I know I’ve been posting a lot about the Universal National Service Act lately. But since I seem to be on something of a roll here, I’d just like to add one more thought on the topic. Look at this interesting little quote from the bill:

[list]”To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.”[/list]

Now some of you might think that what I’m about to say makes me a chauvinist, and maybe it does. But I’m not so sure drafting women into the military is such a great idea.

My reasoning here has absolutely nothing to do with their abilities, either. I am confident that given the opportunity, a woman could serve just as well if not better than any man. And I do believe that women should be allowed to serve in the military if they choose. But when you start a draft now you’re dealing with a totally different set of circumstances.

You see, war has something of history. It’s not exactly a nice place. Perhaps this bill is an attempt by the administration to ensure that such noble wartime traditions as harassment and rape are upheld, but I would tend to think there are enough atrocities in war as it is without looking for more. The history of sexual violence in war is a something that has been well documented. There have even been certain cases of rape and sexual assault in the U.S. military, despite America having a comparatively low rate of such acts in the military. And I know that a lot of those in Middle Eastern armies and terrorist groups wouldn’t bat an eye at the prospect of raping an American soldier. Really, who would have guessed that taking a group men on a testosterone high, placing them in an extreme environment where they are surrounded only by other men, and training them to kill without remorse might lead to a few cases of sexual violence? I know I’m as shocked as the rest of you.

Again, maybe I’m just being sexist here. Maybe there couldn’t be anything better than giving men and women equal wartime responsibilities. But my common sense keeps nagging at me that forcing women against their will to serve as an endless supply of rape victims might end badly.