Good point from a reader: “The British version of the Secret Service has

somehow figured out a way to protect Prince Henry while he goes through

training. As I emailed Jonah earlier, we really should have a draft in this

country.”

The idea that the monarch’s sons should serve in the military is the last

ghost of the old principle of noblesse oblige. It was a pretty darn good

principle, in my opinion. (Prince Andrew flew helicopters in the Falklands

War and was very much in harm’s way.)

And my impression — I don’t have numbers (anyone? Rick?) — is that the

principle used to have some currency in this Republic, too. Think of the

Roosevelt (I mean TR) kids. David Gelernter wrote a fine piece once,

contrasting our old elites with our new ones. Of the former, he said

something like: “We went to church, they went to church. We joined the

army, they joined the army…”

You are probably right that we can’t do much about this in a free country,

but it reflects badly on the public morality of our age.

I do agree with you, though, that the lefties are pushing this in bad faith.

Of course! — everything they do is done in bad faith.

And as an opponent of the idea of women in combat, I also agree that

sticking this issue of the Bush gals is silly and irritating.