CITIZEN TONY AND 15,000 TROOPS WHO LOVE AMERICA FAR MORE THAN THE DUMPSTER PRESIDENT DOES

The Center Action Network is one of the organizations I contribute to when I get a decent-sized check from DC or Marvel. It enables LGBTQ centers and their constituents to act as effective, powerful champions; protecting social services, health care, programming, and funding within the LGBTQ community. A few days ago, I received this e-mail from them:

In another spiteful assault on the transgender community, the Trump administration instructed the Armed Services to begin discharging transgender service members effective April 12.

“This is another blatant attack on what ultimately makes our military the strongest in the world. Serving our country has nothing to do with race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity; and everything to do with believing in our Constitution, the one thing that makes us all uniquely American,“ said Lora Tucker, CEO of CenterLink.

Today, close to 15,000 transgender troops proudly serve in the military, and President Trump’s ban has been denounced by former military leaders, members of Congress from both parties, and the American Medical Association. This announcement reverses those gains and ignores the progress made. There is no legitimate reason for this action, only hate at its darkest levels, and we must demand that it stop.

This is an exercise in a raw bigotry from a cowardly draft-dodger who received four bogus draft deferments for alleged “bone spurs.” This is policy doubtless made at the behest of his homophobic vice-president and designed to delight the phony Christians who see him as their golden ticket to the end of days. It’s a disgusting insult from the most dishonorable of men to the troops who have served so honorably in spite of having to overcome great obstacles to serve their country.

I am not a fan of what passes for “Christianity” in this country. It ignores the teachings of Jesus Christ as I learned them during my twelve years in Roman Catholic schools. It attempts to enshrine its discriminatory beliefs into the law of our land. It is absurd that these same bigots paranoically rant about “Sharia law” being made law in the United States without recognizing their attempts to accomplish their version of the same. The main difference is Sharia law in the US is a fantasy with no basis in reality and what they are trying to do could become a vile reality. 

 

“Christians” who support the Dumpster Trump and his blatant bigotry are lousy Christians and worse Americans. Their freedom of religion doesn’t constitutionally include the right to impose that religion on all Americans. They are not the law of the land.

I have many dear friends who are transgender. Some I know through our online interactions. Others I know from what we laughingly call real life. I have held them while they cried because of the hatred directed at them and because their dream and their right to be who they are is continually under attack. But I don’t think one needs to know a transgender person to recognize how terrible, how wrong, how un-American the Dumpster’s actions are.

I urge you to stand up for transgender rights, just as I urge you to stand up for the rights of all who are being targeted by Trump and his legion of bigots and racists. Write your elected officials. Donate to LGBTQ organizations. Vote for candidates who will fight for what’s right and decent.

This is not going to be an easy fight. The opposition is stacking the courts with extreme right-wing judges. It is writing districts to hold on to the power it can not keep without such evil tactics. They are clever and determined villains.

We have to be heroes. Every one of us. All of us.

For information on the Center Action Network, visit their website at https://www.lgbtactionlink.org

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This “Citizen Tony” pieces have become the most difficult for me to write. There is not a day that goes by without the Dumpster lying about something or pushing forward his inhuman agenda. There is not a day that goes by without his Republican Party goons or his fellow travelers in the white supremacist movement doing terrible things. And, all the while, he gushes over murderous dictators who are not remotely our allies. It is a scary time for America.

I’m going to try to include “Citizen Tony” in the bloggy’s regular rotation. I’ll try to focus on just one issue at a time. Of course, the hard part will be deciding which issue. There are so many that need to be addressed. But I’m in the fight and I’m staying in the fight as long as I can draw breath.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2019 Tony Isabella