Thoughts On Veterans Day & The Presidential Ban On Transgender Troops

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. Tomorrow we honor the men and women who have given their lives to protect this country.

The military is not for everyone, but for those who are willing and able to join, it is the noblest act that they can undertake.

A few months ago, Donald Trump announced that transgender troops would be banned from the military. A judge has blocked enforcement of the ban.

Unlike other countries, America does not have a mandatory military conscription. It is up to the individual if he or she wants to become a member of the armed forces.  It is shortsighted and foolish (though it would not be the first time with the Trump administration)  to prevent these people from joining or continuing in the service, especially if they have been trained and are able to adequately do their job.

We need to honor all of our troops, regardless of any labels they themselves or others may use to the define them. After everything they have done for us, it is the least we can do.

 

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Kristallnacht

Yesterday, November 9th and today, November 10th is the anniversary of Kristallnacht. Translated into “Night Of The Broken Glass” Jewish owned businesses, buildings,homes and synagogues were destroyed.  Innocent Jewish civilians were murdered or arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps.

 

Kristallnacht was the beginning of the Holocaust. By the time World War II ended 7 years later, six million Jews were murdered, along with five million others who were deemed as “subhuman” by the Nazis and their supporters.

Unfortunately, this sentiment is not a new one, especially in America today. We have a President who is silently condoning the views and actions of the far right and the hate groups who in the past, have been forced into the shadows of our culture. If he had his way, immigrants, especially immigrants of color would be deported. Transgender troops who put the lives on the line for this country would be forced out of the military. The Press, as we know it to be, would be destroyed except for a few television channels and publications who mindlessly agree with him.  It is a figurative Reichstag fire that has the potential to destroy our democracy and everything that we as Americans hold dear.

If we don’t learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it. While Donald Trump is not a mirror of Hitler, there are signs and red flags that cannot be ignored. If we ignore them, we do so at our own peril.

 

Flashback Friday-Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

The mythological island of Atlantis has intrigued humanity for an untold number of generations.

In 2001, Disney broke from its standard singing princess narrative when it released Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Milo Thatch (voiced by Michael J. Fox) firmly believes that Atlantis is not a myth, but a real place. No one believes him, except for Preston B. Whitmore (voiced by John Mahoney) who agrees to fund the expedition. Milo and the rest of the crew find Atlantis, but someone on the crew may have another reason for the expedition besides simply finding the lost island.

I get it, someone at Disney had an idea to try something new. However while the concept is interesting, the narrative and character development are not what they could be.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.