Dialogue with Robert Hamer

We appreciate Robert Hamer's interest in our topic. Here are some answers to his questions in the comments on the Nov. 6 post:

Fair enough, OYE, but if you don't feel it necessary to "ask the question" to Mrs. Malkin, why do you often "ask the question" of the Bush twins, specifically Jenna? Is it because they're the President's daughters, or they're younger, or some other reason?

OYE Comment:

Rarely have we specifically Asked The Question of Ms. Jenna Bush, though we have reported on real Americans' doing so, and her Answer. [Karl wrote a polite letter to Ms. Bush c/o The White House and received a standard, non-substantive acknowledgement.] We have not Asked The Question of the other Bush twin, Ms. Barbara Bush.

Let's face it: Ms. Jenna Bush is extremely well known among young Americans, to the point that many military recruiters told Prof. Charles Moskos of Northwestern University, one of our nation's leading military sociologists and author of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, that enlisting Ms. Jenna Bush in our military would be the single greatest way of supporting military recruitment for the Global War on Terror. Prof. Moskos has therefore endorsed military service by both Ms. Jenna Bush and Ms. Chelsea Clinton (on whom we are preparing a posting).

Our First Couple has twin daughters and no sons; the American people, and therefore this blog, have focused on Jenna Bush as the person closest to Our President who appears eligible and could consider volunteering for military service.

For well over a year, we have focused even more on her beau, now fiance, Mr. Henry Hager. Frankly, when Henry Hager asked President Bush for Jenna's hand in marriage, President Bush should have told him to Be A Man! Enlist! and then come back and see him. In other words, the Oblige should come before the Noblesse. We will continue to Ask The Question of Mr. Henry Hager until he answers it or decides to Man Up!

I also find it a little unfair to call on ALL all healthy heterosexuals 41 and younger. While it is true that nothing should stop Mitt Romney's sons from signing up, I've also seen plenty of war supporters who are obviously not cut out for something like fighting a war. The military is an environment that very few people can adjust to, and if someone simply can not handle it, I won't harbor any ill feelings toward them.

OYE Comment:

We agree.

Technically, we ask all real Americans eligible to serve [healthy heterosexuals 41-or-under], who support the war, to consider volunteering for military service in the Global War on Terror, even if they plan other careers later in life. We also ask them to share the results of their deliberations, or explain why they won't even consider volunteering, in the same manner as their public support of the war.

We recognize that military service is not for everyone, for a wide variety of reasons. But it takes some form of courage at least to consider the military when our country is supposedly at war, and also to be honest with yourself. You can see on this blog, e.g., here and here, where we have thanked people at least for thinking about it. Obviously, some who think about it will find the courage within themselves to Be A Man! Enlist!

I'm not trying to be dick or anything, I'm just trying to figure out what exactly qualifies someone as a "Yellow Elephant."

OYE Comment:

A Yellow Elephant is someone eligible to serve [healthy heterosexual 41-or-under] who supports the war only if "other people" actually fight it. In other words, a Yellow Elephant refuses even to consider volunteering for military service in the war he 'supports.'

Steve Gilliard's An Honest Conversation says it best.

In our opinion, those not personally eligible to serve, who support the war, have an obligation to encourage their eligible relatives and friends, their circles of influence, to volunteer. Of course, the decision remains with each individual. But, if Mitt Romney cannot even ask his five sons to consider military service, well, what kind of a national 'leader' would he be?

There are also some political Yellow Elephants who continue to support the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy without personally encouraging real American heterosexuals to Be A Man! Enlist! In other words, hypocrisy. Given ongoing recruiting challenges, welcoming the voluntary service of non-heterosexuals is, frankly, a no-brainer.

Also, you call on all healthy heterosexuals 41 and younger to "Be A Man! Enlist!" Let's say they decided to "Be A Man! Get Commissioned!" instead? Does that still count?

Yes.