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Column: Drafting Women Violates Religious Liberty

tarkingtonMargaret Tarkington, a professor of law at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, wrote an interesting perspective on the recent developments regarding women in combat and drafting women. In short, she has no problem with women being allowed to be in combat if they want to be. But, she thinks that forcing every other woman to sign up for the draft as a result could violate their religious liberties [emphasis added]:

The conscription of women raises significant religious liberty concerns for women (including many LDS, Islamic, Orthodox Jew and other Christian sects and religious traditions) who devoutly believe that their primary calling in life is to be a mother, raising their children in a safe and loving home. The First Amendment is intended to secure the free exercise of religion. For myself, the most important “free exercise” of my religious convictions is being able to be a mother and to raise my children at home.

While women should have equal opportunities to join and advance in the military if they so choose, it is a different matter to force Read more