The deification of the American military by certain elements on the right has hit a new low. Now Senator Barbara Boxer is taking crap for asking a general to address her as “Senator”. Apparently, at least according to the GOP, it is disrespectful of the military to ask them to use proper titles.
Senator Boxer wasn’t even rude in making her request, when General Walsh called her ma’am during his testimony before the Environment and Public Works Committee:
“Do me a favor, can you say ’senator’ instead of ‘ma’am’?” Boxer said, interrupting the Army general. “It’s just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title, so I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”
The general politely complied and the testimony went on without further ado.
At least it did until the GOP got a hold of it:“He deserves better from a United States Senator. Ironically, General Walsh is even from California - making him a constituent of Senator Boxer’s,” Jesmer writes. “Republican members of the Senate believe that our troops deserve the utmost respect from all Americans - especially civilian leadership. Send a message to Senator Boxer with us.”Jesmer is National Republican Senatorial Committee Executive Director Rob Jesmer. The quote above is from a fundraising letter. Yep, the GOP is trying to make money off this so-called gaffe.
Small problem, Boxer was right, her title is Senator, and military protocol does state the members of the armed forces should use proper civilian titles. Using ma’am is hardly a slur, but Boxer was well within her rights to ask that her correct title be used.
Thanks to the fact that the Constitution gives the civilian government authority and control over the military, it should be noted that the general was addressing his superior. The scary part is that so few people understand that members of Congress are above the military. Most of the comments I read showed that a goodly portion of people out there actually think a General out-ranks a Senator.
Yeah, I’m scared for our country too.
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
ocularnervosa
devilgrrl
Elena Kelly
Cap'n Parrotdead
liz0307
Charles Bartley
Salon.com
Comments
Yeah, politics is such that they are going to make as much of it as they can...just as the other side will do the same thing when given the opportunity.
So what else is new?
Either way, no criticism, please. The endless reports of rapes and atrocities are all part of nation-building. Oh, my, yes. So leave our skinhead murderers alone, they're "in harm's way" in order to protect you, Mr. and Mrs. Not-worth-what-you-used-to-be-worth America. Thank you, and Good Night.
Yeah, politics is such that they are going to make as much of it as they can...just as the other side will do the same thing when given the opportunity.
Or go completely apeshit and infer that the entire government should be toppled in order to achieve…ahhh….ahhhh…
…oh, something!
It seems that morons from both sides of the aisle found something to bitch about and its stupid, really. For those of you who were offended that the General "dared" to call her "ma'am" get the fuck over it. Its part of the Code of Conduct. For those who are pissy about boxer's response, while I think she could have said it better, she made her point and was entitled to it.
All this pissing over semantics is sad.
There is only one civilian that outranks military personnel and that is the President in his role as Commander-in-Chief. The VP, Cabinet members, and Members of Congress are not part of the chain of command and have ZERO command ability.
Wanting to be called Senator, that is her title. Military people don't mind.
Amen
Boxer is our public servant. Get over it.
I agree that the whole episode wouldn't have happened had it not been for Hannity/Beck/Ingraham, etc
I know she's a public servant, I voted for her. But being a public servant does not mean you are not entitled to the courtesy of being addressed the way you wish to be addressed. Senator is her proper title, and, according to the people of the state of California, she is entitled to it.
do not imagine you are her master. the soldiers who fought for the dukes of lancaster and york made kings. but when the fighting was done, they were serfs, still. so too, with americans, the day after the election.
you soothe yourself, or are fooled by, "representative democracy," but the reality is elective dictatorship, a different creature entirely.