Thursday, July 27, 2017

No, "Thank You."

"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you"
There are a lot of things about this series of three tweets that bother me. The one that cut the deepest for me was the end: "Thank you." At his most Decider-y, George W. Bush wasn't capable of this level of arrogance. Just before six in the morning on Wednesday, the Twit-storm began. It ended just after six with that "Thank you." That is all. Nothing to see here. Show's over. Go about your business. Unless you happen to be a member of any of these groups affected. Like Americans. 
Yes, I understand that this is the same guy who just days before this tweeted out his absolute power to pardon anyone at anytime, and he is just as likely to swivel around backward and announce it was all a dream, like that nightmare of Obamacare. 
Logic is in short supply in the White House these days. Sadly, fear and hate continue to show up in industrial sized vats. I understand that the "President" was limited by his means of communication, but there is no mention of the actual tremendous costs or examples of disruption that transgender in the military would entail. 
Well, there is Chelsea Manning. That didn't work out well. It got messy. Kind of like the war in Iraq. And while we're talking about expensive messes, the military budget for our country as an ever-expanding blank check ought to cover the difference. Our armed services are volunteer. Anyone who believes that they have something to offer in the defense of our nation should be allowed to serve. If the question is fitness to do that service, maybe we should consider Kristen Beck, winner of a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. She was a Navy Seal. For twenty years. As a man. I expect it was less disruptive and more cost effective to wait until she was ready to come home and settle down to become the person she always believed she was. That one worked out. 
So maybe we should examine each recruit on an individual basis. Like those with pre-existing conditions that make them excellent killers, as long as they're pointed in the right direction. What if you have this notion that you want to serve and protect the Constitution of the United States? It's guarded pretty well, and protected by thick, bulletproof glass, but if you mean the ideals that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, then you'll have to start defending the Declaration of Independence which started this whole United States Military off with a bang, way back when. 
And now we can circle back to that decisive and overwhelming victory he's promising. On what front? I can only assume he is referring to his private battle with reality. 
The Constitution is the one that says that the President is the Commander In Chief stuff. Check this out: Section 2. Clause 1. The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Office, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
That's way more than one hundred forty characters. And it might take more than that to unravel the meaning. Something our "President" is uniquely unqualified to do.
Thank you. 

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