I am not a Trump supporter.
Scratch that. I am the farthest thing from a Trump supporter that is physically possible. Even during his The Apprentice days, the man always left me with a bad taste in his mouth. I've always seen him as the worst sort of bully – a plutocrat who uses his wealth and power to run roughshod over others.
When he announced he would be running for president, my distaste amplified to alarm. Trump is actually dangerous for someone like me. I am a black female liberal – all the things Trump abhors. If I were gay or trans, I would be even more detestable in he and his follower's books. And I would be even more vulnerable.
I used to think the world was a relatively good place, that people were decent at their core. Now I'm not so sure. The Trump presidency laid bare to me the fact that there are people in the world who see me and others like me as inferior and unwelcome.
Needless to say, my feelings on Trump are numerous and sharply nuanced towards disgust, anger, and fear.
So imagine my shock when I discovered that Trump and I share similar feelings on a particular issue – veteran mental health.
It is Our Job As Veterans Mentors To Let Our Fellow Veteran’s Know That We Do Understand That Post Traumatic Stress… https://t.co/qR418lcVfT— BxVetCourtMentors (@BxVetCourtMentors)1515596523.0
According to a VA study released in 2016, the risk of suicide was 19 percent higher among male veterans than male civilians, and 2 1/2 times higher among female veterans than civilian women. The suicide rate for male veterans was highest among those between the ages of 18 and 29, and highest among women between 40 and 59, the study found.
Today's (1/10/18) Photo of the Day from the White House's newsletter, 1600 Daily. "President Donald J. Trump signs… https://t.co/VC27zYwnzw— ▀█▀RUMP IN PICTURES (@▀█▀RUMP IN PICTURES)1515614529.0
As the Washington Post further explains:
The order is especially focused on the 60 percent of new veterans who do not qualify for care until the government establishes that a medical issue has ties to their military service. It calls for “seamless access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for transitioning service members" in the year following military service, according to a fact sheet provided by the White House. Within 180 days, the departments are expected to report back to Trump on implementation of the plan.
Trump seeks to reduce suicide among recent veterans with new executive order https://t.co/GEDZqN8FUr https://t.co/6OArP9cSkW— The Phoenix Assassin (@The Phoenix Assassin)1515542446.0