"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow......
8:55 AM - 26 Jul 2017
....Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming.....
9:04 AM - 26 Jul 2017
....victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you"
9:08 AM - 26 Jul 2017
Courtesy of @realDonaldTrump
In an utterly decisive move against transgender rights, President Trump announced on July 26, 2017 that "[T]he United States Government will not accept or allow...Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military," claiming that our military cannot afford, both fiscally and seemingly morally, to be "burdened with the tremendous medical cost and disruption that transgender in the military would entail." Trump seems to have forgotten a promise he made during his campaign; well, he seems to have at least forgotten the letter "T."
"Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs."
1:31 PM - Jun 14, 2016
Courtesy of @realDonaldTrump
Apparently, transgender individuals are a "yuge" burden on the military. The financial weight that is on the government to support these individuals is, according to Trump, too much of a burden to bear. With these three tweets, the message is clear: if you are transgender, you are only joining the army to cover your medical bills as you transition. You are not a patriot, but rather, a free-loader. Or, at least, that's what we're being told the "reason" is behind the newest ban.
Patriotism in America is a beautiful thing. In America, you can never love your country enough; if anything, you are an American first, before you are a father or a mother, or whichever title you live by. America is home to those who have dreams; granted, America isn't perfect, and we're becoming more cognizant of the fundamental issues day-by-day. But, in America, you work hard and devote yourself to your journey to success.
For some folks, joining the military is the ultimate way to show your country how much you care. I've known great men and women in all branches of the armed forces, and their dedication to this country is the reason I live the life I live. Anyone, transgender or not, who wants to fight for this country is allowed to, and there's no way to defend banning anyone from any branch of the military. I'm making big generalizations here, but my point should be evident: any transgender individual who chooses to join the military deserves my respect, and these individuals should be allowed to. No ifs, ands, buts, or scathing tweets.
It seems to be that Trump's devotion to our armed forces would make him a patriot. But, balancing a budget (and never having have served in the military) to "Make American Great Again" doesn't make you a hero. In fact, taking away the rights of a group of Americans to serve on the same day, when 69 years ago President FDR desegregated the military, makes you appear quite the contrary. Whatever point is trying to be made here...well, there just isn't one.
Trump's initial promise to defend LGBT Rights is now transparent: it's an empty promise, a lie. What's clear is that his administration deems anyone non-normative as a "burden." How can you ban transgenders from the military, while preaching to the masses that you're strengthening the army to defend LGBT Rights from "the people that will threaten [our] freedom and beliefs?" What freedom? You are the one threatening freedom and beliefs.
