Rick Santorum and the Women’s Vote – Would his Position on Women in the Front Lines of War Derail his Candidacy – Think again

Rick Santorum and his family - Surrounded by Women - Imagine your daughter on the battlefield? image: girlsinwhitedresses.wordspress.com


From the Washington Postcomes an article by Jennifer Rubin, regarding Santorum’s view of women serving in the military – on the front lines, as suggested recently by the Administration. She takes offense that Santorum feels that emotions might preclude women safely conducting themselves on the front lines – something that is easy for a woman who stands no chance of being on the front lines to rattle on about. She goes further into Rick Santorum’s take on women, as far back as 1990, when he wrote about his family and the role of women and men in the family – one that is decidedly conservative and Catholic in nature – she takes offense at that as well.

Will Santorum’s view of women serving on the front lines really make women turn on Rick? It’s unlikely given that it would be women’s daughters serving on the front line, let alone their sons, and frankly, one might not care how “sexist” his viewpoint may be, it works when it involves the safety of our nations children, especially women. What Ms. Rubin fails to see, is that not all women are rushing to join a combat unit, we also have no data on how effective a woman will be in combat, we do know that women serve in the military and honorably, and that they are on the front lines, unable sometimes to defend themselves due to ridiculous restrictions that are more than archaic – however, give us guns but don’t put us on the front lines – we’re mothers, and daughters, and those roles should be considered.

Emotion – do women tend to react emotionally? To deny that is to deny that there is a moon, sun and stars, it is not to say that woman cannot effectively defend themselves, but, there is a difference between worrying about one’s daughter on a date, and worrying about one’s daughter on the front lines of a battlefield. That is an emotion that cannot be denied, except when it suits those on the left who can somehow tie in a political incorrect gaffe from the opposition team (i.e. Conservative versus Liberal)

It is his opinion, and frankly, this blogger among other mothers that have young teenage daughters, are not so enamored of the decision either. Perhaps we are tired of war, and perhaps we would like to see the troops come home, and perhaps we would like to see a bit of tradition upheld – or make that directive elective – as in, “if you want to go to the front lines, go ahead, but if not, you can just continue on with what you are doing.”.
Rick Santorum, a man who calls his wife a hero, a man who holds her education and her successes up as part and parcel of why she is the love of his life –can be a bit old fashioned, but one might be hard pressed to find him not advocate for equal pay for equal work (check his voting record on that for instance), and to stand up for women on all issues – he is pro-life, admittedly and unabashedly – and that is the problem with Rick Santorum and the left – so to those who feel this will be the end of Rick and the women, think again. There are those who will be offended, naturally, those who want to go to combat and those who would never leave Manhattan or Washington and feel that a woman should be the first to go – they are also the first to citizen a well –worn pantsuit – catty to the core - defending Abortion to the teeth.

There are women who believe in equal rights, but equal rights, as far as wages and educational opportunities are concerned, but are we really that ridiculous that we must lobby for, what amounts to, suicide? This from a feminist who is also anti-war when it comes to real cannon fodder – rather than the use of air strikes and drones.