Now before I go any further let me just say that I am not military. I have not been in combat. I haven't been dragging myself or my buddies through desert sands or through a jungle somewhere. I don't want anyone to think that I am more than I am. Also, I fully support the United States military. All branches of the armed forces have my utmost respect. I have several friends and some that I would consider family currently serving in different branches. I also have friends and family that have served in the past. So get it right folks, I am all for our military.
Women have honorably been serving in the military for a long long time now. Starting all the way back to the American Revolution as nurses, seamstresses, and even combatants and moving forward women have had a role in keeping the strongest military in the world moving forward. So with that moving forward, it should not be surprising that now they are ready for combat. The world we live in has changed, so it's not surprising that the theater of war has changed with it. With the front lines moving from lines on a map to being an actual 360 degree field, women have already been in combat situations. It may not always be in the headlines, but it has and does happen. If you don't believe me, here's a prime example. Do you remember way back in 2003 when we were hearing the wild story of one PFC Jessica Lynch of the U.S. Army? Did you know that she emptied her gun before she was captured? It was all in the news, and way before we even thought of giving women the green light for combat.
Now I have heard in some media and read in others that women are just not physically or emotionally able to perform the jobs needed to go into combat. They won't be able to pick up a fallen fellow male soldier and carry them out of danger due to the lack of required upper body strength. They will be a distraction to the male soldiers when they are injured due to men being more willing to stay with a dead female soldier instead of moving on like they would with a male soldier. Women will be a distraction due to men being more preoccupied with fraternization than with fighting the fight. Women are just not emotionally able to kill. All of these things sound like a big line of bullshit. Let's take a look at these individual scenarios and just see how well they hold up in the real world. Here's the breakdown:
- They won't be able to pick up a fallen fellow male soldier and carry them out of danger, due to the lack of required upper body strength. This is just plain crazy talk. The reason is because not every male can pick up a fellow soldier. The human body is just a hard "sack of taters" to pick up. The dead weight and awkwardness of the human body is just too much for most people to lift and carry. This ain't going to be the movies, so let's just get real. Also, our military folk are generally very in shape, even the women. If this isn't enough to make sense to you, then the fitness program needs to be the same for all soldiers in all branches regardless of gender.
- They will be a distraction to the male soldiers when they are injured due to men being more willing to stay with a dead female soldier instead of moving on like they would with a male soldier. I just don't know that this would be the case at all. The enemy sniper has often used the technique of shooting to injure a target to bring more targets to kill. Also, the bond between soldiers is strong, especially after combat. Once a group has been together for a while they are all actually more willing to linger over a fallen comrade.
- Women will be a distraction due to men being more preoccupied with fraternization than with fighting the fight. I don't know about you, but if I get in a situation where bullets are flying and I'm in fear for my life, sex is the last thing on my mind. Let's also remember people, we live in a world where even looking at a woman wrong will get you slapped with a harassment charge quicker than you can turn around.
- Women are just not emotionally able to kill. Who the hell is emotionally ready to kill people, other than the psychotic or insane. That's why we have male soldiers coming home all the time with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Most people are just not wired for that kind of situation anyway, so why would women be any different.
Now I know that these are not the only arguments that people have against women in combat, but these seem to be the more prevalent topics. I have even heard arguments that if women are eligible for combat, won't they be eligible for the draft, and "it's not right to make my daughter eligible for the draft." Well, my response to that is why not make women eligible for the draft? Also, is your daughter more important than your son? To me, for someone to say that one group of people is more important than another is kind of stupid. You know most people might call that racist, or sexist, or any other number of names that I just lump into the stupid category.
So here's my stance on the whole issue. I think if women want to be totally equal to men in all rights then they should be expected to do everything that a man should be able to do. I look at it in all aspects of life too, not just the military. If a woman wants to come into the place of work and do the job that a man does she should be expected to put out the same quality and productivity as a man. I feel that it works the other way too, so don't jump on me for being an in the closet sexist. As far as women in combat? I think women have already been there in different aspects the whole time. Like I said in the beginning of this blog, women have actually been in combat situations since the American Revolution for us. If we want to go ahead and make it official then do it. If women want to join men in the ranks of combat soldier fine, but let's make it a totally even playing field. No special treatment, no different rules, everything the exact same for everyone to make it fair for both sexes. I have even heard the argument from some women saying that they don't want to have to go to combat, but they still think they should be able to join the military. Let's don't kid ourselves people, every man or woman that joins the military had better be willing to lay down his or her life for this country. If you don't think you could go into the military and never possibly see combat, then you should not join.
Feel free to leave comments. If this offends you, pisses you off, or you agree whole heartily, or with just parts, tell me. Also if you have a topic and want my opinion let me know. I can always use more topics.
