At a recent Republican debate, Ted Cruz said that it would be “immoral to draft our daughters.” He went on to make it very personal saying, “I’m the father of two little girls. I love those girls with all of my heart.” When I heard his comments my immediate response was, “Well I have two sons whom I love with all my heart.” Like Mr. Cruz, I don’t want to see my children drafted and “forcibly put in a foxhole with a 220-pound psychopath trying to kill them.”‘ Who would ever want that for their children, sons or daughters? But why should Mr. Cruz’s children get a pass on defending this country while mine don’t?

As with most of the debate currently swirling around this topic, it is grounded in tradition — the way things have always been — and according to Mr. Cruz is simply “common sense.” But what, exactly, is it about cutting off access to half of our population during a national crisis that makes sense? Aren’t Mr. Cruz’s daughters just as valuable to our national security as my sons?