what a pity

There's a story in today's New York Times about how difficult it is to be a U.S. Army recruiter these days. Gee, I wonder why that would be?

It seems that recruiters are buckling under the strain. They are suffering from physical ailments, depression and even mental breakdowns as the army reprimands them for not meeting their quotas.

This reminds me of a political cartoon I have on my bulletin board, saved from the anti-apartheid movement days of the 1980s. It depicts a white soldier named South Africa standing with his foot on the head of a black man. Ronald Reagan watches, saying, "Gee, I sympathize, that constant pressure must be hell on your foot."

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