is measured not by gender but by the measure of their deeds and character.

History offers us examples of this truth. Consider Queen Elizabeth I of England. She ruled with brilliance and courage, yet she did not proclaim that women must dominate men. Instead, she demonstrated by her reign that women, too, could bear the weight of governance, command armies, and lead nations with wisdom. Her greatness lay not in overturning men, but in showing that ability belongs to no gender alone. In her, we see that the path forward is not to claim superiority, but to prove equality through strength and wisdom.

Brown’s words also challenge the false comfort of cheap applause. It is easy for leaders to win favor by telling the oppressed that they will become the oppressors. Such rhetoric stirs cheers but builds nothing lasting. The harder, nobler path is to demand equality, which requires patience, sacrifice, and discipline. Dominance may flatter the ear, but equality reforms the heart. It is not applause we must seek, but transformation.

There is also within this teaching a warning against pride. If women claim dominance over men, they repeat the error of men who once claimed dominance over women. The cycle of tyranny continues, and the chains merely change hands. Equality, however, breaks the cycle. It teaches that some women will be great, and some men will be great; some will fail, and some will rise. This is the way of humanity, and in this recognition lies the dignity of all.

The lesson for us is clear: do not be deceived by words that flatter division. Seek instead the harder, nobler truth of equality. Justice is not a contest of superiority, but a recognition of shared humanity. The true victory is not when one side triumphs over the other, but when both walk together in mutual respect. This is the path of peace, the path of strength, the path of lasting change.

Practical actions follow from this. Reject rhetoric that pits women against men, for it only breeds rivalry. Celebrate ability wherever it is found, whether in a woman or a man, for wisdom and strength belong to no single gender. Teach children that equality is not sameness, but fairness—that all deserve the chance to rise according to their gifts. And when tempted by the sweet sound of dominance, remember that applause fades, but truth endures.

Thus, Campbell Brown’s words remind us that the cause of women is not to seek thrones above men, but to stand beside them as equals, neither diminished nor exalted by gender. Let this wisdom be passed down: that justice is not found in dominance, but in equality, and that the applause of the crowd is nothing compared to the steady march of truth.