Gary Palmer: Time-honored standard of conduct: "Women and Children First"

  With the shipwreck of the luxury cruise ship the Costa Concordia, one of the most honored codes of seamanship, indeed of Western manhood, was violated … the code of “women and children first.”

  Most of the coverage has focused on the cowardice of the captain who cravenly abandoned his ship, his crew and his passengers. However, it has been widely reported that male passengers and crew literally pushed women and children aside in their efforts to save themselves. In doing so, they shamed themselves by not abiding by a standard that was set 160 years ago. In fact, February 26th marks the 160th anniversary of the sinking of the HMS Birkenhead, the event that historically defined manly courage and responsibility in the face of maritime disaster.