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Mick Polich's avatar

Strong column, Joan. The sad thing is that this brand of Christian nationalism has been building for decades while the majority thought we were on a more progressive humanistic path. Apparently not. Yeah, I don't have kind thoughts for that fratboy who is the secretary of defense (I'll keep using the old moniker). Thank you for this.

Joan Zwagerman's avatar

Thanks for reading, Mick!

Karen Swope's avatar

I never knew about WAC training in Iowa! Thanks for this review.

Joan Zwagerman's avatar

You never know what you’re gonna learn when you go to the zoo! I didn’t know any of that history, either!

Denise OBrien's avatar

Thank you for this Joan. It’s an outrage, as we all know, that our country has been going backwards.

Joan Zwagerman's avatar

Going backwards at an alarming pace! I was talking with some friends last night and we all acknowledge that you don’t easily “come back” from so much dismantling of services and standards. It take intention to build a good society but it takes far less time to dismantle it.

Denise OBrien's avatar

Oh so true. I think often of how long it will take to build from this destruction.

Judy's avatar

I had a sudden attack of wisdom this morning in the bathroom of course. It shouldn’t take 77 years for an old baby boomer woman Veteran to develop some kind of wisdom. Can we all agree that Hegseth has some very bizarre ideas and behavior at times? Not unlike the patterns of behavior exhibited by women who are struggling with PMS. (Premenstrual stress syndrome). So now we know why he thinks he needs testosterone. Or should he try out some Estrogen instead?

Joan Zwagerman's avatar

I’d like him to take a compassion pill but I have the same wish for that entire administration.

Paul A. Brewer's avatar

Having worked in a couple of male-dominated professions (wildlife biology and firefighting), both were greatly improved the more that became less the case. Denying or erecting barriers to all kinds of diversity (in nature too!) is a recipe for less resilience and eventual disaster.

Joan Zwagerman's avatar

It’s only people who are threatened by other approaches who want to keep “the club” (whatever the club may be) exclusive to those of like mind. The military learned how much better it was to diversify and now Hegseth is threatened by it.

Paul A. Brewer's avatar

Well said, Joan!