Monday, October 27, 2003

Muzzling Boykin

I seem to be seeing a lot of right-wing opinion pieces claiming that those of us who don't care for Lt. General Boykin's speeches are engaging in censorship, infringing on his First Amendment rights, trying to discriminate against the religious, blah blah blah. I'd really like to clarify for them that I wouldn't object to him giving speeches claiming that Bill Clinton is Satan himself, Wesley Clark is his sidekick, and he's got a photo of a dark blur to prove it. As long as he doesn't do it in uniform. When I was going through Basic Training, some of the things they drilled into us pretty well were about how to behave in public in uniform, and Boykin's act doesn't cut it. I was just an enlisted Airman; I would think an Army officer surely ought to get more about proper decorum in uniform than I did?!? I would also prefer that he not be billed and introduced as "US Army Lt. General Boykin" or something like that for these events (I don't know for certain that he was, but it seems likely), but I don't think that would (or should) be enforceable.

I would also object to his having the particular position as Deputy Undersecratary of Defense for Intelligence that he recently got, though, considering the job duties. And I might keep a close eye on him for out-and-out delusional psychosis.

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