Topless:
I assumed that any female reading my comments might be offended or at least annoyed.
I feel that I've used the term 'feminized' appropriately. I understand that others may disagree. Isn't America great?
Under the Clinton administration the armed services had most of the training norms brought down to whatever levels the female recruits could obtain, in most cases.
That's a fact and I don't find it a good thing for our armed services. Too much emphasis on attitudes, 'feelings' and PC nonsense that has little place in a fighting force. I've been in touch with many dedicated career military men who have decided to get out of the service after ten or more years because they don't like what it's become and the fear of saying 'the wrong thing' to a female soldier and being court-martialed or losing his chance at promotion. I call it military feminization.
It's an altering of the military in order to accomodate female soldiers and that is fine - to a point - but when a male soldier cannot depend on the female soldier next to him in a time of battle, that is dangerous and foolish. Not everything in war is pushing buttons, even in 2001. When a male soldier is afraid of saying 'the wrong thing' to a female soldier, that is awkward at best and makes serving with females a PITA, in my view.
These opinions come from online and actual conversations I've had with members of the armed forces. Basically, they say that everything changed when females came into the regular military and it's gone all downhill.
This is a result of the top brass bending over backward to please and accomodate females coming into the service and 'make them feel comfortable'. That, again, is fine - but when the physical differences are oblitered and ignored in order to let females 'pass', that isn't good for morale or future fighting these young women may have to face.
As for the female TV commentators; they tend to focus on the softer side of the tragedy, which I don't mind, but they never seem to addresss the context and many still act as if a plane crashed accidentally. They avoid the nitty gritty of the situation and so do most of the male TV newsreaders. I feel the TV newsrooms are feminized in order to attract women to watch TV news, which is understandable, but it also waters down the content.
Not that TV news is very good to begin with. I think it has a distinct liberal slant no matter who is giving it, but 'stars' like Perky Katie Coric really annoy me with their slant on the liberal view and the lack of real knowledge of many of the things she 'reports' on. Too much touchy-feeley for me.
I don't mean to be harsh, sexist or start a flame war, as I know that generalizing about gender or race or anything else is risky and offers the opportunity to annoy others and give the wrong impression. I accept that risk, as my history here on MW is one of welcoming and celebrating all of our female members. I applaud the women who buy, mod, tune and race Mustangs. You are very special ladies and you are now and have always been appreicated here.
My comments and somewhat negative views in prior posts address a general 'feminization' (as I see it) in the military and in the media. They do not pertain to any specific person (except Ms. Coric) and certainly not our Mustang ladies. You guys are the best.
My complaint is not about 'women' in general (I'm married to a very lovely, intelligent and capable woman) but about the military over-compensating to make women 'fit' in the armed forces instead of making the women fit the military a bit better. That's backwards.
The news commentators are less important, and many are quite competent as well as attractive, but the 'female' slant I see I find objectionable. I expect that if actual war broke out, many of them would be against it. Then again, maybe not.
It's just my observation, not an attack on womenhood, so please don't misunderstand my remarks on the subject. I appreciate yours.
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