Known for his wry sense of humor and thought provoking commentary, nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist Walt Handelsman attacks the pressing issues of the times. His entertaining and insightful cartoons cover topics ranging from national and local politics to social concerns.
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dtroutma
said, 5 months ago
There are a LOT of women I’d rather have covering my back in combat than the likes of Rush, and those whining they can’t do the job.
iamthelorax said, 5 months ago
I technically think this is great, but my spidey-sense is telling me it was more about increasing recruit volumes than about personal liberties.
Molon Labe said, 5 months ago
I have certain objections to the idea of putting women in combat roles. Imagine the following scenario.
A female pilot is shot down over enemy territory. She is captured. During her imprisonment she is raped and becomes pregnant. The child is born. The enemy now has a means of causing her to reveal everything she knows, by threatening the life of the child. And the can also refuse to allow her to take the child with her when she is offered repatriation. Stay here, and co-operate with us, and the child lives. Leave and you will never see your baby again. And as the child of an enemy of the people, they will not live a pleasant life.
The same kind of scenario can be played out with anyone who is capable of becoming pregnant.
Norplant, implantable contraception devices, only last for a year or two. Prisoners of war were held by the North Vietnamese for seven years or more in some cases.
Women also do not possess the upper body strength that men do. Men in combat will attempt to protect the women in their units, at greater risk to themselves than they would for their male counterparts. This will place mission effectiveness at risk.
The Israeli army at one time tried having women in combat. They decided it didn’t work out well for combat efficiency and effectiveness. We should not have to make the same mistakes. We should learn from their mistakes.
ODon said, 5 months ago
@Molon Labe
“Imagine the following scenario. A female pilot is shot down over enemy.”
We don’t have to imagine it as it has already happened but the rest of your scenario is a bit, uh, unique to say the least.
ARodney said, 5 months ago
The conservative misogynists are in force today! Get over it, guys, you lost.
dtroutma
said, 5 months ago
Theo: run a few volts through a guy’s privates, and he can get talkative, and THAT is not serious torture. The POW argument is stupid and silly.
My daughter was the first female firefighter/paramedic in her county. The “manly men” said she didn’t have the upper body strength to do the job. When she set a new record for the physical agility (and strength) test for that county, they backed off a tad. BTW, she’s slender, very attractive and done modeling, is now an RN, races bicycles (and beats most men), is a triathlete (beating most men) and can shoot better than most men I’ve known.
Yes, statistically women DO have less upper body strength than men, but the military in the U.S. has sadly found in recent decades, that “statistical average” for men has also gone way, way, down. However, the BMI (not muscles) for the average American male has gone UP, while their general physical stamina, and condition, has declined considerably.
Also, the Air Force has found that women can handle more "g’s " than men, and can do quite well as fighter pilots. Though with drones, even those teletubby guys can now be “combat pilots”.
Bruce4671 said, 5 months ago
I had a couple of Lady CO’s during my stint in the USArmy.
Good people, Smart, efficient, well trained and suited for the job.
dtroutma
said, 5 months ago
Since half of all fertilized eggs never implant in the uterus, and even more are lost to “natural” miscarriage, the “personhood” folks saying humanity starts at conception, must be aware that real misogynist is their “God”.