Comments on: One More Thing http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/04/07/one-more-thing/ Girl-friendly points of view from women living midlife with humor and grace, keeping it real—staying young and healthy in heart and mind. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:43:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cathy http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/04/07/one-more-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1070 Cathy Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:49:29 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=1244#comment-1070 Ruining the career of a male in the military, or permanently scarring the life of a rape victim? hmmm... tough decision, right... Those men who victimize and do violence against their fellow female soldiers deserve more than just the end of a career. However, an atmosphere of do no good to others, and power over ethics is pervasive in the military and paramilitary professions such as firefighting and policing. With Don't Ask Don't Tell we've lost experts such as Arab linguists and those who are more than willing to fight for their country, and instead the Bush administration created a policy that, out of desperation, has had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and allow ex-cons and the like to enlist. I hope our new president puts these issues high on his list. He's doing all kinds of new and brave things, hopefully this too will get his attention. Ruining the career of a male in the military, or permanently scarring the life of a rape victim? hmmm… tough decision, right… Those men who victimize and do violence against their fellow female soldiers deserve more than just the end of a career. However, an atmosphere of do no good to others, and power over ethics is pervasive in the military and paramilitary professions such as firefighting and policing.

With Don’t Ask Don’t Tell we’ve lost experts such as Arab linguists and those who are more than willing to fight for their country, and instead the Bush administration created a policy that, out of desperation, has had to scrape the bottom of the barrel and allow ex-cons and the like to enlist.

I hope our new president puts these issues high on his list. He’s doing all kinds of new and brave things, hopefully this too will get his attention.

]]> By: Marsha Rose http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/04/07/one-more-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1067 Marsha Rose Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:22:07 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=1244#comment-1067 Thanks so much for shining a keig light on the despicable act of rape of American women soldiers by their male soldiers. Your article illuminates the shocking failure to protect women highlight the need for change. And change does not come about in the dark. Keep a light on the nasty subject of the rape of women and shout out to the men that it never Ok and it will not be tolerated. Good for you Carine to keep the women soldiers on everyone's minds. Respect will not be given until the world understands that we all benefit by women being respected. Thanks so much for shining a keig light on the despicable act of rape of American women soldiers by their male soldiers. Your article illuminates the shocking failure to protect women highlight the need for change. And change does not come about in the dark. Keep a light on the nasty subject of the rape of women and shout out to the men that it never Ok and it will not be tolerated. Good for you Carine to keep the women soldiers on everyone’s minds. Respect will not be given until the world understands that we all benefit by women being respected.

]]> By: dearpru http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/04/07/one-more-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1066 dearpru Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:53:07 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=1244#comment-1066 One of our president's many goals he sought to accomplish on his European tour was to enlist more NATO allies in the effort to bring peace (the usual way--through the deployment of more troops) to Afghanistan. He was asking for bodies; live, kicking and carrying weapons. But, interestingly, a handful of our allies said they would NOT send their soldiers to defend a country (Afghanistan) whose Constitution allows for the rape of a wife in its federally sanctioned marriage contract. (Talk about putting the government in your bedroom!) So, Carine, to bring this home, I find it VERY ironic that female American soldiers defending Afghanistan (or whatever you call what they're doing there) can be raped with impunity, and so can the women they are "defending." Maybe it's time for some "out-of-the-box" thinking on war, (punno intendo). Apparently, warfare and rape go hand-in-hand and, no matter how just the cause (routing the Taliban, for instance), these two violent acts are inseparable when men are trained to dehumanize each other to the point where they can justify killing, raping and torturing for the achievement of some loftier goal. If we "win," where is our sense of authority if in the process we've lost our humanity? One of our president’s many goals he sought to accomplish on his European tour was to enlist more NATO allies in the effort to bring peace (the usual way–through the deployment of more troops) to Afghanistan. He was asking for bodies; live, kicking and carrying weapons. But, interestingly, a handful of our allies said they would NOT send their soldiers to defend a country (Afghanistan) whose Constitution allows for the rape of a wife in its federally sanctioned marriage contract. (Talk about putting the government in your bedroom!) So, Carine, to bring this home, I find it VERY ironic that female American soldiers defending Afghanistan (or whatever you call what they’re doing there) can be raped with impunity, and so can the women they are “defending.” Maybe it’s time for some “out-of-the-box” thinking on war, (punno intendo). Apparently, warfare and rape go hand-in-hand and, no matter how just the cause (routing the Taliban, for instance), these two violent acts are inseparable when men are trained to dehumanize each other to the point where they can justify killing, raping and torturing for the achievement of some loftier goal. If we “win,” where is our sense of authority if in the process we’ve lost our humanity?

]]> By: Conz http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/2009/04/07/one-more-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1065 Conz Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:41:56 +0000 http://www.fiftyisthenew.com/?p=1244#comment-1065 It seems to me that the military is the perfect place for an exercise in truth and consequences. It's all about honor, isn't it? Where is the honor in exerting control over someone physically weaker than you, in enrolling others in your lies, in not coming forward? Speak up,men and women, let's move to a new definition of courage. No more cover-ups of the rapes of our brave female soldiers. EVER. It seems to me that the military is the perfect place for an exercise in truth and consequences. It’s all about honor, isn’t it? Where is the honor in exerting control over someone physically weaker than you, in enrolling others in your lies, in not coming forward? Speak up,men and women, let’s move to a new definition of courage. No more cover-ups of the rapes of our brave female soldiers. EVER.

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