Yes, guys, the 'Mad Men' era is over

Sexism reared its ugly head yesterday. Vin Weber, a longtime GOP strategist and top adviser to Tim Pawlenty’s presidential campaign, said of Michele Bachmann, “She’s got hometown appeal, she’s got ideological appeal. And, I hate to say it, but she’s got a little sex appeal too.” Oh boy. Mr. Weber was rightly pummeled for the "sex appeal" part of his remark and forced to apologize profusely. On the face of it, Weber's allusion to Bachmann's feminine attractiveness is fairly innocuous. Indeed, one might reasonably argue that objecting to Weber's words is political correctness run amok. On the other hand, far too many men sexually objectify women, even in 2011. The attendant negatives of such Neanderthal thinking are obvious. And as long as such attitudes persist among male homo sapiens, it is better to err on the side of political correctness even if it is sometimes excessive. Granted, one cannot regulate the reptilian male brain. But we can and should hold men accountable for any untoward behavior, verbal or otherwise. The "Mad Men" era is over, fellas. Get over it.