Veteran’s Day Reflections From a Civil Libertarian Former Soldier | American Civil Liberties Union - Noah Strangio:
November 9. 2017 - "In the past few weeks, I’ve spent considerable time, far more than usual in fact, reflecting on what Veteran’s Day means to me both now and at different times in the past decade. Before joining the military, Veteran’s Day for me was what I imagine it to be for most Americans: a day to recognize the service that a portion of our population volunteered for and to thank the veterans and active duty service members I knew for serving and risking their lives for our country.
"While I was on active duty, Veteran’s Day was mostly a time to tune out the noise and check in on fellow soldiers at home and abroad. During this time, I developed a tradition of calling at least three soldiers I had served with each Veteran’s Day to say hello and see how they were doing.
"I have now been out of the Army for nearly four and a half years and, in many ways, the day has taken on increasing significance with each passing year. This year in particular, the day has taken on increased meaning in light of the initiatives coming out of the White House and the broader political climate.
"Earlier this year,I wrote about about the Trump administration’s unnecessary and immoral ban on transgender soldiers.... I give thanks and honor the transgender service members who not only have taken on the duties and responsibilities, risks and sacrifices of service, but ... with the knowledge that in an instant, all they have worked for could be taken away from them simply because of who they are.
"This targeting of transgender individuals is part of a larger climate in which veterans and service members are being exploited and disrespected for political gain. Recently, the discussion of veterans has seemed to present itself most frequently in the ongoing conversation surrounding the National Football League players who have chosen to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice. Many have characterized the actions of these players as 'protests against the anthem' or our country, which, to me as a veteran, is ludicrous.
"The day I enlisted in the Army, I held up my right hand and swore to 'defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.' And one of the most critical rights the Constitution’s Bill of Rights guarantees is 'the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'
"There is simply no question that the right to peaceful protest is precisely what veterans fight to protect. It is woven directly into the oath we all took the day we enlisted, just like our obligation to fight for equal protection of the laws and the equal dignity of our fellow Americans and soldiers."
Read more: https://www.aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/veterans-day-reflections-civil-libertarian-former-soldier
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November 9. 2017 - "In the past few weeks, I’ve spent considerable time, far more than usual in fact, reflecting on what Veteran’s Day means to me both now and at different times in the past decade. Before joining the military, Veteran’s Day for me was what I imagine it to be for most Americans: a day to recognize the service that a portion of our population volunteered for and to thank the veterans and active duty service members I knew for serving and risking their lives for our country.
"While I was on active duty, Veteran’s Day was mostly a time to tune out the noise and check in on fellow soldiers at home and abroad. During this time, I developed a tradition of calling at least three soldiers I had served with each Veteran’s Day to say hello and see how they were doing.
"I have now been out of the Army for nearly four and a half years and, in many ways, the day has taken on increasing significance with each passing year. This year in particular, the day has taken on increased meaning in light of the initiatives coming out of the White House and the broader political climate.
"Earlier this year,I wrote about about the Trump administration’s unnecessary and immoral ban on transgender soldiers.... I give thanks and honor the transgender service members who not only have taken on the duties and responsibilities, risks and sacrifices of service, but ... with the knowledge that in an instant, all they have worked for could be taken away from them simply because of who they are.
"This targeting of transgender individuals is part of a larger climate in which veterans and service members are being exploited and disrespected for political gain. Recently, the discussion of veterans has seemed to present itself most frequently in the ongoing conversation surrounding the National Football League players who have chosen to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice. Many have characterized the actions of these players as 'protests against the anthem' or our country, which, to me as a veteran, is ludicrous.
"The day I enlisted in the Army, I held up my right hand and swore to 'defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.' And one of the most critical rights the Constitution’s Bill of Rights guarantees is 'the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.'
"There is simply no question that the right to peaceful protest is precisely what veterans fight to protect. It is woven directly into the oath we all took the day we enlisted, just like our obligation to fight for equal protection of the laws and the equal dignity of our fellow Americans and soldiers."
Read more: https://www.aclu.org/blog/lgbt-rights/transgender-rights/veterans-day-reflections-civil-libertarian-former-soldier
'via Blog this'
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