President Obama’s recent decree that he will put an end to “Don’t ask don’t tell” is by all accounts a transformational declaration of most promising proportions. During this period of war we need every heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender (pre-op), transgender (post-op), male and female who are able bodied and willing to answer the Nation’s call. I care not about who these folks are attracted to or what they do within the confines of their own bedrooms. Military service should be available to all who have a desire to defend the United States of America.
There are just a few things that we need to iron out in order to facilitate the reversal of this policy that has caused such uproar for so long. Maybe if we work fast enough on the details we can open the floodgates for our new volunteers to be part of the upcoming surge in Afghanistan. I’m sure many are waiting in the wings, chomping at the proverbial bit, anxious to grab their rifles and start annihilating the enemy. I want them to have their opportunity.
Now back to those few things that need to be done. It all boils down to some fairly practical matters; billeting and bathing. Since the full integration of all parties interested in service will bring together a spectrum of attractions, intentions, and environmental conditions regarding close-quarter living, we just need to iron out those details of who will be sharing intimate space with whom. After all, we must protect the personal privacy inherent in the individual at the same time celebrate the diversity of our ranks.
How shall we do this? Who will billet and bathe in the same facilities?
Heterosexual males and homosexual females? Nope
Heterosexual males and homosexual males? Nope
Heterosexual males and bisexual males? Nope
Heterosexual males and bisexual females? Nope
Heterosexual transgender (pre-op) males and homosexual transgender (post-op) females? Nope
Okay, this doesn’t seem to work as easy as I thought it would. I’m sure there is a combination out there that will make this easy but I can’t seem to nail it down. Since everyone (including white male heterosexuals over 40!) has a right to the protection of their gender and sexual orientation from the unwanted advances and potentially uncomfortable realities of others who might be attracted to them, the open inclusion of all representative groups is going to mandate huge infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the various dispositions. So we will need billeting segregated by gender and orientation, as well as bathroom facilities. I guess we could just use the same bathrooms but set up specific times of day for the let’s say homosexual female transgender (post-op) folks. We could just work up a simple schedule. That way no one is in danger of being in those intimate private circumstances with someone representing another demographic thereby causing discomfort and affecting the mission. Or we could just build a host of one-person rooms, each with its own bathroom and assign one to every service member throughout the globe. But, then there’s the cost.
Oh wait! Here is another option.
I am all for every swinging Richard (oops! Will need to find an alternate saying!!)…..every worthy individual desiring to serve this Nation having the unfettered opportunity to do so. With a plethora of limp-wristed Americans who feel that the country’s problems are not their problems, it is refreshing that there are still others willing to answer the call. So let them.
The easy way to make this happen is to remove all restrictions (except those currently used to determine suitability for service) on who can join and who can do what. Declare that acceptance into the military makes you a military serviceperson, independent of your gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, creed, or background. Establish one standard for service. If the individual meets the entry requirements then he/she can participate in the full spectrum of service options without regard to any individual discriminators. That means one height/weight standard, one physical fitness standard, no preclusion for direct combat service, all jobs available to all who qualify for the prerequisites. This also mandates that military persons live, bathe, eat, sleep, and work in unisex facilities to be provided. There can be no special treatment, preference, segregation, unique accommodation, protected class of individual, or other policy that provides anything for an individual above or below the standard for the whole. This is truly an all for one and one for all approach and the true essence of team.
Gone will be the days of different standards and double standards for males and females that have degraded military effectiveness for years. It will be refreshing to do away with “conditional equality” and see everyone as equal contributors held to the same standard. We can welcome our new personnel and not be shackled by the mindsets and considerations of the past that diverted attention and resources from our most pressing concerns. We might actually improve our collective capabilities and turn a corner towards a military focused on mission in lieu of social experimentation.
History might prove that President Obama actually earned that Nobel Peace Prize after all. Once we create our new “one-standard” military and leverage all this talent waiting to serve, we can get busy destroying the enemy which will hopefully result in some degree of lasting peace and validate his preemptive award.
I guess this might really be as easy in practice as it was for the President to declare it. I’m excited about the future!!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Commercial Freedom
It is official. I hate TV. What a waste of life. I admit I still watch a good sports event or old movie with regularity. And, I do attempt to stay informed (whatever!) via watching various news programs. But, as my darling sister Deb (you might know her as the best Blog designer East of the Mississippi) knows too well, it's the ubiquitous commercial interruptions that are at the heart of my disdain!!! (ask her about Big Daddy and the remote)
http://fitzhugh-life.blogspot.com/
I have narrowed my issue down to two root causes. First and foremost is the computer. Technology and our control of it have made us all very impatient to the extent that we are conditioned to "minimize" or "x-out" of anything we don't like or that is not moving fast enough for us. Check out this link for an interesting read when you have some time to kill. (www.marcprensky.com/writing )
Click on the link for Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.
Commercial interruptions disrupt the flow of the entertainment and by virtue of the aforementioned impatience I must get rid off them. And besides, none of the advertisements do anything to influence how I live, what I buy, where I go, or who I am. Which brings me to the second source of my pain. The commercials themselves.
It is painfully obvious that the advertising world has been taken over by women who are trying to get subtle points across by the manner in which men are portrayed. This is especially true in any commercial that depicts men and women in a family setting. The woman is usually attractive, well spoken, confident, and running the show (so to speak). By contrast the man is usually the stereotype of what women don't want (or maybe what they do want so their imperfections are overshadowed); overweight, balding, not too bright, submissive, weak, whiny, etc. The typical loser-dumb-jock-idiot seems to be the baseline standard.
I will refrain from giving any examples. I just want to plant the seed so as you are spending quality time watching this mind-numbing mess, you might have an "aha moment" when you see for yourself how true this is. And don't forget the Sitcoms. There have been many a hottie married to the dumb fat guy or total boob but you will never see a hunk-of-burning-man married to a chunky-butt stupid female. That just doesn't happen but if it does please let me know so I can watch that show!
Now, before anyone gets their unmentionables in a wad, relax. I hate double standards of any sort. In any context whether it be race, gender, orientation, etc. it matters not to me what your deal is. Just don't scream "EQUALITY" and then unbalance the scale by your actions. Hypocrisy beams like a beacon in the night. I'm overweight and balding by the way.
http://fitzhugh-life.blogspot.com/
I have narrowed my issue down to two root causes. First and foremost is the computer. Technology and our control of it have made us all very impatient to the extent that we are conditioned to "minimize" or "x-out" of anything we don't like or that is not moving fast enough for us. Check out this link for an interesting read when you have some time to kill. (www.marcprensky.com/writing )
Click on the link for Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.
Commercial interruptions disrupt the flow of the entertainment and by virtue of the aforementioned impatience I must get rid off them. And besides, none of the advertisements do anything to influence how I live, what I buy, where I go, or who I am. Which brings me to the second source of my pain. The commercials themselves.
It is painfully obvious that the advertising world has been taken over by women who are trying to get subtle points across by the manner in which men are portrayed. This is especially true in any commercial that depicts men and women in a family setting. The woman is usually attractive, well spoken, confident, and running the show (so to speak). By contrast the man is usually the stereotype of what women don't want (or maybe what they do want so their imperfections are overshadowed); overweight, balding, not too bright, submissive, weak, whiny, etc. The typical loser-dumb-jock-idiot seems to be the baseline standard.
I will refrain from giving any examples. I just want to plant the seed so as you are spending quality time watching this mind-numbing mess, you might have an "aha moment" when you see for yourself how true this is. And don't forget the Sitcoms. There have been many a hottie married to the dumb fat guy or total boob but you will never see a hunk-of-burning-man married to a chunky-butt stupid female. That just doesn't happen but if it does please let me know so I can watch that show!
Now, before anyone gets their unmentionables in a wad, relax. I hate double standards of any sort. In any context whether it be race, gender, orientation, etc. it matters not to me what your deal is. Just don't scream "EQUALITY" and then unbalance the scale by your actions. Hypocrisy beams like a beacon in the night. I'm overweight and balding by the way.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Dishwashers
I couldn't sleep this morning so I was up very early. I happened upon a great story on TV about our current struggles against Osama Bin Laden and his cohorts who are hell-bent on our destruction. After that show I watched the tail-end of a program on how Parris Island makes Marines. They interviewed many of the recruits undergoing training and asked what drove them to serve.
One particular recruit put it all in perspective. He said, "you don't get invited to someone's house for dinner and not offer to help out with the dishes". This Marine gets it. He understands that when you benefit from the goodness of others, there exists an inherent obligation to pitch in and offer to help.
How long have we been feasting at the table of freedom offered by the sacrifices of some of our countrymen? Why is it that only few Americans feel compelled to lend a hand cleaning up our problems? I have no expectation that everyone hop the next plane to Parris Island, but I do think that more of us could and should actively seek out ways to help fight our way through this madness.
If nothing else, more should be done to educate ourselves as to what exactly we are up against. Our children should be introduced to the concept of patriotism. They need to understand the realities of the country in which they live and that real people have died preserving their way of life. Reach out to someone who has been in the fight, lost a loved one, or endured a long separation from their family. Don't assume you understand until you have made a real effort to. Ignore your preconceived notions of why we are at war and who's to blame. Focus on the reality that we are and it won't end anytime soon.
We are a nation of 300 million Americans. Our sink is full; certainly more of us could help wash the dishes.
One particular recruit put it all in perspective. He said, "you don't get invited to someone's house for dinner and not offer to help out with the dishes". This Marine gets it. He understands that when you benefit from the goodness of others, there exists an inherent obligation to pitch in and offer to help.
How long have we been feasting at the table of freedom offered by the sacrifices of some of our countrymen? Why is it that only few Americans feel compelled to lend a hand cleaning up our problems? I have no expectation that everyone hop the next plane to Parris Island, but I do think that more of us could and should actively seek out ways to help fight our way through this madness.
If nothing else, more should be done to educate ourselves as to what exactly we are up against. Our children should be introduced to the concept of patriotism. They need to understand the realities of the country in which they live and that real people have died preserving their way of life. Reach out to someone who has been in the fight, lost a loved one, or endured a long separation from their family. Don't assume you understand until you have made a real effort to. Ignore your preconceived notions of why we are at war and who's to blame. Focus on the reality that we are and it won't end anytime soon.
We are a nation of 300 million Americans. Our sink is full; certainly more of us could help wash the dishes.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
"Driving" me crazy....
A few weeks ago I was in Denver with some time to kill so I went to the house I lived in for a few years as a child. I walked up to the door, rang the doorbell and asked the nice woman who answered if she had any objection to me taking a picture of the house. She asked me to clarify my name again and when I did she got all excited and invited me in. Apparently she and her husband bought the house from my parents 35 years ago and they have been living there ever since. The house looked great by the way and it was a treat to step back in time and see the old fireplace where my siblings and I posed for pictures in our PJs.
As I was talking to these fine people the subject of how much they paid for the house came up. It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 33K back in ’73 let’s say. WOW!! Kind of makes me want to hurl considering what I paid for my current house three years ago!
Now my point……
Listening to the news in the last 24 hours you might have heard all the hue and cry regarding the auto industry and their sad sales numbers for December. I am about sick of hearing how terrible this is and how my money should be used to help this bunch of ungrateful nuts salvage their livelihoods. You see, over the last many years the auto industry and everyone associated with it has done very well. The 33K used in 1973 to purchase a modest single-family home is now the price tag for a vehicle with some degree of quality.
I do not feel much sympathy for an industry that has been living the good life for a long time raping the public with over-priced, poorly built, machines of convenience that will never last as long as that house I lived in. Think of the cheesy approach of the salesman as you pull into the parking lot of a dealership just to have a look. The frothing at the mouth as they start working numbers in their minds based on what you look like, what you drove up in, and how well you know their products. Then fast-forward to the game that is played with the sales manager as you “negotiate” the actual out-the-door price and each time you give him/her your number they tell you how it “should” be no problem. Don’t even get me started on the whole financing game where the vultures prey on the weak and target those who really can’t afford a car but can easily get talked into signing on the dotted line.
Before we even get to this point, thousands of people are all working together to build these overpriced hunks of junk in factories all over the country. They have union contracts and make good money doing mind-numbing work so this whole game can continue. Have you ever bought a “Monday” car? How about a “Friday” car? I have this theory that on certain days the workers aren’t worth a crap and consequently the cars coming off the line those days are the lemons we all get to purchase.
I am being way too hard on these people I know. I really don’t know much about the industry but as a customer I have some experience. I have nothing against people making a living in their chosen vocation. I do however take issue with the whining and need for a handout to aid those who are victims of their own avarice. I say let the companies fall on their faces. In a capitalist society this happens. It is okay and yes there will be fallout but I am not signing up to fix their problems with my money. If these people associated with this industry are having a tough time then they should do as others have done and make a change.
Our economy is in the shitter right now regardless. Maybe the best way for all of us to get a grip is to feel some of the sting of the past many years-of-plenty. Fat years and lean years are not a new concept. History shows that when life is good we fail to acknowledge it sufficiently with gratitude and temperance and we fail to prepare for the eventual downturns that are sure to follow. It is interesting how we ourselves seem to be in full control of all of this. So why are we complaining now?
As I was talking to these fine people the subject of how much they paid for the house came up. It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 33K back in ’73 let’s say. WOW!! Kind of makes me want to hurl considering what I paid for my current house three years ago!
Now my point……
Listening to the news in the last 24 hours you might have heard all the hue and cry regarding the auto industry and their sad sales numbers for December. I am about sick of hearing how terrible this is and how my money should be used to help this bunch of ungrateful nuts salvage their livelihoods. You see, over the last many years the auto industry and everyone associated with it has done very well. The 33K used in 1973 to purchase a modest single-family home is now the price tag for a vehicle with some degree of quality.
I do not feel much sympathy for an industry that has been living the good life for a long time raping the public with over-priced, poorly built, machines of convenience that will never last as long as that house I lived in. Think of the cheesy approach of the salesman as you pull into the parking lot of a dealership just to have a look. The frothing at the mouth as they start working numbers in their minds based on what you look like, what you drove up in, and how well you know their products. Then fast-forward to the game that is played with the sales manager as you “negotiate” the actual out-the-door price and each time you give him/her your number they tell you how it “should” be no problem. Don’t even get me started on the whole financing game where the vultures prey on the weak and target those who really can’t afford a car but can easily get talked into signing on the dotted line.
Before we even get to this point, thousands of people are all working together to build these overpriced hunks of junk in factories all over the country. They have union contracts and make good money doing mind-numbing work so this whole game can continue. Have you ever bought a “Monday” car? How about a “Friday” car? I have this theory that on certain days the workers aren’t worth a crap and consequently the cars coming off the line those days are the lemons we all get to purchase.
I am being way too hard on these people I know. I really don’t know much about the industry but as a customer I have some experience. I have nothing against people making a living in their chosen vocation. I do however take issue with the whining and need for a handout to aid those who are victims of their own avarice. I say let the companies fall on their faces. In a capitalist society this happens. It is okay and yes there will be fallout but I am not signing up to fix their problems with my money. If these people associated with this industry are having a tough time then they should do as others have done and make a change.
Our economy is in the shitter right now regardless. Maybe the best way for all of us to get a grip is to feel some of the sting of the past many years-of-plenty. Fat years and lean years are not a new concept. History shows that when life is good we fail to acknowledge it sufficiently with gratitude and temperance and we fail to prepare for the eventual downturns that are sure to follow. It is interesting how we ourselves seem to be in full control of all of this. So why are we complaining now?
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