Bill Maher : "(American Troops) Are Going to Have to Learn to Rape Themselves"

I have nothing but contempt for Bill Maher, that smug comedian who delights in insulting every great American tradition we have left in the hope that it will die out. Maher, an atheist, takes delight in insulting people of faith. He has impugned George W Bush's reserve military service-even though he himself (Maher) never served a day of his life in uniform. He has also implied that our military were cowards in the manner in which they fought. Now, Maher, (in questioning why we have troops in Germany and Japan) has used our troops as the butt of a joke, in which the punch line implies that our troops in German and Japan are rapists.

See for yourself:



"At some point, these people are going to have to learn to rape themselves."

There is nothing funny about this joke-though obviously some of Maher's fans think there is. As a veteran who served in Germany back in the 1960s, I would like to tell Mr Maher that I never raped anyone. Were there cases of rape in Germany (and Japan)? Yes, unfortunately, there were. As an MP, I had occasion to respond to a couple of sexual assault incidents. But to imply there was or is an epidemic of rapes committed overseas by American troops is just plain wrong.

Maher prides himself on attacking "sacred cows" in American society. He has the freedom to do that. But to make accusations (or imply though the use of a tasteless joke) that our troops are rapists is unconscionable. One wonders how Maher will explain this one away in the coming days.

Ten Bill Mahers could not make one American soldier, airman, sailor or Marine.