While Memorial Day honors those who have died in our foreign wars, Veterans Day honors the service of all those who have served this country in uniform.
Fear of wokeness in the military is just one branch of the pro-Christian Nationalist group within the Officer Corps today. Literally, they put Bible ("God's word") over our Constitution. There are thousands of these officers. They work to get each other promoted. They write favorable or unfavorable fitness reports on those under them that determine careers. The USAF is rotten with them, but the Army has senior Generals, too. It appears the Navy is the least infected.
These Christian Nationalist Generals would have no problem rounding up American civilians/immigrants or even killing us/them. They will think they are doing God's Work through Trumpian orders.
I am a long time member of the Miliatary Religious Freedom Foundation and have been following these dangerous Christian nutjobs for years. You have to go to the MRFF's site and read what the MRFF has done to defend our military from religious intimidation. You won't believe it; it is like whack-a-mole. Christian Nationalists in the military will probably try to take control under Trump. Watch who is proposed for promotion!
Well, it certainly won't be from the Chaplain Corps, whatever the branch. About 2/3 of them are Evangelicals, graduates of third-rate bible schools nobody knows and who are selected by chaplains AND MADE OFFICERS. They don't go to any OCS; they go to military etiquette school for a week or two and learn --- how to salute?
In my nearly 5 years active in the Navy, 1964-1969. I never spoke to a chaplain. On my Advisory Team in South Vietnam, in one full year I never saw a chaplain set foot near us, which was fine with us. Somehow these "Christians" were given power to force our young troops and sailors to listen to their nonsense.
-Trump raiding the DoD Budget under the guise of Natsec for "border protection" as he did during his first term.
-Hunting and firing GOs for any role in the Af withdrawal.
-Changing out the 11 CCMD Commanders w/WCN and/or Trump loyalists.
-Promoting FOGOs fitting the same WCN outline you laid out.
-Appointing top civ officials at DoD who fit the WCN profile you outline who publicly renounce DEI in the mil. That will include regressive changes to regs related to gender hair, headwear (Muslims-Sikhs), prego uniforms, etc.
-Making good on his campaign pledge to terminate civil servants of which there are about 3/4 of a million in the Defense Dept. So, looking for GS8s-15s to be the first to go.
-Number of officers resigning their commission after completing their MSO due to not fitting the new profile of WCN and peer pressure form those who are compliant whether it be die to race, gender, ort sexual preference. Or in the alternative the number of non-compliant officers not deemed promotable.
-Number of NCOs and enlisted choosing not to re-up (see above).Specifically number of 'terps and translators (inc. JOs). Includes Reserves and NG.
-Return of hazing in the field and at service academies based on gender, race, sexual preference, religion, etc.
-Change in official and unofficial sexual harassment and assault numbers.
-Recruitment numbers and who (gender/race) is being accepted at service academies.
-Major Policy change regarding RoK and NATO. And Trump's super-duper American Iron Dome. Placing them together because downsizing Rok-NATO is his justification to fund his next white elephant.
While it would take more than 4years to overhaul the US Mil and Defense Department into the image of anti-woke and anti-DEI it doesn't take more than a year to create chaos in the ranks of both. As you pointed out there's a large chunk up and down the echelon who embrace WCN and are vocal about their embrace of RW politics. Agree, they are primed for any use within American borders.
Do expect the same approach across the entire NatSec, Intel, and State Department.
How far he gets is unknown. What will be known is a degradation of national security and defense.
I sure do remember Trump's walk from the W House to that church when people got in his way and were beaten up. I remember chopper flying just feet above crowds, lower than adjacent buildings, scaring the crap out of them. I know we are going to see all that again, and it makes me furious.
Sadly so many have a short memory of the two events inside DC.
Glad you reminded folk of the use of helo wash on civs as well as the use of sight and sound to intimidate. Someone gave the order to the NG helo pilots to use that maneuver.
At the same time, the Proud Boys (emphasis boys who never grew up) were going street to street looking to pick off individual protestors. Someone gave the order to the NG helo pilots to use that maneuver. As you previously wrote there are those more than willing to give such orders and there are no shortage of those willing to carry out orders.
It came as no surprise Trump refused to send help to the USCB during the attack. As usual the media and so-called experts failed to understand the relationship of the two events, back then and now.
Most of all memory hole history when it comes to abuses of the mil. Once a mind set takes hold bad chit happens. Whether it be atrocities that or enhanced interrogations and renditions.
It doesn't matter if the vast majority in the mil want no part of unlawful orders and acts, there is a segment who do. Same in law enforcement. And in both organizations they tend to be white male religious zealots who have embraced far right ideologies. A dangerous cocktail.
Now that Trump has nominated a Fox News Channel weekend host for SECDEF who was a JO in the NG and is contemplating a Mil Advisory Board over seeing DoD, there should be outrage. Alas, too many Americans have long lost the ability to be outraged. They mistake making some noise for outrage.
Finally, Trump et al will be itching to flex at the first opportunity or to create one. Just as he said about LE should be given an hour or a day too go all cray-cray.
Those National Guard Blackhawk pilots violated so many domestic flight rules, yet probably got some fn medals. Yet, somehow laws were suspended for Trump's tools. BTW, I became friends with a Marine Captain F-8 pilot who in 1966 got his wings pulled for flying under a bridge in Norfolk, VA---"reckless endangerment, flying too low, etc." All rules, regs, and law evaporates under what some call "God's Chosen One".
Rich, my family in all the recent wars was involved. Hence I know totally that what you wrote was "on target." The key for a fascist leader to control is to have the media in his back pocket. And Trump already does along with the courts. Will our military be next? Probably, all he needs to do is find generals like Flynn to command, and I know from my family that there are unscrupulous ambitious humans in the military just like in all walks of life, so Trump will have control. One of my brothers made a career of the Navy, a commander in rank when he retired, submarines, he will totally back also what you wrote.
Can you believe this stuff??? All because of Drumpf??!! The worst president in history is re-elected and dismantles the entire government. You couldn't get this movie produced!
-Senate to reform the fillibuster to require a standing/speaking fillibuster rather than the current threat of a fillibuster. So, to all those out there who advanced ending the fillibuster over the objections of those who understood how true fillibuster is a way to protect the American people from over reach when one legacy party control both chambers and the WH, please admit how wrong you were. Keep your eyes open to a change in Senate rules regarding objections by a single Senator.
-The US Mil and DoD are the easiest and juiciest of all departments and agencies in the USG to reshape. There is no mechanism to pushback at the Executive branch. It's iithah comply or good bye.
-While the US Senate confirms promotions at the FOGO level this Senate will do as Trump commands. Can get cray cray to the point of seeing JOs suddenly wearing a star, then more than one. Doesn't take much to change a Reg. in the mil. And the US Senate has confirmed promotions of around 6000 officers in one day.
-Love when legal eagles and beagles insist deploying US Mil inside the borders is against the law. After SCOTUS ruling on official acts that is not a good argument. More importantly whodafuq would enforce the law by attempting to stop their deployment in a city or state? Heck, a Federalized National Guard is within the authority of a President/CinC. Trump's DOJ and WHC sureaschit ain't going to tell Trump no. And Federal Courts inc. SCOTUS are power-LESS unless one holds that words on a paper are > actions.
Institutions did not hold the line during the first Trump presidency. They all retreated. It was left a few individuals to make a stand. Trump et all learned from that.
Now w/Tulsi and Gaetz on top of the Intel community and DOJ respectively and a teevee shock jock on top of DOD Trump is making a mockery of the so-called institutions. And HLS under the dog killah ain't going work out to well for dogs and people. Still waiting on RFK Jr and on the 2wormtongues w/their off the books reimagining of the USG. And my fav, the Interior Dept. Can't drill, baby, drill w/o opening up public lands and the seas.
Qualification: He was a National Guard platoon leader at GITMO pushing around prisoners who were accused without trial of being terrorists; most have been released, but some are still rotting away there. Please read "Guantanamo Diary". An American disgrace for over 20 years.
Just fucking great! Hollow is what's gonna happen when all females and non-white, non-straight, non-Xtian service people are removed from the military. As a veteran of the Vietnam Era, I have lost my affection for 'Murica. How can I stand proudly when 51% of this country tossed the steaming pile of shit into the fan blades? Just. Fuck!
In 1968, I was entertained by the Bob Hope Troupe in Khorat, Thailand. ‘Murica had only to sacrifice 20,000 or so more fatalities to stopping Communism before shifting her focus to the Middle East. Now certain Great Americans are managing mountains of cash provided by a Saudi?! Strange times we’ve ascended (?) to. FOR ALL WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR THE PURSUIT OF THIS GREAT EXPERIMENT, I AM STUNNED AND GUTTED!
I fully expect Cadet Bone Spurs to appoint Mike Flynn, Russian Agent, as Secretary of Defense or recall him to active duty, make him Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and give him an order to discharge all gay, lesbian, bi or trans members of the military. And if Mike is a bridge to far, his equally evil brother is still serving and can be tapped.
You nailed it! Woke is not a dirty word but somehow millions think it is. Re: law enforcement we do have problems with racism and corruption, but I agree with James Carville that the three dumbest words in the English language are "defund the police". Remember cadet bone spurs didn't win in a landslide he only won by about 2%. Millions are frustrated with the corporate a$$ kissing and war mongering of both parties so about 10M democratic voters went missing last week.
From Chauncey DeVega
When people are made to feel like nothing really matters anymore, and the “system” and “the elites” and their society are broken and illegitimate, they will engage in behavior that is individually and collectively destructive. The election of Donald Trump and his MAGA movement (he won both the popular vote and the Electoral College) is a distillation of this collective malaise and nihilism.
…
There were fewer votes in 2024 than in 2020. That so many Republicans and Democrats did not vote in one of the most important presidential elections in the country’s history, is an exclamation mark on a society in crisis.
Btw I am proud to live in a state that voted for Harris (Colorado) so we welcome fellow forward thinking individuals whether conservative or liberal or middle of the road as long as you would like to see things moving forward and not back to the 1950s, 1920s, 1850s whatever. It is a bit expensive here but checkout Pueblo .. it is mocked I am not sure why but it is mostly pretty nice and was once rated the most affordable city in the W U.S.
His appointments so far are so extreme and inexperienced: Rubio at State, Stefanik at UN, his double-cross chiefs of staff…can’t wait to see who goes to Defense and Justice as AG. We better have a “woke” or a better word, alert, military. Never dreamed it would come to that, but it is happening here.
Lucian--moving and very important post. My question: in 2020 when Trump threatened to fire the acting AG and install Jeffrey Clarke (of fake electors fame) he was told that a large portion of the DOJ would resign in response and backed off. What's your guess about the response of the military if Gen. Brown is fired or replaced with someone like Mike Flynn? You say that the military will be "hollowed out," presumably by lower ranking people leaving, but what about those in higher echelons? What's your guess about their responses?
"Woke" is yet another GOP co-opt for making thoughtful people look bad. In my town, on the local online board, a woman was afraid she was going to get "cancelled" for expressing her opinion against about the new Inclusivity Declaration. How was she going to get cancelled? people have been getting "cancelled" since the beginning of time, but the GOP has coopted this new term to make liberals the agressive enemy if they ever utter a word that the GOP doesn't like.
"If Donald Trump thinks he’s going to fire all the “woke” commanders in the military and replace them with Republican loyalists who hew to the discriminatory party line of Trumpism, he’s going to end up with a hollow military._ - my favorite quote from your Salon article. Keep up the Fight Sir! -Dixon
From my Facebook post of this article: “From the abject rural poverty outside of Glynco (Georgia) Naval Air Station to the explicit sexism and racism of senior petty officers, I marveled at the persistence of Black and female sailors and marines. As this article points out, they have become a significant part of America’s military forces, which are struggling to recruit anyone at this point. I can only hope that President-elect bone spurs doesn’t start a war that sends them, all of them, in harms way.
LKTIV, the only reason I am not a Navy veteran is that I decided (at the ripe old age of 19) that if I was going to swear an oath based on a lie that the oath was worthless. In many ways that great disappointment kept me from being a victim of MST (every lesbian veteran I know is the victim of MST) but it still disturbs me that my inability to serve this country broke 4 generations of military service.
If you want a Birds Eye look into an extreme right echo chamber go to www.STARRS.us. Or the MacArthur Society. Old white boys complaining that the Academies need to revert back to the days of yesteryear when men were men! And women were absent. My West Point class of 1969 had 8 black men graduate out of 800! Is that OK as well? Over the past few years, I’ve had regular opportunities to interact with cadets. They are smart, respectful and well trained. Just wonder if any of the do gooder MacArthur Society whiners have spoken to a cadet? Yet they have no comment about Mr. Bone Spurs lack of character.
Good Grief! I went to the MacArthur Society site. I had never heard of them. I feel worse knowing they exist. This organization is like from the year 800 A.D.. They might all have Confederate uniforms which they wear on Lee's birthday.
Here is one paragraph from the "Welcome" page:
"We reject as detrimental to good order and discipline all forms of racial stereotyping to include the promotion of Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mandates. We demand transparency from the West Point leadership, condemning the Academy’s recent penchant for violating Federal law by refusing to respond to FOIA requests, which led to humiliation for graduates when it took a lawsuit to force West Point leadership to finally tell the truth about Critical Race Theory instruction to cadets."
Minor point - Memorial Day honors those who’ve died in all US wars, not only foreign wars, so of course includes the Civil War, which was the genesis of Memorial Day.
Why are there so many (certainly not all) former and current members of the military who support trump after all of the horrible things he’s said about them?
Yesterday, the Biden Administration explained the progress it has made in supporting veterans. Housing (veterans’ homelessness is at an all-time low, thanks to vouchers and legal assistance.) Health (more coverage for environmental exposures to toxins, a record number of disability claims processed, suicide prevention funding, etc.) More is available at What Did Joe Biden Do Today. https://open.substack.com/pub/whatdidbidendotoday/p/what-did-joe-biden-do-today-e36?r=m52qv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Project 2025 calls for reduced funding for veterans’ benefits.
Anyone who can count knows it will take a massive Federalization of both the National Guard and local and state police to have enough warm bodies to round up 80,000 wandering illegal immigrants much less 8 million. That will require hundreds of thousands of both to swear loyalty to the sitting President and follow orders he gives under the power of the Constitution. It will be interesting to see how that turns out because if fully implemented we will see this nation turned into a police state for the first time in its history. A police state in many cases acting against the interests of many of its own citizens. "May Ve See Your Papers" will become the national motto over "Duty, Honor, Country" for too many of us.
Fear of wokeness in the military is just one branch of the pro-Christian Nationalist group within the Officer Corps today. Literally, they put Bible ("God's word") over our Constitution. There are thousands of these officers. They work to get each other promoted. They write favorable or unfavorable fitness reports on those under them that determine careers. The USAF is rotten with them, but the Army has senior Generals, too. It appears the Navy is the least infected.
These Christian Nationalist Generals would have no problem rounding up American civilians/immigrants or even killing us/them. They will think they are doing God's Work through Trumpian orders.
I am a long time member of the Miliatary Religious Freedom Foundation and have been following these dangerous Christian nutjobs for years. You have to go to the MRFF's site and read what the MRFF has done to defend our military from religious intimidation. You won't believe it; it is like whack-a-mole. Christian Nationalists in the military will probably try to take control under Trump. Watch who is proposed for promotion!
Who will stand for sanity and country? - more important - how will be able to stand for America?
Well, it certainly won't be from the Chaplain Corps, whatever the branch. About 2/3 of them are Evangelicals, graduates of third-rate bible schools nobody knows and who are selected by chaplains AND MADE OFFICERS. They don't go to any OCS; they go to military etiquette school for a week or two and learn --- how to salute?
In my nearly 5 years active in the Navy, 1964-1969. I never spoke to a chaplain. On my Advisory Team in South Vietnam, in one full year I never saw a chaplain set foot near us, which was fine with us. Somehow these "Christians" were given power to force our young troops and sailors to listen to their nonsense.
Agree.
Will be looking for:
-Trump raiding the DoD Budget under the guise of Natsec for "border protection" as he did during his first term.
-Hunting and firing GOs for any role in the Af withdrawal.
-Changing out the 11 CCMD Commanders w/WCN and/or Trump loyalists.
-Promoting FOGOs fitting the same WCN outline you laid out.
-Appointing top civ officials at DoD who fit the WCN profile you outline who publicly renounce DEI in the mil. That will include regressive changes to regs related to gender hair, headwear (Muslims-Sikhs), prego uniforms, etc.
-Making good on his campaign pledge to terminate civil servants of which there are about 3/4 of a million in the Defense Dept. So, looking for GS8s-15s to be the first to go.
-Number of officers resigning their commission after completing their MSO due to not fitting the new profile of WCN and peer pressure form those who are compliant whether it be die to race, gender, ort sexual preference. Or in the alternative the number of non-compliant officers not deemed promotable.
-Number of NCOs and enlisted choosing not to re-up (see above).Specifically number of 'terps and translators (inc. JOs). Includes Reserves and NG.
-Return of hazing in the field and at service academies based on gender, race, sexual preference, religion, etc.
-Change in official and unofficial sexual harassment and assault numbers.
-Recruitment numbers and who (gender/race) is being accepted at service academies.
-Major Policy change regarding RoK and NATO. And Trump's super-duper American Iron Dome. Placing them together because downsizing Rok-NATO is his justification to fund his next white elephant.
While it would take more than 4years to overhaul the US Mil and Defense Department into the image of anti-woke and anti-DEI it doesn't take more than a year to create chaos in the ranks of both. As you pointed out there's a large chunk up and down the echelon who embrace WCN and are vocal about their embrace of RW politics. Agree, they are primed for any use within American borders.
Do expect the same approach across the entire NatSec, Intel, and State Department.
How far he gets is unknown. What will be known is a degradation of national security and defense.
"Like"
I sure do remember Trump's walk from the W House to that church when people got in his way and were beaten up. I remember chopper flying just feet above crowds, lower than adjacent buildings, scaring the crap out of them. I know we are going to see all that again, and it makes me furious.
Agree.
Sadly so many have a short memory of the two events inside DC.
Glad you reminded folk of the use of helo wash on civs as well as the use of sight and sound to intimidate. Someone gave the order to the NG helo pilots to use that maneuver.
At the same time, the Proud Boys (emphasis boys who never grew up) were going street to street looking to pick off individual protestors. Someone gave the order to the NG helo pilots to use that maneuver. As you previously wrote there are those more than willing to give such orders and there are no shortage of those willing to carry out orders.
It came as no surprise Trump refused to send help to the USCB during the attack. As usual the media and so-called experts failed to understand the relationship of the two events, back then and now.
Most of all memory hole history when it comes to abuses of the mil. Once a mind set takes hold bad chit happens. Whether it be atrocities that or enhanced interrogations and renditions.
It doesn't matter if the vast majority in the mil want no part of unlawful orders and acts, there is a segment who do. Same in law enforcement. And in both organizations they tend to be white male religious zealots who have embraced far right ideologies. A dangerous cocktail.
Now that Trump has nominated a Fox News Channel weekend host for SECDEF who was a JO in the NG and is contemplating a Mil Advisory Board over seeing DoD, there should be outrage. Alas, too many Americans have long lost the ability to be outraged. They mistake making some noise for outrage.
Finally, Trump et al will be itching to flex at the first opportunity or to create one. Just as he said about LE should be given an hour or a day too go all cray-cray.
Those National Guard Blackhawk pilots violated so many domestic flight rules, yet probably got some fn medals. Yet, somehow laws were suspended for Trump's tools. BTW, I became friends with a Marine Captain F-8 pilot who in 1966 got his wings pulled for flying under a bridge in Norfolk, VA---"reckless endangerment, flying too low, etc." All rules, regs, and law evaporates under what some call "God's Chosen One".
Rich, my family in all the recent wars was involved. Hence I know totally that what you wrote was "on target." The key for a fascist leader to control is to have the media in his back pocket. And Trump already does along with the courts. Will our military be next? Probably, all he needs to do is find generals like Flynn to command, and I know from my family that there are unscrupulous ambitious humans in the military just like in all walks of life, so Trump will have control. One of my brothers made a career of the Navy, a commander in rank when he retired, submarines, he will totally back also what you wrote.
"like", and thanks.
Can you believe this stuff??? All because of Drumpf??!! The worst president in history is re-elected and dismantles the entire government. You couldn't get this movie produced!
Expect some of the following:
-Senate to reform the fillibuster to require a standing/speaking fillibuster rather than the current threat of a fillibuster. So, to all those out there who advanced ending the fillibuster over the objections of those who understood how true fillibuster is a way to protect the American people from over reach when one legacy party control both chambers and the WH, please admit how wrong you were. Keep your eyes open to a change in Senate rules regarding objections by a single Senator.
-The US Mil and DoD are the easiest and juiciest of all departments and agencies in the USG to reshape. There is no mechanism to pushback at the Executive branch. It's iithah comply or good bye.
-While the US Senate confirms promotions at the FOGO level this Senate will do as Trump commands. Can get cray cray to the point of seeing JOs suddenly wearing a star, then more than one. Doesn't take much to change a Reg. in the mil. And the US Senate has confirmed promotions of around 6000 officers in one day.
-Love when legal eagles and beagles insist deploying US Mil inside the borders is against the law. After SCOTUS ruling on official acts that is not a good argument. More importantly whodafuq would enforce the law by attempting to stop their deployment in a city or state? Heck, a Federalized National Guard is within the authority of a President/CinC. Trump's DOJ and WHC sureaschit ain't going to tell Trump no. And Federal Courts inc. SCOTUS are power-LESS unless one holds that words on a paper are > actions.
Thanks - even more depressed now.
Institutions did not hold the line during the first Trump presidency. They all retreated. It was left a few individuals to make a stand. Trump et all learned from that.
Now w/Tulsi and Gaetz on top of the Intel community and DOJ respectively and a teevee shock jock on top of DOD Trump is making a mockery of the so-called institutions. And HLS under the dog killah ain't going work out to well for dogs and people. Still waiting on RFK Jr and on the 2wormtongues w/their off the books reimagining of the USG. And my fav, the Interior Dept. Can't drill, baby, drill w/o opening up public lands and the seas.
Thank you for your membership with the MRFF and being able to share your insights about it.
Well a nut job from Fox will now be Defense Secretary - what his qualifications are, I have no idea. Maybe Chirsto-fascist nationalist!
Qualification: He was a National Guard platoon leader at GITMO pushing around prisoners who were accused without trial of being terrorists; most have been released, but some are still rotting away there. Please read "Guantanamo Diary". An American disgrace for over 20 years.
Yes...should have been criminal trials instead of military tribunals!
WOW!
Just fucking great! Hollow is what's gonna happen when all females and non-white, non-straight, non-Xtian service people are removed from the military. As a veteran of the Vietnam Era, I have lost my affection for 'Murica. How can I stand proudly when 51% of this country tossed the steaming pile of shit into the fan blades? Just. Fuck!
DITTO! soon to be FUBAR!
If my husband, also Vietnam vet, hadn’t died to years ago, THIS would have killed him!
In 1968, I was entertained by the Bob Hope Troupe in Khorat, Thailand. ‘Murica had only to sacrifice 20,000 or so more fatalities to stopping Communism before shifting her focus to the Middle East. Now certain Great Americans are managing mountains of cash provided by a Saudi?! Strange times we’ve ascended (?) to. FOR ALL WHO SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR THE PURSUIT OF THIS GREAT EXPERIMENT, I AM STUNNED AND GUTTED!
I fully expect Cadet Bone Spurs to appoint Mike Flynn, Russian Agent, as Secretary of Defense or recall him to active duty, make him Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and give him an order to discharge all gay, lesbian, bi or trans members of the military. And if Mike is a bridge to far, his equally evil brother is still serving and can be tapped.
I was wrong. He has named a shit for brains from Fox and Friends. I guess a propagandist with no qualifications is better than a Russian operative.
You nailed it! Woke is not a dirty word but somehow millions think it is. Re: law enforcement we do have problems with racism and corruption, but I agree with James Carville that the three dumbest words in the English language are "defund the police". Remember cadet bone spurs didn't win in a landslide he only won by about 2%. Millions are frustrated with the corporate a$$ kissing and war mongering of both parties so about 10M democratic voters went missing last week.
From Chauncey DeVega
When people are made to feel like nothing really matters anymore, and the “system” and “the elites” and their society are broken and illegitimate, they will engage in behavior that is individually and collectively destructive. The election of Donald Trump and his MAGA movement (he won both the popular vote and the Electoral College) is a distillation of this collective malaise and nihilism.
…
There were fewer votes in 2024 than in 2020. That so many Republicans and Democrats did not vote in one of the most important presidential elections in the country’s history, is an exclamation mark on a society in crisis.
Btw I am proud to live in a state that voted for Harris (Colorado) so we welcome fellow forward thinking individuals whether conservative or liberal or middle of the road as long as you would like to see things moving forward and not back to the 1950s, 1920s, 1850s whatever. It is a bit expensive here but checkout Pueblo .. it is mocked I am not sure why but it is mostly pretty nice and was once rated the most affordable city in the W U.S.
Thanks for the invitation
Thank you. My family might consider your state.( From Michigan)
Btw not sure how well known this is but Colorado has some of the lowest property tax in the country. Much lower than Michigan
Our new national motto, NOTHING MATTERS...forget E Pluribus Unum!
His appointments so far are so extreme and inexperienced: Rubio at State, Stefanik at UN, his double-cross chiefs of staff…can’t wait to see who goes to Defense and Justice as AG. We better have a “woke” or a better word, alert, military. Never dreamed it would come to that, but it is happening here.
It is unbelievable!
Lucian--moving and very important post. My question: in 2020 when Trump threatened to fire the acting AG and install Jeffrey Clarke (of fake electors fame) he was told that a large portion of the DOJ would resign in response and backed off. What's your guess about the response of the military if Gen. Brown is fired or replaced with someone like Mike Flynn? You say that the military will be "hollowed out," presumably by lower ranking people leaving, but what about those in higher echelons? What's your guess about their responses?
"Woke" is yet another GOP co-opt for making thoughtful people look bad. In my town, on the local online board, a woman was afraid she was going to get "cancelled" for expressing her opinion against about the new Inclusivity Declaration. How was she going to get cancelled? people have been getting "cancelled" since the beginning of time, but the GOP has coopted this new term to make liberals the agressive enemy if they ever utter a word that the GOP doesn't like.
"If Donald Trump thinks he’s going to fire all the “woke” commanders in the military and replace them with Republican loyalists who hew to the discriminatory party line of Trumpism, he’s going to end up with a hollow military._ - my favorite quote from your Salon article. Keep up the Fight Sir! -Dixon
From my Facebook post of this article: “From the abject rural poverty outside of Glynco (Georgia) Naval Air Station to the explicit sexism and racism of senior petty officers, I marveled at the persistence of Black and female sailors and marines. As this article points out, they have become a significant part of America’s military forces, which are struggling to recruit anyone at this point. I can only hope that President-elect bone spurs doesn’t start a war that sends them, all of them, in harms way.
LKTIV, the only reason I am not a Navy veteran is that I decided (at the ripe old age of 19) that if I was going to swear an oath based on a lie that the oath was worthless. In many ways that great disappointment kept me from being a victim of MST (every lesbian veteran I know is the victim of MST) but it still disturbs me that my inability to serve this country broke 4 generations of military service.
If you want a Birds Eye look into an extreme right echo chamber go to www.STARRS.us. Or the MacArthur Society. Old white boys complaining that the Academies need to revert back to the days of yesteryear when men were men! And women were absent. My West Point class of 1969 had 8 black men graduate out of 800! Is that OK as well? Over the past few years, I’ve had regular opportunities to interact with cadets. They are smart, respectful and well trained. Just wonder if any of the do gooder MacArthur Society whiners have spoken to a cadet? Yet they have no comment about Mr. Bone Spurs lack of character.
Good Grief! I went to the MacArthur Society site. I had never heard of them. I feel worse knowing they exist. This organization is like from the year 800 A.D.. They might all have Confederate uniforms which they wear on Lee's birthday.
Here is one paragraph from the "Welcome" page:
"We reject as detrimental to good order and discipline all forms of racial stereotyping to include the promotion of Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mandates. We demand transparency from the West Point leadership, condemning the Academy’s recent penchant for violating Federal law by refusing to respond to FOIA requests, which led to humiliation for graduates when it took a lawsuit to force West Point leadership to finally tell the truth about Critical Race Theory instruction to cadets."
Crazy, right! There are 56,000 living West Point grads. There are only a few hundred subscribers to the MacArthur Society. Still too many.
The site is pretty slick for just a few hundred members. Probably one or two rich guys supports it.
I cited one paragraph of dozens on its welcome page, but every paragraph was just as wretched and reactionary.
Thanks, Doug!
Minor point - Memorial Day honors those who’ve died in all US wars, not only foreign wars, so of course includes the Civil War, which was the genesis of Memorial Day.
What's in it for them? They're a bunch of suckers and losers anyway.
(Note the sarcasm)
Why are there so many (certainly not all) former and current members of the military who support trump after all of the horrible things he’s said about them?
Do they just not believe it?
Yesterday, the Biden Administration explained the progress it has made in supporting veterans. Housing (veterans’ homelessness is at an all-time low, thanks to vouchers and legal assistance.) Health (more coverage for environmental exposures to toxins, a record number of disability claims processed, suicide prevention funding, etc.) More is available at What Did Joe Biden Do Today. https://open.substack.com/pub/whatdidbidendotoday/p/what-did-joe-biden-do-today-e36?r=m52qv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Project 2025 calls for reduced funding for veterans’ benefits.
He's their once and future CinC, that's why. And don't lose sight of the Evangelical influence, especially in the Air Force.
You’re saying folks in the military VOTED for trump because he was once their CinC?
Anyone who can count knows it will take a massive Federalization of both the National Guard and local and state police to have enough warm bodies to round up 80,000 wandering illegal immigrants much less 8 million. That will require hundreds of thousands of both to swear loyalty to the sitting President and follow orders he gives under the power of the Constitution. It will be interesting to see how that turns out because if fully implemented we will see this nation turned into a police state for the first time in its history. A police state in many cases acting against the interests of many of its own citizens. "May Ve See Your Papers" will become the national motto over "Duty, Honor, Country" for too many of us.