A variety of news outlets covered the touching story of an 8-year old Muslim girl in Texas who reportedly started packing when Presidential candidate Donald Trump talked about prohibiting Muslim immigration:

Sofia heard about Trump’s proposal while the family was watching the evening news. While Trump has said he isn’t targeting American Muslims, her mother said Sofia didn’t make that distinction.

She packed a bag with Barbie dolls, a tub of peanut butter and a toothbrush. And she checked the locks of her family’s home because she thought soldiers were coming to take her away.

As a result, a few people started using the hashtag #IWillProtectYou and encouraged veterans and service members to send Sofia messages of reassurance.  Covered at the Religion New Service:

U.S. service members are using the hashtag #IWillProtectYou to show support for a young Muslim girl who believed her family would be forced to flee following Donald Trump’s call to ban Muslims from the country…

While it sounds noble, it is unfortunately an awkward and complicated controversy for US troops.

One could easily argue that it is engagement in a political cause, particularly given that it is aimed at the statements of one political candidate. Said one set of coverage:

No matter what Donald Trump says that makes Muslim-Americans feel unsafe and unwanted, there are men and women in America’s armed forces who won’t stand for it.

Yikes. While it may not have been the participants’ intent, having the US military quoted as opposing a political candidate is precisely the type of situation military regulations are trying to prevent.

Further complicating the issue is from whom, precisely, Sofia needs protection. The candidates, obviously, are discussing potential government policy. Sofia’s mother, Melissa Yassini, said Sofia was afraid “the army” was going to come take her away. Are active duty US troops advocating “protection” from their own US Army and the US government?

That’s precisely the conclusion that some came to:

Hundred[s] of military veterans are now stepping forward and pledging to fight any potential actions by a would-be President Trump against Muslims in America – even if that means going to war with the government.

Again, regardless of one’s personal feelings on the matter, this is almost certainly not the image the US military wants to convey.

Finally, there’s the more obvious issue that US troops “protect,” to use that word, children of all faiths in America. Where are the words of reassurance to Christian children who fear their ability to live out their faith in America? Where are the words of reassurance to the children of those killed by extremists motivated by their Islamic faith? To recall another recent unnecessarily narrow channelization, all “lives matter.”

Saying something nice to Sofia, while probably well-intentioned, opens up a can of worms that few probably thought out.

US troops should be wary of posting “selfies” in uniform for any hashtagged public purpose. When they do, however, they should try to remember the bigger picture — one that is often lost in this modern fast food, instant gratification, soundbyte world.

It’s not always as simple as it seems.

Repeated at the Stars and Stripes and the local news.

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