Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

Thread: The fortunate sons of America🇺🇸 and Ukraine🇺🇦

Rethinking 1969's "Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival in light of Ukraine's instant, wide-ranging ban on 18-65 year old men leaving the country.

Examining "women and children first."

This song is 53 years old now but it will resonate with us forever. Draft-dodging in all its forms was scorned in WWI and WWII, but less so in Vietnam.

In 1993 Bill Clinton became the first POTUS in 50 years who was not a war veteran (or served as president during WWII.)

GWB had served in the Texas Air National Guard. Obama had only turned 18 in 1979, after Vietnam and it's draft.

Cadet Heel Spurs was exactly the kind of "millionaire's son" referenced by CCR. Note the tax fraud irony too:

In all fairness I should class Joe Biden as a draft dodger too, but he was far more honest about it at the time and in presidential campaigns, compared to property trust fund kid Heel Spurs.

Here are the key dates summarizing what Biden was doing in the 1960s and early 1970s:

1965 Graduated with a BA, age 23
1966 Married, age 24
1968 Graduated with a JD, age 25
1969 Worked as an attorney, age 26
1970 Won county council seat, age 27
1972 Wife and daughter died in car crash
1972 Won Senate seat age 29

(AFAIK)

Beau Biden's exemplary military service is well known.

Hunter Biden was selected for the Navy Reserve in 2012, assigned to his unit in May 2013 and *administratively* discharged in 2014 after failing a test for cocaine use.

(Sources in next tweet)

Sources: (and it is vital to always check one's sources!)

1. reuters.com/article/uk-fac…

2. reuters.com/article/us-bid…

Since others compare Joe Biden to TFG, allow me to note that: No Trump has EVER served in the US military. Let that sink in.

Not only did Joe Biden have to worry about his beloved son Beau's safety in Iraq, as every other military family has to, he also knew Beau was at higher risk of becoming an enemy target, because of his father's role as Senator then VP. Beau returned home in September 2009.

So that's where things are at concerning presidents of the USA.

When our firm ally Ukraine was re-invaded on February 24, 2022 they ordered all men of working age to remain in the country to be available for military service.

Can you imagine the US doing that in 2022?

It's not impossible. The Military Selective Service Act is still in force, and 92% of eligible men have registered.

If the government has to divert resources in an emergency to chase up that 8%, y'all are getting no sympathy from me.

Just do it: At sss.gov

And no, you don't have to listen to a foreigner, and a woman, about this. I'm merely stating how most Americans would view it. Not registering for the draft and keeping your details up to date with the agency is against the law. The US is already dealing with multiple crises.

In just about every Twitter thread I write, the issue of national or individual readiness comes up.

Ukraine's draft order is a very blunt instrument compared to the US system. But they had to act immediately and with as little gov resource as possible.

Citizens have duties.

Without ever wanting to, the longsuffering people of Ukraine are giving the world a crash course in some home truths that affect every one of us, no matter how far we believe our own countries are from "hot" war and/or other major disasters.

Democratic institutions matter.

And America's democratic institutions are failing, fast.

The term can mean organizations such as a judicial branch or a DOJ, and it can mean concepts like press freedom, or national security for example.

You still have time to avoid disaster. But not much time.

Ukraine's "draft" decision took me aback for a short time, then I reasoned that it was entirely appropriate in a war for national survival. We could end up in such a war, too.

As a pro democracy, pro equality person I believe in equal rights for men and women where possible.

The age old "women and children first" concept of abandoning ship is often a part of gender equality discussions.

It's a blunt instrument. But it generally provides for the care of children, reduction of access to rape as a tool of war, & more efficient use of scarce resources.

In times of peace, a military can afford to accommodate the increased resourcing necessary to account for certain immutable biological characteristics of females & anyone who is not a cis male.

Even now, there's many things that are not accommodated in front line combat units.

For example, it's hard to be an effective part of a Seal team if you're an insulin dependent diabetic. So, those people are not allowed to serve in those roles. Because of the risk of needing scarce resources to assist that person, in a way that risks their life and others.

Watching the flood of internally displaced persons and refugees from Ukraine gives us a clear understanding of why women need to go with their kids and leave the men behind to fight and resist, in whatever ways they can.

Many women chose to stay, and good on them.

Many seniors have stayed, too. Many Ukrainians have returned to the country voluntarily, to help. Many non-Ukrainians have volunteered to risk their lives in the international volunteer force. I could not be prouder of them.

Malcolm Nance is a hero:

https://twitter.com/FreedomFriesInc/status/1517276345440808960

The far right Cult 45ers are all talk. They love to quote Jefferson: "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

They are not patriots. And their leaders aren't risking their neck anytime soon. Like Mr Michael Flynn.

I stopped referring to him by his army rank because he is clearly a traitorous Russian agent who should be recalled to active duty then court-martialed for his seditious acts.

#RecallFlynn
#IndictFlynn
#LockHimUp

nytimes.com/2022/02/04/mag…

Ukraine is doing it right. Their collective resistance and US-led supply coalition will (if it continues) likely mean they can finally restore their pre-2014 borders.

That outcome is vital to the national security of the US and every allied country.

The very reason you and I can live in relative peace and security right now is that our ancestors fought for democratic freedom and did the work necessary to maintain it.

Our countries are getting back on track, so that their sacrifices were not in vain, and we survive.

In war, almost everyone suffers, regardless of gender, age and other characteristics.

The ones who don't suffer are the Fortunate Sons and their privileged parents.

The US and Russia have plenty of them. Ukraine these days, not as many.

#SlavaUkraini