Assembly Democrats Reed Gusciora and Tim Eustace on Monday blasted the memorandum issued by the Trump administration to prohibit the United States military from accepting new transgender service members and funding health care for current transgender troops:
“With this memo, the Trump administration is essentially doubling down on its fallacious argument that transgender service members are costly and potentially unfit to serve in combat,” said Gusciora (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “There is no bigger slap in the face than to tell Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country that they are unfit to serve based on arbitrary distinctions.
“The United States of America owes its freedom to brave individuals who stepped up to serve when necessary. This administration’s assertion that their gender identity supersedes their patriotism is nothing but a thinly-veiled effort to mask its prejudice against the LGBT community in falsehoods about cost. As usual, this does nothing to ‘make America great again.'”
“After overcoming bans on African-Americans, women and gays in the military, it’s unconscionable that we again must defend the notion that anyone who is willing and able to fight for the United States military has a right to serve,” said Eustace (D-Bergen/Passaic).
“That a man who got five draft deferments instead of answering his nation’s call is now telling others they are unfit for the military is simply insulting – not only to trans troops but to the entire institution. Trans service members are not a ‘burden’ or a ‘disruption.’ Unlike President Trump, trans Americans have Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars and numerous other accolades as proof of their patriotism and willingness to put their country above themselves. Our nation is better because of their sacrifices. Banning trans Americans from enlisting in the military is a step backward for our armed forces and for civil rights in the United States.”