In response to:
What I'm reading here is Ms. Hughes wants her daughters to be helpless princesses, rather than strong, capable of doing for herself women. Pity.
I grew up on a farm and, like Elisabeth26, could ride a horse, shoot guns, drive anything, become a serious musician and artist, wear dresses and have tea parties. Nothing was closed to me, if I wanted to do it. Wound up serving in the Army, as an officer, then later as a civilian, for over 33 years. I did not have to turn myself into a mini man. Got shot at, got banged up, lost subordinates and peers to enemy action, and still retired as a well-adjusted woman who can do anything I need to do/want to do.
Would that your daughters learn to be as strong and independent. (Next)
Raising a daughter is tricky enough. Last week, the job of all American parents became much more complicated. Not only do parents of daughters have to worry about dates to the dance, mean girls on the playground, or making sure their daughters have good academic discipline but now parents also have to worry about the idea that if there ever is a national draft again, their daughter might just have the opportunity to sit in a foxhole, wet, cold and muddy, gripping the steel of an M-4 in her chapped hands, waiting to kill or be killed.
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However, I do thank you for serving.
I agree with you TallTex…having been a combat vet in the Nam…I having that protective instinct regarding the female of our species…I would not want women in direct combat roles…for that would cause undue pressures…other than just watching one’s back and mine theirs. Just the possibility of a female being captured by the enemy is not very appealing; when the idea of capture by the enemy for anyone isn’t desirable, it becomes 100x more undesirable for women.
Having said that…I am sure that, if require to do so, some women are very capable and if needed I am sure many would volunteer for combat; but why should they when they do not have too? Just to be politically correct…has never and will never, win wars.
Yes, women should be subject to the draft, just as men are. Did all men automatically go into combat arms when drafted? No -- so just get a flippin' grip, people.
Now listen to me...I spent 20 years chasng the liberated lie. I was the first woman in an all male profession.
I've never been in the military, but as a steel mill worker I can out carry, out fight, and out survive you. No women work in the mills as second helpers. None. They are crane operators or chem lab operators or whatever is safe. Come on down to the real world, you will see the difference.
You are lying to yourself.