Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville continues to gleefully play games with America’s military out of pure spite for the Pentagon’s policy of providing travel funds and support for troops and dependents seeking abortions but who are based in states that prohibit the healthcare procedure.
Alabama is one of those states.
From its refusal to abide by SCOTUS’ ruling that it creates a second Black Congressional district to Attorney General Steve Marshall claiming that the state can prosecute people who help women travel out of state for abortions, Alabama is excelling in its efforts to discriminate, oppress and revive Jim Crow.
But the state is also impacting the country through Senator Tuberville’s decision to play politics with the military and hold up hundreds of promotions, something which has historically been done without obstruction during every administration.
His ridiculous and childish stance is “unsettling for the institution,” according to Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
While politicians and groups speak out against his blockade, sports, an entity that normally supports the military, has gone silent.
It’s a hypocritical position from an industry that supports Armed Forces Day and hosts troops at games.
Sports have traditionally rallied around moments and causes involving the military, and that’s great.
But sports has said nothing as Tuberville continues playing games.
Tuberville would rather block over 300 appointments to play political hardball on abortion, which so many are supporting the right to have, than allow a bipartisan, traditional and historically undisturbed time in the military to proceed.
And this shouldn’t be an issue solely reserved for the WNBA, NWSL and other women’s leagues to fight because it involves a woman’s right to choose. If a league publically supported the military and its members through promotions and events, then it should support the right for members to receive appointments publically as well.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened, as sports has stayed out of the Republican culture war that is ripping the country apart. Yet athletes, especially Black athletes, are the ones most negatively impacted by many of the restrictive and racist laws that are being passed in red states across America.
I’ve called on sports to take a stand and fight back against the oppressive wave of legislation and sentiment that many in power are fueling, but the industry has stayed silent while cashing bigger and bigger checks.
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