Air Force Demotion for Playboy Poser - Political Forum

Izzibeth · 02-15-2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC News

Air force demotes Playboy poser
from BBC News

A US Air Force sergeant who posed nude for Playboy magazine has been removed from active duty and demoted.

The move reverts Michelle Manhart to air national guard status, a move which has prompted her resignation, she says.

"I'm disappointed in our system. They went too far with it," she told the Associated Press news agency.

Ms Manhart appeared in the Playboy's February edition in a range of poses, some in uniform and striking a military pose, others while naked.

Ms Manhart had been a member of the Iowa air national guard before going on extended active duty with the air force.

In January, Ms Manhart was suspended from duties while an investigation into the incident was carried out.

At the time the air force released a statement saying that her actions did not "meet the high standards we expect of our airmen".

However, Ms Manhart defended her decision to pose for the magazine, pointing out that she had served her country since 1994.

In my opinion, if you are in the military, much of what you do reflects on how the world sees our people. While in the military, government, or other very high profile, non-entertainment (by entertainment I mean movies, music, etc.) profession you should do all you can to maintain a professional air.

She definitely did not do the rest of the females in the military who try hard to keep some kind of equality to the men in their units justice by posing that way in the magazine. Plain and simple... my view is... Soldiers do not belong posing nude for sexually charged magazines. You are a soldier. Act like one. It's the life YOU chose.. no one else.

Brother Oz · 02-15-2007, 10:12 AM

Another problem is that one of the reasons Muslims in the middle east don't like westerners, including the western soldiers there, is that they believe them to be sexually debauched. There was a rumour going around for example that the sunglasses that American soldiers wear allows them to see through women's dresses. Which most people would think is completely ridiculous, how would it even work? But some Iraqis believed it, because they thought it's the sort of thing American men would do. If they find that an American female NCO has been plosing naked in a pornographic magazine that's actually banned in many Muslim states, even Indonesia which is a fairly liberal one, it encourages their prejudice that female western soldiers are all sluts.

presluc · 02-15-2007, 11:48 AM

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you guys there.
First of all Izzibeth, you did say that Ms Manhart was a member of the Iowa Air National Guard.
Usually if you're in the guard you have a job outside the military.
If the military are going to start screening jobs military personal have then they sould do something about the budget cut coming to V.A.hospitals.
Second Brother Oz, you said Muslims in the Middle East don't like westerners
Cause of the way they act in their countries.
I'm sure you've heard of the Muslims that not only protested outside a church in London, but actually made threats to the people coming out of the church.
So. if you expect the military to confirm to whatever country their in what's next worshiping cows in India?

Brother Oz · 02-15-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Second Brother Oz, you said Muslims in the Middle East don't like westerners
Cause of the way they act in their countries.

No, they don't like westerners because of the way they act anywhere. It's jsut that it's in their face more with troops on tour.

And if we had troops still stationed in India, then I wouldn't think they should be made to worship cows, but they ought to not eat beef, not hit cows, and so on. It just makes the job easier when the locals don't see you as immoral.

Izzibeth · 02-15-2007, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by presluc

I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you guys there.
First of all Izzibeth, you did say that Ms Manhart was a member of the Iowa Air National Guard.
Usually if you're in the guard you have a job outside the military.
If the military are going to start screening jobs military personal have then they sould do something about the budget cut coming to V.A.hospitals.

Posing in Playboy is not a job. And it was done after she joined the military. When you join an establishment like the military you are expected to act a certain whether you are on active duty, in training, or walking down the street everyday. When you join the military you agree to be a soldier.

As I said... soldiers do not belong posing nude for pornographic magazines (to be fair.. it's not actual pornography that she was posing for.. but it was still nudity for the point of being sexually provocative and not for the sake of art) whether they are male or female. When you are a soldier, you stand for the country you have signed up to protect. This is not the kind of impression America wants to give other countries about its military.

presluc · 02-15-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brother Oz

No, they don't like westerners because of the way they act anywhere. It's jsut that it's in their face more with troops on tour.

And if we had troops still stationed in India, then I wouldn't think they should be made to worship cows, but they ought to not eat beef, not hit cows, and so on. It just makes the job easier when the locals don't see you as immoral.

Just one question.
Do immigrants confirm with the actions of your country?

Brother Oz · 02-15-2007, 02:19 PM

No. And that causes a lot of problems. If they did, things would be easier.

presluc · 02-15-2007, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Izzibeth

Posing in Playboy is not a job. And it was done after she joined the military. When you join an establishment like the military you are expected to act a certain whether you are on active duty, in training, or walking down the street everyday. When you join the military you agree to be a soldier.

As I said... soldiers do not belong posing nude for pornographic magazines (to be fair.. it's not actual pornography that she was posing for.. but it was still nudity for the point of being sexually provocative and not for the sake of art) whether they are male or female. When you are a soldier, you stand for the country you have signed up to protect. This is not the kind of impression America wants to give other countries about its military.

I was a soldier from 1964 to 1966.
Soldiers may be a member of military establishment, but they are human beings first.
Just because you are in the military doesn't mean you eat sleep and breath military. YOU stand up for your country ,fight for your country even be prepared to die for your country, but when you're off duty your time is your own, Fact is that is what you're fighting to protect is it not?
As far as posing nude,although I'm not into porn that much. I hardly think that's grounds for a courtmartial.
One of the greatest military minds in history was in fact said to be a drunk
General U.S. Grant, and I'm sure ther are many more military personal that have a bit of a wild side when off duty, but when on duty they are all business.

Brother Oz · 02-15-2007, 02:43 PM

Has anything like this ever happened before? I agree that it seems over the top to demote her, but not if they already know they're not supposed to do things like this.

Izzibeth · 02-15-2007, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by presluc

I was a soldier from 1964 to 1966.
Soldiers may be a member of military establishment, but they are human beings first.
Just because you are in the military doesn't mean you eat sleep and breath military. YOU stand up for your country ,fight for your country even be prepared to die for your country, but when you're off duty your time is your own, Fact is that is what you're fighting to protect is it not?
As far as posing nude,although I'm not into porn that much. I hardly think that's grounds for a courtmartial.
One of the greatest military minds in history was in fact said to be a drunk
General U.S. Grant, and I'm sure ther are many more military personal that have a bit of a wild side when off duty, but when on duty they are all business.

If you're in the military then you are a figurehead for what other countries see. America does not want other countries seeing it's soldiers posing nude for pornographic/sexually charged magazines.

She is not a child. She is an adult and she should face the consequences for what she has done. In my opinion, if you're willing to act that way without thinking of the consequences then you do not belong in the army. It's about discipline.

Don't get me wrong... I have no problem with pornography. My problem is that professionals, especially those who are supposed to represent us, should not be publicly exposing themselves in a sexual manner for the whole world to see. And definitely not in this time when the United States is trying to repair it's foreign relationships.

Would you say "So what?" if the President of the United States posed nude in a Playgirl tomorrow for all to see? No. You wouldn't. Soldiers, representatives of our country, should not do it either. If she had done it fifteen years ago before she joined the army then you can't hold it against her.. but doing it now? That's irresponsible.