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Trump’s Trans Ban Shows Who He Really Is Trump’s Trans Ban Shows Who He Really Is
(about 5 hours later)
There’s a short scene in the film “Roxanne” in which Steve Martin drops a quarter into a box to buy a local newspaper. He stares at the front page for about two and a half seconds before screaming hysterically at the atrocities he finds reported there. Then he reaches into his pocket for another quarter. Mr. Martin puts the paper back in the box, closes it, and then proceeds on his way, his sense of tranquillity restored.There’s a short scene in the film “Roxanne” in which Steve Martin drops a quarter into a box to buy a local newspaper. He stares at the front page for about two and a half seconds before screaming hysterically at the atrocities he finds reported there. Then he reaches into his pocket for another quarter. Mr. Martin puts the paper back in the box, closes it, and then proceeds on his way, his sense of tranquillity restored.
Following the news out of the White House these days is something like that — each week seems filled with so many things to make your hair stand on end that there are times that, like Mr. Martin, I find myself wanting to fish around in my pocket for an extra quarter just to make it all go away.Following the news out of the White House these days is something like that — each week seems filled with so many things to make your hair stand on end that there are times that, like Mr. Martin, I find myself wanting to fish around in my pocket for an extra quarter just to make it all go away.
The last few days have been typical. On Thursday, H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser, resigned and was replaced by John Bolton (a man Donald Trump was originally reluctant to hire because he didn’t like his mustache). On Friday morning, the president threatened to veto the $1.3 spending package that Congress sent him in order to avoid a government shutdown, only to sign it later, after describing it as “ridiculous.” Was it really just three days ago that he called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his victory in a rigged election, in spite of being specifically begged not to do so by his own staff? The last few days have been typical. On Thursday, H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser, resigned and was replaced by John Bolton (a man Donald Trump was originally reluctant to hire because he didn’t like his mustache). On Friday morning, the president threatened to veto the $1.3 trillion spending package that Congress sent him in order to avoid a government shutdown, only to sign it later, after describing it as “ridiculous.” Was it really just three days ago that he called President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia to congratulate him on his victory in a rigged election, in spite of being specifically begged not to do so by his own staff?
Right about now is when you might want to start fishing around for that additional quarter.Right about now is when you might want to start fishing around for that additional quarter.
So you can be forgiven if, while all that was going on, you missed when Mr. Trump issued a new ban on transgender troops on Friday night, reversing an Obama-era policy and providing only minor tweaks to the ban he’d already tried to put in place last year, before that policy was shut down by legal challenges.So you can be forgiven if, while all that was going on, you missed when Mr. Trump issued a new ban on transgender troops on Friday night, reversing an Obama-era policy and providing only minor tweaks to the ban he’d already tried to put in place last year, before that policy was shut down by legal challenges.
Even if trans issues don’t top the list of things you’re worried about, you should be appalled by the latest episode of kick-the-soldier, because it lays bare the fact that Mr. Trump is never motivated by policy, or research, or rationality. The only thing that matters to him is bigotry.Even if trans issues don’t top the list of things you’re worried about, you should be appalled by the latest episode of kick-the-soldier, because it lays bare the fact that Mr. Trump is never motivated by policy, or research, or rationality. The only thing that matters to him is bigotry.
And before we discuss this any further, let’s agree that the whole thing is quite likely one more shiny object dangling before us in order to create distraction — whether it be from Sunday night’s slated appearance of Stormy Daniels on “60 Minutes,” or the March for Our Lives rally on Saturday, or — more likely — what appears to be signs of the Mueller/Russia investigation drawing ever-nearer to the Trump inner circle. Distraction is what this president does best — and I’m reluctant to play his game by reacting to it at all. The new ban will surely be disputed in court, just as the old one was, and its ultimate fate won’t be known until a whole new set of legal challenges plays out.And before we discuss this any further, let’s agree that the whole thing is quite likely one more shiny object dangling before us in order to create distraction — whether it be from Sunday night’s slated appearance of Stormy Daniels on “60 Minutes,” or the March for Our Lives rally on Saturday, or — more likely — what appears to be signs of the Mueller/Russia investigation drawing ever-nearer to the Trump inner circle. Distraction is what this president does best — and I’m reluctant to play his game by reacting to it at all. The new ban will surely be disputed in court, just as the old one was, and its ultimate fate won’t be known until a whole new set of legal challenges plays out.
But, to paraphrase Tony Soprano: This freakin’ guy.But, to paraphrase Tony Soprano: This freakin’ guy.
Transgender troops have been serving honorably for decades, whether the president knows it or not. One study put the current number of trans people in uniform at 2,450; another found it as high as 15,000. These are people who have stepped forward and risked their lives in order to serve their country. Their numbers include — well, just to pick one — Kristin Beck, a former member of the Navy’s SEAL Team 6, who has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and over 20 other awards and decorations.Transgender troops have been serving honorably for decades, whether the president knows it or not. One study put the current number of trans people in uniform at 2,450; another found it as high as 15,000. These are people who have stepped forward and risked their lives in order to serve their country. Their numbers include — well, just to pick one — Kristin Beck, a former member of the Navy’s SEAL Team 6, who has been awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal and over 20 other awards and decorations.
Mr. Trump, meanwhile, won a medal from the World Wide Wrestling Hall of Fame.Mr. Trump, meanwhile, won a medal from the World Wide Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Oh, and he was deferred from military service five times — one of those deferments for his feet. Bone spurs, in fact. Miraculously, “over a period of time,” he later noted, “it healed up.” All by itself!Oh, and he was deferred from military service five times — one of those deferments for his feet. Bone spurs, in fact. Miraculously, “over a period of time,” he later noted, “it healed up.” All by itself!
It doesn’t matter that there’s been virtually no research showing transgender soldiers’ service causes any trouble, or that trans troops are a “burden,” to use the word Mr. Trump used in tweets last summer. The American Psychological Association has “no scientific evidence that allowing transgender people to serve in the armed forces has had an adverse impact on our military readiness or unit cohesion.” Research by the RAND Corporation finds trans troops “ready to serve.” The Palm Center, which studies L.G.B.T.Q. people in the military, estimates that the cost of a ban to be $960 million. His own secretary of defense stood by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, Jr. last summer, when he moved to delay Mr. Trump’s ban. All in all, the consensus is pretty clear: The ban is a costly, unnecessary, militarily unsound, discriminatory move.It doesn’t matter that there’s been virtually no research showing transgender soldiers’ service causes any trouble, or that trans troops are a “burden,” to use the word Mr. Trump used in tweets last summer. The American Psychological Association has “no scientific evidence that allowing transgender people to serve in the armed forces has had an adverse impact on our military readiness or unit cohesion.” Research by the RAND Corporation finds trans troops “ready to serve.” The Palm Center, which studies L.G.B.T.Q. people in the military, estimates that the cost of a ban to be $960 million. His own secretary of defense stood by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, Jr. last summer, when he moved to delay Mr. Trump’s ban. All in all, the consensus is pretty clear: The ban is a costly, unnecessary, militarily unsound, discriminatory move.
So why do it, and why do it now, aside from attempting, once again, to distract us? Mr. Trump’s cabinet is full of people, in fact, who seem to know nothing about the realities of trans people’s lives, not that their ignorance stops them from doing their best to make those lives worse. Last month, Betsy DeVos’ Education department confirmed that it is no longer responding to transgender students who request help with bullying and violence related to bathroom use. And Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development, testifying last week before a House subcommittee, admitted that his department had removed training materials intended to help protect L.G.B.T.Q. people in homeless shelters, in part because trans people make others “uncomfortable,” he said.So why do it, and why do it now, aside from attempting, once again, to distract us? Mr. Trump’s cabinet is full of people, in fact, who seem to know nothing about the realities of trans people’s lives, not that their ignorance stops them from doing their best to make those lives worse. Last month, Betsy DeVos’ Education department confirmed that it is no longer responding to transgender students who request help with bullying and violence related to bathroom use. And Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development, testifying last week before a House subcommittee, admitted that his department had removed training materials intended to help protect L.G.B.T.Q. people in homeless shelters, in part because trans people make others “uncomfortable,” he said.
God forbid that these most marginalized, maligned and misunderstood Americans make anyone uncomfortable — while staying in a homeless shelter. God forbid that students in high school be free from the threat of violence and bullying. God forbid that trans soldiers be honored for their service, rather than ridiculed, demeaned and discharged by — in Senator Tammy Duckworth’s elegant phrase — “Cadet Bone Spurs.”God forbid that these most marginalized, maligned and misunderstood Americans make anyone uncomfortable — while staying in a homeless shelter. God forbid that students in high school be free from the threat of violence and bullying. God forbid that trans soldiers be honored for their service, rather than ridiculed, demeaned and discharged by — in Senator Tammy Duckworth’s elegant phrase — “Cadet Bone Spurs.”
The only possible cause served by such unrelenting ignorance and cruelty is the cause of bigotry. For our president, it’s the only motivation he’s ever needed.The only possible cause served by such unrelenting ignorance and cruelty is the cause of bigotry. For our president, it’s the only motivation he’s ever needed.
I’m putting the newspaper back in the box for now, trying not to get distracted once again from the real matter at hand: the question of how to restore our nation to the better angels of its nature.I’m putting the newspaper back in the box for now, trying not to get distracted once again from the real matter at hand: the question of how to restore our nation to the better angels of its nature.
In the meantime, though, is it too much to ask that the White House do the thing that conservatives are supposed to prize above all else: simply leave us alone?In the meantime, though, is it too much to ask that the White House do the thing that conservatives are supposed to prize above all else: simply leave us alone?
There’s an old Randy Newman song in which a beleaguered people turn to God during a time of plague, injustice and oppression. “Lord if you won’t take care of us,” they sing, “won’t you please please let us be?”There’s an old Randy Newman song in which a beleaguered people turn to God during a time of plague, injustice and oppression. “Lord if you won’t take care of us,” they sing, “won’t you please please let us be?”