Capitol Hill Blue Forums Misc. Topics The Media "We scream, We Swoon, How Dumb Can We Get?"

Redheat, I respect what you are saying, but using one sexist argument (brawns/brains) to counter another has, in my opinion, never worked.

Sexism cuts both ways.

That was actually more of joke. However again the fact is that women and men differ physically. That doesn't make them better just different. I don't understand the reluctance of women to own up to a fact that is biology. That doesn't mean that women CAN'T be strong as a man, work as hard as a man or shouldn't be paid for the same work as a man. None of that has anything to do with the simple fact that men for the most part of physcially "brawneer" then women. It isn't "sexist" it's simple science.

Red, this is, at least in one way, a moot point because I really don't want anybody in the military at all.

I think women have the strength and ability to be good soldiers, and I think women in the American and Israeli armies have proved that.

If a woman wants to be a soldier and is held back because of some of the men she would serve with, that is no fault of hers and no reflection of what her capabilities are.

That's all I'm saying. I think we do agree on that much, although from that point, we proceed in different directions.

You may want to start a thread on this topic as we've wandered pretty far from the topic of this one.

I was thinking the same. I would find it useful if someone would summarize the question at hand in this thread so that we may re-focus.

I'll try to do a summary sometime in the next 2-3 hours

I understood the question to be, at its most basic level, should sexist opinions such as the one published in the Washington Post even be given the time of day by the media?

Thanks, 2wins, my mind was elsewhere and I was thinking "summarize the ANSWERS" - something I was willing to do, but not particularly excited about.

Thanks for saving me a bunch of time!
j

Yes this thread has gotten off topic....

And still off topic for just another little bit, if I may, Mellow...

"Getting laid" helps a woman's temper, Mick?
Thank you, it didn't help mine a bit.
Oh Mick, you might want to rethink that statement.

I don't do aerobics (I do weights and nautilus) but it doesn't surprise me that the female instructor kicked your ass. It has been my experience that often woman have more endurance than men do.
The women in the military in Israel are a testament that women have the stamina to go to war. It is mandatory there. I personally could not do it. I think war is wrong but it has nothing to do with my abilities. If I had to defend my family, you just might want to get out of my way.
The jewish women that I know that have served or their children are in the military right now, don't report widespread rape and sexual harassment. I do believe most men and women can live together without losing control. Sheesh.
Do you remember Lynndie England?
Who needs protection against who?

I hate to think that going to war is what southern men do best but I understand what you're trying to say.
That said, my experience was very different. We both grew up in Atlanta area at around the same time. I even grew up on the poorer SIDE of town but the men I was around were desperate NOT to go to war....stay in school, get married, etc. My ex and I spoke seriously of going to Canada when he got drafted.
I threw out the comment about the soldiers not being spit on without providing a link to that information. I read an article a while back about that being mostly spin. That most soldiers did not report being treated poorly when they came home. That's not to say, just like during this war, that weren't exceptions like what happened to you.

There is way more I could say and am inclined to but this isn't the thread and I'm too distracted with personal stuff anyway.
Just be careful how you tread, Mick. Some of us women, suthern and not, aren't going to let you guys get away with what feels and sounds like sexism to us.

Olyve

Olyve,

I thought about going to Canada too, when I was drafted. I didn't and stuck it out. Those were not happy times for me.

Had my son been ever been at risk of being drafted, well, I don't know that I could support that. I might have done something pretty drastic to keep him from that experience.

War is completely insane, barbaric, and unnecessary as far as Im concerned and don't give a damn about who disagrees with me.

Where there are job strikes...those who strike are rarely the true beneficiary's of their reasons for striking. They can never make up the loss for their cause. But war is way more brutal and costly. If one loses their home or car...eventually then can replace them in most cases, but when one loses a child, sibling, or spouse...they can never be replaced. The resources expended by governments can't be recovered to be better ulitized for progress and for truly positive causes and needs.

I agree with Schlack...women shouldn't serve in military...but neither should men.

Apparently not.

I did not mean to imply that going to war is what Southerners do best. What I meant to say was that we do it more than most people. I didn't say it was a good thing. I can't tell you about current statistics but more people from the South served in Vietnam proportionately than any other region of the U.S.

As to women serving in combat units, we'll just have to agree to disagree. There are 1,000 reasons why it is a bad idea. You think it's a great idea. We aren't going to convince each other.