Its a sharp contrast to the faux-fairness statute of “separate but equal;” we now have a situation where disparate groups (men and women, in this case) are united rather than separate, but are not treated equally. According to the Associated Press, not only do more than half the women in Marine boot camp fail to meet the minimum standard of three pullups, they are also required to complete less than half as many as their male counterparts in order to receive a “perfect score” on their fitness examination. (Jelinek, Fitness Plan is Delayed, n.p.) What this means in short is that female Marines arent expected to pull their own weight (figuratively and literally), while this is expected of men. I want to be exceptionally clear on this matter: this is not an issue of equal rights, it is instead an issue of practical capabilities. Every Marine is expected to be capable of performing certain duties, and their ability to perform these duties is likely to be the deciding factor between the life and death of one of their peers. This is not hyperbole or metaphor, it is an actual fact. Cutting corners means allowing people who can not perform these duties to be allowed into active combat, and therefore risking the lives of those men and women serving beside them. Im by no means even slightly suggesting that women not be allowed to serve. A female friend of mine is in fact a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine). And do you know what? I cant do three pullups either. Do you notice how not a Marine I am? If I wanted to be a Marine (which I dont) then I would damned well get myself into shape enough to do three damned pullups. And if I couldnt do them (which I couldnt) then I would expect to be denied entrance, because thats why standards exist: to make sure everyone meets them – they are not here just to be modified in the interest of fairness.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 04:44:52 +0000
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