Stripes letters on the "I miss Clinton" T-shirt controversy

[lebkuchen]

Nothing wrong with T-shirt

In response to “T-shirt inappropriate for GI” (letter, July 14), the writer explains that a T-shirt stating “I miss Clinton” is wrong for a GI to wear.

How is this wrong to wear? A soldier has the right to vote. This means that they are often affiliated with one side or the other of our political spectrum. I do not, however, see how wearing a T-shirt could be viewed as a strike against our current president.

I, along with a number of my squad, are Democratic. I would agree with the T-shirt. In no way does this mean that I will not perform the duties I am tasked to do; that doesn’t mean I will fail to follow the orders of my commander in chief just because I do not agree with his party.

Since when do we as a country have to alter what we can and cannot wear based on who controls the White House?

I took an oath to follow my commander in chief. This in no way means that my views and beliefs are null and void. Does this mean that bumper stickers denoting a bias to one side of politics over another are wrong if the opposing party is in office? I think not.

We are a free nation, able to debate issues that concern us, and vote. If we were unable to voice our opinions in the military, then wouldn’t you think that would coincide with having the right to vote stripped from the military as well?

This would never happen, and just goes to show that although our brothers and sisters in arms might not agree with the current way issues in our nation are handled, we still perform our jobs as our oath of enlistment requires us to do.

**************

Another offensive T-shirt?

While we’re busy getting rid of T-shirts that offend captains (“T-shirt inappropriate for GI”), we should take a hard look at the patently offensive “World’s No.1 DAD” T-shirts, whose blatant disrespect toward mothers is unparalleled in the casual-apparel industry.

Any person who ever spent any time in a womb should find these T-shirts an egregious slap in the face of motherhood.

I wonder: Had the T-shirt in the picture read “I miss Reagan” instead of “I miss Clinton,” would the captain still have been offended?

***********************

It’s just a T-shirt

My grandfather served in the Army during World War I. My father served in the Navy during World War II. Both of my brothers served in the Army during Vietnam. My sister also served in the Navy in the early 1970s.

I’m sure they missed Clinton, too — Clinton, Iowa (“T-shirt inappropriate for GI”).

Sometimes a T-shirt is just a T-shirt.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=30464



http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=29455&archive=true

[napi21]

1. I don't think it's wrong for them to wear that T-Shirt either, but

when I visited my son when he was stationed in Whidby Island Wa. we took a tour of the base. When we walked past the wall displaying a picture of every US President, (Clinton was at the time) he got a disgusted look on his face, and said that's my current CIC. I noticed and asked "Oh, you don't like him huh?" He told me we are not permitted to speak against our Commander in Chief!

I think this has been a philosophy of the military for a very long time.

[lebkuchen]

3. The Petty Officer wore the T-shirt on his time

and wore it off base, while jumping from, I presume, 15,000 feet. The Petty Officer paid money out of his own pocket to jump at a private jump club. He can wear what he wants to do so.

[napi21]

4. That's not the way the military looks at it.

They will all tell you, when you sign up, you give up all your rights! You are NOW THE PROPERTY OF THE US MILITARY!

I'm not kidding! They are really told that, and I suspect, the papers they sign confirm it too.

[lebkuchen]

5. The Petty Officer had to be BEGGED to reenlist because he doesn't like *

What's Rummy going to do? Kick him out of the Navy??

[napi21]

7. If he has the option, he shouldn't reenlist!

I spent the last 18 years telling my son that the military brain washes everybody, and I still believe that! It's gotten a little more lax in the last several years, but they still wont take no for an answer. You do what your told!

I'm not sure why he would beg to reenlist, that he would have to tell you.

I know you don't like to hear what I'm saying, but I have no reason to lie here. My son is not in the Navy anymore, although he is still working on a civilian Navy contract for a civilian employer. He detests Shrub almost as much as I do, but that don't speak ill of the CIC is still there. The worst I've heard him say was "He's responsible for THAT TOO?" After I told him some other BS thing ShrubCo has done.

[lebkuchen]

9. The petty officer had to be begged, not the reverse

Though, on the blue to green program, perhaps the T-shirt logo was "overboard," especially if the Petty Officer hopes to stay blue?

[okieinpain]

15. yep, kid in the reserves, she mention it all the time.

[AX10]

2. Freedom of expression. There is no issue here.

[Booster]

6. We should all get this t-shirt and wear it day in and day out cause

it's the truth.

[Ernesto]

8. I had a prick USMC captain berate me in front of my platoon

Because my dog tag read: religion: "no preference". All I could do was stand there @ the position of attention and listen to his mush brained oratory.

[lebkuchen]

10. You didn't write your senator later?

[stanwyck]

11. My son was pressured into

putting down a denomination on his dog tags during boot camp at Parris Island. He couldn't spell Presbyterian...the church he'd been baptised in but we'd rarely attended. So he said Baptist.

[TNOE]

12. This is a Keeper

[soup]

13. : ) n/t

[bluestateguy]

14. Policies need to change

Uniformed personnel must be allowed to openly criticize the president and his policies, not to disobey orders, but to criticize political decisions of the Administration without fear of punishment.

If that bothers the Administration and the other civilian nose-picking pussies at the Pentagon then perhaps they should do a better job at running a foreign policy that the troops can heartily support.