Two US Navy Ships : Two different Presidents : Two different Reactions to Covid

Back in March 2020, US Navy Captain Brett Crozier complained about the US Government response to the Covid outbreak.  Capt. Crozier commanded the USS Teddy Roosevelt, an aircraft carrier and thus the Capital ship in the Navy.

A Rapist of All Things

Well that was the Trump government and while Traitor Trump knows nothing about anything, he does know PR, and while Trump will gladly hump a flag he wasn't going to let anyone sully his image of being loved by the military.  Trump imitator, in more ways than one, Thomas Modly* flew out to the Teddy Roosevelt and told the Ships' crew Crozier had to be fired because... reasons...  Trump Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braitwaite** then laughably declared Crozier did not do enough to stop the spread of Covid amongst his crew.  So, on April 2, 2020 Crozier was sacked by Trump sycophants.  Fortunately, Crozier is retiring this month after 30 years service a career conservatives lustily spit upon for Trump.

Now it's 2022, and Joe Biden is President.  So, let's remember the dynamic; conservatives have draped themselves in the flag and assumed the mantle of Real America for a long, long time.  As a corollary, conservatives have long cloaked their cowardice in the patriotism of others and assume the military is staunchly rightwing.  

So, when an unnamed Commander of a missile destroyer declared he wasn't going to have anything to do with this Covid Vaccination, a rightwing Federal Judge could not rule quick enough that the US Navy can't touch him.

In a 48 page ruling, Judge Steven Douglass Merryday ruled USN Commander John Doe 'harbors' a sincere Religious Exemption to vaccination and the US Navy are enjoined from any adverse or retaliatory action against the Commander (a Lt Colonel also involved in this suit).

So, is President Joe Biden the CinC or not?  

During, the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress (abetted by several Gentlemen who sought Washington's command and were friendly with the British) hamstrung, micromanaged, and interfered with operations until the crucible of Valley Forge and Washingotn's determination enabled him to get breathing room and push for Nathanael Greene to be assigned Quartermaster General.

But, once again we see how deep the rot of rightwing propaganda has seeped.  Judge Merryday was appointed in 1992 and 30 years on the bench has no doubt convinced him his not opinion only is better than the US Navy but, especially when a DemocRAT President is trying to enforce unlawful orders on the Military... like vaccination...  

In court declarations two US Navy Officers testified the following about Commander Doe,

Vice Admiral D.W. Dwyer and Captain Frank Brandon explained that Doe’s anti-vax beliefs are part of a broader pattern of insubordination. Brandon testified that last November, he spoke with Doe on Doe’s ship one day before its scheduled departure. Doe was experiencing multiple symptoms of COVID, and appeared to have a relatively severe case; he could, Brandon recalled, “barely speak.” Yet Doe refused to get tested—a clear violation of protocol—and attended a briefing in a cramped room with about 60 other people. Brandon ordered Doe to get a test, which revealed that he did, indeed, have COVID, and exposed dozens of others to the virus.

Doe engaged in other deceptive behavior. For instance, when requesting leave, he concealed the fact that he was flying to another state, which would have triggered a mandatory risk assessment. After Brandon discovered this subterfuge, he learned that Doe had traveled to a high-risk area, requiring five days’ quarantine upon return.

But, of course IOKIYAR.  Because conservatives have turned the United States into a Nation of Men*** not Laws. 

I am certain rightwing Media and Judge Merryday would love to have Biden intervene and order the recalcitrant Navy Commander to take a hike, they would have another 'bloody shirt' to wave.  As when, Marine Corps jack wagon Stuart Scheller, who "inexplicably", placed the whole blame for Afghanistan upon the shoulders of President Biden and then was feted and treated to the time-worn rightwing media parade, USN Commander Doe would be lauded for his convictions while Tucker Carlson and all the other conservative chickenhawk couch-borne commandoes cast fie**** upon Joe Biden...

*- Moldy with trump inspired hair??? really the screenwriters have gotten so lazy.  Modly had to resign after he flew onto "The Big Stick" to address the crew about firing Crozier and stated Crozier, "is either too naive or too stupid to be a commanding officer of a ship like this [or] he did this on purpose."

**- Braithwaite, like all rightwing grifters, stole huge amounts of money from the government.  Braithwaite spent over $2 million traipsing the globe during his 8 month appointment.  But, Fraud, Waste and Abuse never really matters to conservatives if a Republican Champion who "Owns the Libs" does it.  Nah, holiday junkets to Norway, Greece, Italy, Wake Island, Hawaii by Braithwaite are payment for a job well done...

***- as long as those men are right-wingers and not antiwar squishes like Lt. Col Alexander Vindman 

****-  as evidenced in the fetid and rancid comment sections of news stories, Fashbook, the Twitter cesspool, or any platform deplorable conservatives hurl all sorts of invectives at Presidents when they are Democrats (and at all officials associated with Democratic Presidents)