Melissa Goodnight

I don’t know if Fox News did a story on someone disrespecting our troops yesterday or what, but my news feed on Facebook was lit up with people telling me that I was disrespecting the troops. It’s a slippery slope to assume that because people don’t want to go to war (again) that those people don’t respect our women and men in the military. It’s asinine and kind of, well, dumb. I have many friends and quite a few family members in the service, and to think that I don’t support them when they HAVE to do their job is ridiculous. I’m against any conflict because of the people I love in the military, not in spite of them.

I think we can all agree that no one should go to war, as it only begets more death, but if we must, if that is what our government decides we must do, then our military will suit up for us, and we will support them. Regardless of whether we think our current administration handled the situation well or not. Because it is not the troops fault. They are literally just obeying commands.

This divisive rhetoric of “You don’t support troops” is played out. Last month you were telling me if I don’t stand for the flag, I’m disrespecting them. Three months ago if I bought Nikes I was disrespecting the troops. The propaganda machine has been hard at work since 2016, gearing us up for this very moment, and it shows. Man, it shows.

No one is saying our troops suck, even when we say their Commander-in-Chief does. It isn’t their fault. He’s a voted politician, and they are enlisted to protect and serve our country, regardless of who their CIC is. And he’s their boss, even if he sucks at it. They have to do what he says (along with the proper support from the other branches of government). We get that. We aren’t dumb. We’re just empathetic. And honest. And well-versed in history, and how it repeats itself.

I have yet to meet a person in real-life who would meaningfully disrespect the people who fight for our freedom to rally with our “Make Love, Not War” signs. And if you really, honestly, believe that if I say, “President Trump sucks, and is doing a horrible job,” and that equates to me showing disrespect to our troops, then honestly I’m not sure I can help you anymore. No one can. You’ve already closed up your mind and your heart. Which is appalling, sad, and adding to the “divisiveness” you so desperately pretend to care about when spitting this oft-recycled rhetoric.

Please stop.

M.