I agree with Kim that Barbara Boxer needs to apologize to Secretary Rice for her ridiculous rant about Rice not having to “pay the price” because she has no children. I would add that Boxer needs to apologize for a lot more than that though and from what I have seen, she is not big on apologies. So don’t be holding your breath waiting for that one.
Rice, as usual, maintained her composure and did not rise to the hypocritical fake feminist’s bait. I think I would have likely responded as Darleen says she would have:
Sister, not only will every American have something to pay if Islamists do as promised and start bringing their bombers here because you and the rest of the cut-n-runners want to surrender in Iraq, but you have some brass ovaries in suggesting that I’m somehow less authentic to speak on this issue because I haven’t bred to your specifications. Real feminist solidarity there, bitch. And if you want to play the ‘blood tie’ card, let’s talk about your grandfather paying for the boats that hauled my grandfather to the new world in chains, eh?
There is a very good reason that Condi Rice is in the position she is in. She can suffer fools like nobody’s business.
The perspective of many on the left when it comes to looking at the loss of life in Iraq is something I touched on in my Townhall column today. My point was that people die of many different things and I think that to die serving your country gives that death, and that life, more meaning. On a personal level, the pain and devastation is the same for the families, but on a different level, there is more meaning in such a death, than in a death due to an auto accident, or a fatal disease. I am not just talking about military deaths either. I think the same way about a life lost by a police officer or firefighter in the line of duty.
I received the following email in response to that Townhall column:
(From a Vietnam combat veteran whose son is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan)
You are absolutely right. More young adults have died as a result of crime, including DUIs in the last 12 months than have died in military service in the last five years. Therefore I advocate putting all our young people into the military and sending them to Iraq or Afghanistan. At least this way they’ll be given weapons to defend themselves and they’ll have a fighting chance.
My division alone lost more guys in one week in December of 1968 in Vietnam than all our forces in Iraq combined in the entire month of December, 2006, the so-called bloodiest month of this war. It’s an unspeakable tragedy at the individual level for the families, but to call it a “meat-grinder” is ridiculous. Did we really think we could fight the War on Terror without casualties?
That’s why so many combat veterans turn against their country, even when they served bravely and well. Most of the time they were the dreamers who became disillusioned when they realized they weren’t in a John Wayne movie. I knew better and I made sure my son did too. I didn’t turn against my country even though I was severely wounded and neither has my son.
See, here is the thing that I don’t get. Obviously no one wants to even consider the death of a child and I hope that Barbara Boxer’s kids and grandkids live to ripe old ages and peacfully die in their sleep. For some people, unfortunately, their lives or the lives of their loved ones will be cut short. Would Barbara Boxer prefer those deaths be at the hands of another 9/11 style attack, or the result of a suicide bombing on a bus, than in the line of duty, serving their fellow citizens?
Update: One point I forgot to make here is that Elizabeth Dole received some criticism during her run for the Presidency for not being a mother. I thought it was low then and that it is low now. And what does Boxer’s comment say about all those who think Oprah would be the best president ever? Why is it that only liberal women who choose the feminist ideal lifestyle get any praise for it? Liberals evidently want to keep conservative women barefoot and pregnant. (I say that as someone who has been pregnant twice and is barefoot at the moment.)
Update II: The Anchroress has a great post pointing to the childless presidents, and has a really good roundup of reaction to Boxer’s statements.
Hot Air has video, along with a great quote from Tony Snow.
