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After President Joe Biden issued an executive order allowing openly transgender service members to once again serve in the military, Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas posted a tweet that was poorly received by almost everyone online.
Regarding Biden's executive order, the White House issued a statement saying:
"President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America's strength is found in its diversity."
Cornyn's tweet, however, seemed to mockingly imply that allowing transgender soldiers to serve wasn't "unifying."
Another "unifying" move by the new Administration? Biden Ends Partial Ban on Transgender Soldiers in U.S. Military https://t.co/DiVXdFnEQ8— Senator John Cornyn (@Senator John Cornyn)1611593288.0
Twitter immediately began dunking on Cornyn's tweet.
Many wondered how letting one group of people rejoin another group of people could possibly be seen as divisive.
"71% of Americans support allowing openly transgender men and women to serve in the military," according to 2019 Ga… https://t.co/aH4xOnKNfN— Eliza Relman (@Eliza Relman)1611595509.0
I mean... yes. This is unifying. It is very popular. Same goes for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigran… https://t.co/DZ17QGpQen— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@Aaron Reichlin-Melnick)1611594731.0
Many Twitter users also cited polls showing a healthy majority of Americans support transgender people serving in the military.
@JohnCornyn The senator is confused. Or uninformed. Gallup 2019: In U.S., 71% Support Transgender People Serving i… https://t.co/peh0dVblSo— Kyle Griffin (@Kyle Griffin)1611601214.0
"Biden says he wants unity but he refuses to target specific groups for discrimination" is quite the own https://t.co/d1y1d6IyQO— Don Moynihan (@Don Moynihan)1611593776.0
Apparently Cornyn's idea of "unity" is centered around excluding certain groups.
You're telling on yourself with this one my guy https://t.co/j5QKOjUqTc— kelly (@kelly)1611595420.0
Apparently stopping discrimination is not "unifying" to Cornyn. What a joke. https://t.co/9MbP8PQn5c— Emily C. Singer (@Emily C. Singer)1611593448.0
Gotta start wondering what John Cornyn thinks "unifying" means https://t.co/kCxcH2elfT— Owen Barcala (@Owen Barcala)1611594612.0
Cornyn has a long history of mockable tweets.
"how can we have unity if they don't let us systemically discriminate against people we fear for no reason?" https://t.co/ZlcCss90r9— New year, same me (@New year, same me)1611594413.0
@JohnCornyn Yeah, it is a unification move -- unlike your years of giving aid and comfort to the political faction… https://t.co/3XyfdORiMz— MZS (@MZS)1611595829.0
@JohnCornyn Perhaps the Senator from Texas could provide us a list of groups whose second class citizenship he beli… https://t.co/rPaRHQ4GOP— Adam Serwer 🍝 (@Adam Serwer 🍝)1611594718.0
This also isn't the first time a tweet from Cornyn has been "ratioed," which is when a tweet is so unpopular it gets fewer favorites and retweets than replies making fun of it.
@AdamSerwer @JohnCornyn Nothing says “unity” like excluding whole groups of Americans. Cruz is not our only embarrassing Senator.— Sharon Williams (@Sharon Williams)1611595754.0
@JohnCornyn Discrimination makes us stronger? Now you’re not even trying to hide that part? Awesome.— Rachel Vindman (@Rachel Vindman)1611593583.0
But, in a strange way, perhaps Cornyn's tweets have brought a certain unity to Twitter.
@natsechobbyist @JohnCornyn It's fascinating how all of John's tweets turn into a giant ratio. It's almost like we'… https://t.co/lys2b5dcI2— Mayor of Foreign Policy (@Mayor of Foreign Policy)1611595347.0
@JohnCornyn What could be more unifying than allowing everyone who wants to to serve the country? Seems like not l… https://t.co/uCajsNM3Tk— Khashoggi’s Ghost (@Khashoggi’s Ghost)1611609166.0
This is not the first time and it will likely not be the last Republicans like Cornyn attempt to portray actions by the Biden administration as harmful to "unity," even when, as in this case, they're largely supported by the American public.