politics

Transphobic? Sure. Absolutely. As an intersex person who grew up in a very conservative part of Florida, no one batted an eye when I played for both boys and girls ice hockey teams during high school back in the Obama administration. Propaganda during the Trump administration suddenly made this an issue. I know for a fact that no one cared before the Republicans decided to divide us on this issue. People like Tulsi pushing it out like assholes is absolutely part of that. My teenage years were very difficult as an intersex person in the town where the "don't say gay" law came from. Sports, and hockey specifically, was my reprieve from that discrimination. I very much don't respect her stance on this issue, or any republican who pushes such divisive and dangerous rhetoric.

The "present" vote for impeachment? Well, I remember also being upset with the impeachment process for not prosecuting Trump for his larger and more obvious crimes. I would love to see Biden/Trump/Obama/Bush all tried for their war crimes, crimes in immigrant detention centers, gitmo/torture, Syria/Yemen/Iraq/Afghanistan/Libya/Palestine etc. Trump could have been the precedent setter for holding presidents accountable. The impeachment process instead felt like a political sham. I understand and respect that she believes Trump is “guilty of wrongdoing,” but that she had serious concerns about the process itself, calling it “a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”

I think that calling her americanized/new-age hinduism a cult is racist and uncalled for. I'd trust someone who worships the trimurti over someone who worships yahweh in most situations related to morality. All religions are cults.

When she visited Syria and tried to use words instead of bombs to communicate with the Assad regime, the US had been engaged as a belligerent in the Syrian civil war for five years, and Trump had just been elected and was actively amplifying the conflict.. As a Major in the US Army, a Congressperson, and a strong advocate for peace, her going to the enemy to talk and promote diplomatic solutions over Trump's bombing campaigns is very much in line with her stated perspective as a peace-seeking combat medic. I watched her statements on this closely at the time, but did not see her defend Assad, just deflect questions about his conduct by pointing out that war is hell and pointing to similar misconduct in the area perpetuated by Trump/Obama/Bush.

I understand that you are a "boot-licking apologist" who has a "boner" for war criminals and hates those who call them out. You should really reassess your blind obedience to power. I think that her discretion and pro-peace positions are a boon to our country's foreign intelligence operations. I believe that in spite of the joys from my childhood that Gabbard's transphobia makes her attack.

Although I strongly disagree with this person's social views, her foreign policy appears to be an imperfect step in the right direction. I hope her actions as DNI will continue in this manner. I recognize that as DNI, she will have access to intelligence on Americans that makes me worry about her social views. I don't think that concern will go away if Trump nominates literally anyone else from his side. Tulsi has always been more focused on foreign policy than domestic policy, and I hope that trend continues in her new role.

I'm also open to updating my view on her, but I need real evidence of her being a "traitor" before I can do that. All I see are claims backed up by shaky evidence that falls apart when you actually look into the details of the situation. I plan to pay attention to her confirmation hearings. Maybe something damning but classified will come out for the public. I suspect this won't happen, because if damning evidence existed then I believe that the existing intelligence regime would make sure everyone knows about it in retaliation for her not snapping into line.

To be clear, my view of this person can be summed up as "a bit of an asshole on social issues, but a step away from warmongering attitudes in our foreign policy". I'm apprehensive about her new position allowing her to implement the former. I'm hopeful that her new position leads to positive outcomes such as scaling back our wasteful war machine as she implements the latter.