The GOP usually loves US military vets, but not the Fresno State College Republicans
The mean tweet criticizing a U.S. military veteran was cutting in its sarcasm:
“You’re such a hero that you’ll break down when I light fireworks next door.”
The reference was to how many vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and have difficulties when hearing loud sounds that remind them of explosions.
The college group that issued that social media post must be some liberal, anti-military group, right?
Wrong. It was none other than the Fresno State College Republicans. In other words, the conservative group on a campus that is more Republican than most in California.
What set off the local GOP chapter at the university?
That Patrick J. Loller, an Army National Guard veteran who served as a medic in Afghanistan, would dare to call those who will not wear masks “cowards” in the fight to beat COVID.
Disrespecting the military
A follow-up tweet by the group was equally offensive:
“Maybe guys who are actually fighting in combat are brave and whatnot, but the vast majority of our military are glorified DMV employees,” the now-deleted tweet from Fresno State College Republicans read. “They work against what we as conservatives believe all the time with few exceptions.”
Agreeing to enter service to the nation however duty calls goes against conservative values? “Glorified DMV employees”? That besmirches both veterans and motor vehicle workers.
The tweets were taken down once The Bee and other media began reporting on them, and the Fresno State dean of students was to investigate the episode.
Once the tweets came to light, the university was quick to issue a statement: “We have been made aware of recent social media posts by a student organization that are deeply concerning and inconsistent with the University’s core values. Fresno State strongly supports our nation’s military and its veterans.”
But the bad look for the College Republicans had been made. The group later tweeted that they had tightened security on their Twitter account and that the group had always supported military members.
The explanation was not an apology, however, and social media users expressed disbelief over the apparent reference to hacking.
Volunteer to help
Other third parties then joined the fray, such as the California College Republicans, which threatened to sue Fresno State over freedom-of-speech grounds if the university dared to silence the group.
Trying to muzzle the Fresno State College Republicans seems unlikely, as the university understands free speech rights even when that goes against its own values.
No, the court of public opinion is what is needed in this instance. Fresno-area Republicans should make it clear to their college-age compatriots that the criticism of Loller was ridiculous and beyond the boundaries of common decency.
For its part, the Fresno County GOP criticized the College Republicans’ posts. “The Fresno County Republican Party does not support the statements made by Fresno State College Republicans,” said county GOP chairman Fred Vanderhoof. “Our national, state and county party has always and will always strongly support our nation’s active military and veterans who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms.”
Since the College Republicans are still young people at Fresno State ostensibly to learn, maybe they can get better schooled about the dangers of COVID, especially in light of the highly contagious Delta variant now sweeping the nation.
If they did so, they would discover that mask wearing is still a recommended strategy in the fight to limit transmission.
Instead of tweeting nonsense, the Fresno State College Republicans would do better to volunteer for the Veterans Administration or any other veteran-serving group. That way they could be made more aware, have their minds expanded, and maybe, just maybe, learn some respect.
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 10:44 AM.