Wow. Look at that. Blood can actually boil.

[icewolf]

Listening to a story on NPR that's part of a "Women in War" series.

The fact that someone just asserted that no woman would be able to pick up a incapacitated infantryman and that every other available man would just makes my head spin. I can't bench press 250 lbs, but there are plenty of women out there who can. And plenty of men who can't.

Hats off to Michele Norris for not completely losing it and screaming at these people. I would not be able to hold on to my professionalism in the face of such logical deficiency.

Comments

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

I can't bench 250. Maybe once, if my life depended on it.

I could, however, punch this guy silly.

[thirdbase.livejournal.com]

I used to drag football players. And I was the big strong one on my team, and was not the only one doing it. It's all technique really. It has a little to do with strength, but if you can make it through boot camp, you have the strength.

I wouldn't scream, I'd just start laughing hysterically, which wouldn't be professional either.

Opps I'm commenting, this can't end well

[the-mithril-man.livejournal.com]

Eh when you consider that as recently as 100 years ago, and to this day in some backwater parts of this world women are listed under the heading “Spoils of War” I can see what the person is getting at. I remember my cousin in the fire department telling me about people being injured due to female firefighters because the standards were lowered to allow them entry. I know it’s sort of an apples to oranges comparison but at the core is the same argument. I’m sure there are women that can do the job they are however the exception that proves the rule. I’ve known female Marines that couldn’t lift me from a prone position. And this was back when I was a dainty 240lbs.

I never once doubted that they wanted to do it, I've learned it's best to not doubt Marines in general.But they didn’t have the muscle. I know that there are many roles for women in today’s military, Hell they had vital roles in yesterdays military too, just ask any soldier who met Clara Barton or Dorothea Dix. But the standard exists for a reason, while 10% may be able the other 90% can’t, and if the only way to keep those 90 from getting someone killed is to disqualify all then unfortunately that’s what must be done. Or if you can just give me those 10% with out the other 90 calling a lawyer then that’s good. All said and done the military exists to kill people and blow things up, every time I hear about someone trying to conduct some kind of social science experiment with it, it makes me uneasy.

And two final thoughts, can the next thing with the feminism tag be about some of the more barbaric practices in the parts of the world where our military currently is? I mean mothers holding down there own daughters so some doctor can mutilate them for life? Honor killings? C’mon Wolf you got a wicked left, and maybe a few good shots could knock these folk up here in the 21st century with the rest of us. So they too can debate a woman’s fitness to do a job and fail at it as badly as the men do.

And second, yes blood can boil but it’s usually at 63,000 feet without a pressure suit. C’mon I put the science stuff on my LJ for a reason. Cause it’s really frigging cool!