Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) took Donald Trump to the woodshed for allegedly expressing his disgust for disabled veterans such as herself because he did not want them to be part of his desired military parade.
Trump has been obsessed with staging a military parade such as those featuring military vehicles and goosestepping soldiers in North Korea and other authoritarian nations. In 2018, just such a military parade was in the works after Trump demanded one. Only Trump didn’t care much at all about one potential aspect of the parade. When it came to including disabled veterans, Trump balked.
According to The Atlantic:
Trump has been, for the duration of his presidency, fixated on staging military parades, but only of a certain sort. In a 2018 White House planning meeting for such an event, Trump asked his staff not to include wounded veterans, on grounds that spectators would feel uncomfortable in the presence of amputees. ‘Nobody wants to see that,’ he said.”
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Americans are actually quite accustomed to seeing wounded veterans. They are our friends and family members and they deserve our respect and ever-lasting gratitude for their sacrifice in the service of our country. If anyone belongs in a military parade, it’s wounded veterans. Donald Trump certainly does not deserve such a parade because he dodged the draft five times during the Vietnam War and has frequently disrespected veterans and active-duty troops.
Duckworth, who lost both legs during the Iraq War, responded to Trump’s true feelings about wounded veterans by shaming his cowardice.
What @realDonaldTrump will never understand is that our Wounded Warriors earned their wounds. They are our badges of honor from our service to the country we love.
If he can’t bear to witness those who have sacrificed for our nation, perhaps he should avert his cowardly eyes. https://t.co/wQ8mCLgWei
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) September 4, 2020
Indeed, Trump should be ashamed of himself, and so should his supporters. This is not how the president should treat those who bravely put on the uniform in the defense of our freedoms. He should resign. But he won’t, because he only cares about himself.
Featured image via Senator Tammy Duckworth/Public Domain
