Stop misusing people in uniform

Trump tries to play-up National Guardsman Sarah Beckstrom’s death as an act of heroism. Reality suggests that National Guardsmen were never needed in Washington, D.C. and that she died for no good reason.

There’s a dangerous tendency to misuse Americans in uniform. From the Jan. 6 attacks on Capitol Police to grandiose military parades and illegal arrests by ICE agents, Republicans are misusing people in uniform for political gain.

Red state governors send National Guardsmen to the southern border for photo ops with Texas governor Greg Abbott. They don’t seem to realize National Guardsmen have personal lives and their commitment to serve should be reserved for true emergency situations.

Trump has mocked Gold Star families and berated military leadership while installing an incompetent Fox News personality as head of the newly named War Department. Uniforms only matter for selfish political purposes.

Having killed dozens of people on boats off the South American coast, Trump is now planning to attack Venezuela in another war for oil. Americans in uniform will bear the brunt of this unwarranted aggression.

It’s time to stop sending National Guardsmen and military troops into cities and states that do not want them. America should not be at war with itself nor with peaceful nations of the world.

Respect the people in uniform, especially the military, by reserving their service for missions that fit their historical purpose and legitimate national interest.

– David Daniels, Missoula