When Joni, Comes Marching Home.

    Now that the ban has been lifted not only will women be able to serve in the military they will be sent to the front lines and they will now take participate in major combat.I realize such action was inevitable and I know we have women doing other jobs that were once predominantly reserved for males.I know we now have women who are firefighters police officers and  women body builders. I've even seen women work on various construction sights and I know one woman who does construction work and she's a jack hammer operator.Now,  that women will be serving in combat zones, it appears,  they have broken one of the last barriers that society placed on them I suppose from the perspective of many women this is a great victory for them. I suppose one should say congratulations call me old fashioned perhaps,  but some how at least in some ways, I think women may  have lost as much as they gained.
    I know for many years women have sought equality with men on all levels and I applaud them for their efforts. I am at a loss however, to understand why women want to be put in occupations that many times will only prove they can die just like a man can.The question for me has never really been whether a woman could be a fire fighter or a police officer or serve in the military in a combat zones I am sure many women are strong enough to do any of these jobs and I suppose if they really want to they should have the right to do so but many times I feel like that they then give up certain rights that made them special and worth protecting. Here is what I mean.  Remember what a captain used to say when his ship was sinking? "Everyone to the life boats women and children first." chivalry, was the reason the captain gave these orders our society used to believe that women lives should be preserved at  all cost so in times of peril they were often saved first. Now I suppose the captain would  have to say after the children it's everyone for themselves.I think that at least some men in the military will have a hard time treating women in combat just like one of the guys some will have a desire to protect women and this will cause them to hesitate in the middle of certain combat situations and that one moment of hesitation potentially could  get some good men killed.I realize we have an all voluntary military and no one gets drafted anymore  so men and women sign up of there own free will and they both know the risk. I also understand that women want to advance there military careers just as the men do and serving in combat will mean greater pay and a better chance for  for advancement.I suppose many women will be glad now because they will be able to prove that they are qualified to serve in combat zones. What a wonderful thing to celebrate now both men and women can both go into combat and  die as equals then again,  death makes us all equal doesn't it? As always, my friends, these thoughts remain, just, some words to think on.