I am a little bit annoyed in the kindest words. The Purrfect Angels are in Iraq today, dancing for our military. Probably around $70,000 of our tax money helped bring these beautiful creatures to our fathers, husbands, and sons (and wives and daughters considering our female personnel, although I doubt they’ll get as much of a kick out of it). I don’t think they are topless or anything like that. They’re just barely clothed and performing on stage.

I know it might seem like I’m being harsh, and I feel guilty for speaking out because I love, respect, and appreciate so much the sacrifices our military personnel are making for us. I know they are risking life and limb, and maybe I should give them a break. I want to clarify that I am not hacked at the men who will attend this event. After all, they’re going a year without sex, right? Why not give them a little eye candy to tide them over? What’s the big deal? The big deal is that MY tax dollars are paying for MY husband to be on the other side of the world watching somebody ELSE’S beautiful body twisting around on a stage in front of him while I am here trying to stay in school, working full-time, mowing our lawn, changing flat tires, running the kids to baseball practice four days a week, and popping Twinkies like they are narcotics because it is one of the few comforts in life that can temporarily fill the void of his absence. I am irritated because I have involuntarily contributed to the funding of this event.

I am frustrated because we (women) have to work at being taken seriously about half of the time already. The system that I do not want to feed is that women are brainless objects. We are intelligent, beautiful, and deeply intriguing beings in all shapes and sizes that deserve to be respected. And if women choose to subject themselves to something less, then that is their prerogative. But don’t use my tax dollars to pay for it, ESPECIALLY when my husband is a potential recipient of this objectivity. Even many of our country’s leaders struggle with sex addiction. Why are we encouraging this to our vulnerable military personnel? And why do I feel guilty about speaking out about it? Again, I know they’re hurting and lonely and they miss their families. I just want them to come home as healthy as they can be in light of their current surroundings, and I don’t know if this is helpful. Would our husbands mind if a smorgasbord of Twinkies came our way from time to time? Because both shape us. The only difference is that the Twinkies change us on the outside. The women that capture these men’s attentions impact the condition of their hearts. Both rob us of being the best gift we can be to our lovers when they return home.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 02:17 PM.

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