Thursday, August 03, 2017

Sorry: Trump’s excesses don’t normalize Obama’s | New York Post

Sorry: Trump’s excesses don’t normalize Obama’s | New York Post
"Last week, President Trump tweeted that the US government “will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US military.” 
The tweet caused a predictable uproar.
Liberal politicians and organizations tripped over themselves to condemn the move.
What’s interesting about it, though, is the total silence about transgender people serving in our military during Barack Obama’s presidency. 
Image result for whataboutismIt actually wasn’t until July 2016, just last year and a full 7 ¹/₂ years into the administration, that transgender people were allowed to serve openly. 
Where was the outrage? 
Where was Elizabeth Warren calling it “shameful” or the Southern Poverty Law Center calling the policy “disgraceful”?
But pointing out hypocrisy like this is frowned up these days as some kind of anti-anti-Trumpism or so-called “whataboutism.”
“Whataboutism” was a classic Soviet deflection mechanism. 
Sure, we have no bread, but have you seen how racist America is?
...Obama supporters are so invested in preserving the fiction that his presidency was “scandal-free” and cool under fire that their lack of introspection only serves to weaken their attacks on Trump. Whataboutism isn’t propaganda; critics are merely trying to hold Obama accountable.
...When Trump spoke to the Boy Scouts last week, many were shocked by his partsian speech. 
Yet a few years ago when Vice President Joe Biden spoke to fifth graders at Oaksted Elementary School and peppered his speech with comments on the “God awful recession,” “third party validators” and “upside down mortgages,” few in the media paid attention. 
In fact, the visit was covered as any other staid stop a veep would make. 
Where were the cries of inappropriateness?..."
Read on!

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