The Hard Line
Moms March to War
By R. Cort Kirkwood
February 12, 2003
(AgapePress) - An ignored issue in the upcoming war in Iraq, the waning war in Afghanistan, and indeed the U.S. military in general, is mothers. And not the mothers who send their sons and husbands to die.
We're talking here about mothers in the military, those dispatched overseas to leave husband and hearth behind, and most importantly, young children in the lurch. For some, this is "progress," to use the peculiar patois of feminists and their swains in the military.
But the other end of this nutty egalitarian equation, infants and small children, probably wouldn't view it that way.
The Case of Private Christina
The most recent case concerns Private Christina Carde, a "print journalist" serving in Afghanistan. The Armed Forces Press Service celebrates her in the article, "U.S. Army Pfc. Christina Carde: A Mom's Mission."
After witnessing the destruction and murder of September 11, 2001, Pfc. Christina told the propaganda agency, "I thought about my son and what could happen again if we didn't do something. That's what made me go ahead with my conviction to join the Army."
Lest you think we're talking about a 13-year-old boy who might understand Mom bailing out for a hitch in the Army, don't. He is 3 years old. "He didn't understand," she said, but "I think he's become more accustomed to it now."
And why is that? "Carde was in basic training and Advanced Individual Training for about eight-and-a-half months," the press service reports. "Her son was then with her again for five months before she deployed to Afghanistan for six months. ?In total,' she said, ?by the time I get back I'm going to have been away from him a third of his life.'"
In other words, the boy doesn't know his mother.
Does Anyone See a Problem Here?
One has to wonder what's going on at the Pentagon?
Perhaps the would-be MacArthurs see nothing wrong with a mother dumping her young son. Or maybe they think separation from Mom is best for the tike.
Or maybe someone lost his mind. Who are the military morons who think this is a good idea? Then again, given that many mothers dump their kids in daycare to pursue careers anyway, perhaps this is the next logical step.
The feminists will say Pfc. Christina has as much "right" as the next guy to serve her country. That isn't true, of course, but for a minute let's concede the argument. It doesn't follow that a mother has a "right" to ditch her kids. The best interests of the child supersede the professional desire or patriotic zeal of the mother and trump the interests of the state.
For that little boy, the best thing is to have Mom at home.
By the way, patriotism ain't the real reason Pfc. Christina signed up, the press service reported. Rather, she "enlisted in the Army to earn college benefits and improve her family's lot in life."
She enlisted for 30 pieces of silver.
Bring the Mothers Home, Mr. President
Pfc. Christina isn't the first or only mother who shipped out for the Gulf and left a child in the lurch.
But she ought to be the last.
If President Bush is as "compassionate" as he says, maybe he can spare a little compassion for these kids.
Be a man, Mr. President. Bring the mothers home.
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