Miss America 2014 hopeful is a U.S. Military soldier... with tattoos

Miss America contestant shows her tattoos

Miss Kansas 2014, Theresa Vail, will be only the second U.S. Military soldier to compete in the 93rd annual 2014 Miss America pageant, which has returned to Atlantic City (and due to this, the current outgoing Miss America, Mallory Hagan, has only reigned for 8 months). She is serving in the National Guard, and wants to be a military dentist, while also studying in college for a degree in chemistry. She is also a boxer, skydiver, archer, and M16 markswoman, and on top of all that, she can speak Chinese and sing opera too. (She originally wanted to show off her archery skills as her talent, but projectile objects are not allowed, so she switched to singing opera.)

However, the one thing that is most surprising about her is that she has tattoos on her body. She has two tattoos: the first is the "Serenity Prayer," located on the right side of her torso; the second is the U.S. Army Dental Corps insignia, located on her left shoulder. This makes her the first ever Miss America contestant to openly show off her tattoos. She decided to enter the pageant, choosing not to hide her tattoos, because she wants to break pageant stereotypes (no one really expects a soldier, of all people, to be a beauty queen, now, do they?) and empower other young women. (Apparently, there is no rule banning tattoos, and this also apparently isn't the first time that a contestant has had tattoos, but everyone else who did get inked chose to hide their tattoos; still, tattoos and Miss America typically don't mix, but that could change tomorrow night.)

The last time I heard about such a pageant contestant was in 2009, when a female British Army Major named Katrina Hodge, nicknamed "Combat Barbie," won the crown for Miss England 2009 (whether she also had tattoos or not had not been revealed). She had been previously commended for downing an escaped military prisoner, and later decided to replace the swimsuit competition with an athletic assessment challenge for the next annual 2010 Miss England pageant, so if Theresa Vail wins Miss America 2014, perhaps she will have the next pageant do the same?

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

The 93rd annual Miss America 2014 pageant will be televised live from its place of origin, Atlantic City, New Jersey, on ABC, at 8pm EST on Sunday, September 15th.

THIS IS SO SEXIST. :p

I don't know if that's a quote or your opinion, but anyone who associates tattoos with criminals, prostitutes and the military needs to get with the times. There's nothing radical about getting inked, and although they may very well be meaningful, I wouldn't say that Theresa Vail's tattoos were particularly edgy or alternative.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them. .

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What is this, the 1950s? I don't know about the US, but over here in the UK the majority of people I know have prominent tattoos. Infact I probably know less people without them than with.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

Miss America contestant shows her tattoos


As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

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Over half the people I associate with have tattoos, and some of them have large tattoos, and that includes the women. None of them are criminals, prostitutes, or ex-military.

And of course, this notion thoroughly excludes any other cultures where tattoos are traditionally bestowed as a sign of great honour and achievement, and aren't just the result of teenagers rebelling at the mall or on the boardwalk.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

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Wait.... they do? I have never associated tattoos with strippers and prostitutes. Or criminals or military! Supermillionaire, that is a very rude statement to make.

I love SuperMillionaire's threads; everyone is always yelling at him. xD

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Originally Posted by Freya

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

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Wait.... they do? I have never associated tattoos with strippers and prostitutes. Or criminals or military! Supermillionaire, that is a very rude statement to make.

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He either thinks it's 1950 or we live in Japan. Not sure which.

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She is serving in the National Guard, and wants to be a military dentist, while also studying in college for a degree in chemistry. She is also a boxer, skydiver, archer, and M16 markswoman, and on top of all that, she can speak Chinese and sing opera too.

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However, the one thing that is most surprising about her is that she has tattoos on her body.

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How is it possible to actually think like this?

Considering the fact that she has tattoos is a first for a Miss America pageant contestant.

Well, to be honest, I think this girl sounds smurfing amazing and I hope she wins.

I also don't know why you seem to think that her appearance (tattoos) is more surprising than all of her talents. I mean, this woman is an M16 Markswoman, a boxer, and an archer. Holy trout. Watch what you say about her, she'd probably kill you and you wouldn't even know about it.

I think you'd be fairly aware of being boxed to death, Locky.

:colbert:

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Originally Posted by nik0tine

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She is serving in the National Guard, and wants to be a military dentist, while also studying in college for a degree in chemistry. She is also a boxer, skydiver, archer, and M16 markswoman, and on top of all that, she can speak Chinese and sing opera too.

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However, the one thing that is most surprising about her is that she has tattoos on her body.

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How is it possible to actually think like this?

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Anything is possible if you are a millionaire. Especially one that is super.

I'm wondering what they mean by the term "marksman". Is it the traditional reference which means she's a fairly good shot or is it the modern military version of a marksman which means she's barely able to shoot well enough to be qualified on shooting an M16?

Well, SuperMillionaire doesn't have to worry about the tattooed Miss Kansas winning the crown. That honor goes to Miss New York, who just happens to be Indian American!

thank god that tattooed freak didn't win!

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Originally Posted by Agent Proto

Well, SuperMillionaire doesn't have to worry about the tattooed Miss Kansas winning the crown. That honor goes to Miss New York, who just happens to be Indian American!

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TERRORIST!!! SHE IS GOING TO BOMB ALL THE BOOBS!!!!

Sadly, Sephex' "reaction" isn't too far from Fox Snooze' actual reaction.

Fox News host: new Miss America, Nina Davuluri, doesn’t “represent American values” | The Raw Story

Also, too.

A Lot Of People Are Very Upset That An Indian-American Woman Won The Miss America Pageant

It's just not a celebration of American pride until the racist assholes have opened their mouths to let words fall out.

It amazes me how US broadcasters get away with retarded comments like that. If someone like Huw Edwards started saying similar things on the BBC he'd get torn to shreds by pretty much everyone, sacked, and never seen again on terrestrial television.

I suppose Miss UK would actually have to become a newsworthy story first, though.

That "Lots of people are racist" post is hilarious. Surely these aren't real people, right?

But then I remember the conversations I've had in Eyes on Each Other and remember that people like this exist everywhere in the distant fringes of society. People really do make uneducated and downright stupid judgments about people based on race and sex. It's a sad world.

I'm with them. How can you represent America if not you're not a middle-class white male? The function - nay! the PRINCIPLES - of Miss America have been completely undermined by this shambolic turn of events, and I don't think I'll ever be able to not care about it when SuperMillionaire makes a thread again.

...... NationalGuard?

That's it?

I thought this was gonna say that she was like a Marine that'd been deployed to a war zone.

Then again, my dad says joining said branch is the quickest way to end up getting deployed nowadays.

Well. Congrats anyway. Good on her.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

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Let me make this clear right now: that statement is NOT my own personal opinion, but from what I have seen on many other message boards and articles with comments, that is still a pretty popular opinion.

I've also looked on Wikipedia about tattoos, and that it has a long history, and has both positive and negative associations. Many pagan tribes prominently used tattoos, and there are also a lot of modern religious tattoos that some people tend to get today. And of course, there's also the military.

When it comes to the lower-back tattoo, I'm open-minded enough to know that not all women who have such tattoos are strippers, prostitutes, or promiscuous, though a significant number of them still are, and that's what reinforces and confirms the stereotype; nonetheless, there are aversions. And another thing about this particular tattoo: it can just as easily be concealed as it can be revealed, simply by wearing a top that covers the lower midriff.

Many popular musicians have them too, especially hard rock, heavy metal, country, reggae, and hip-hop/rap. The last group, however, is (sometimes) associated with inner-city crime and gangster/mobster activity, and many criminals, both on the streets and in prison, have tattoos. The following quote from the article below is an example of people who view tattoos in this way:

Pull up your pants - or the law may do it for you - SFGate

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"If you walk in somebody's office with your hair uncombed and the pick in the back and your shoes untied and your pants half down, tattoos up and down your arm, on your face, on your neck and you're wondering why somebody won't hire you? They don't hire you because you look like you're crazy!"

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(Also note that prisons also have a separate tattooing tradition as well; they sometimes tattoo the prisoner number onto the prisoner.)

Now, I won't object if you just happen to have a few tattoos on your body. I've actually complemented many other people I know in my school that have tattoos. Would I get a tattoo myself, though? No. I like it for others, but not for me. However, there is a certain point at which the tattoos become too much, and that point is when you have tattoos covering entire parts of your body, all over your body. That is when I start to object. Also note that while some tattoos are seen as nice, other tattoos are seen as offensive, depending on the design of the tattoo and what the tattoo is. For instance, if you have a tattoo of a positive symbol, such as a heart, a flower, the "peace" symbol, or a religious symbol, such as the Christian cross, it is seen as acceptable, but if you have, let's say, a swastika or a skull (which symbolizes death) as a tattoo, that is seen as offensive. There are various other examples of what people view as acceptable and offensive, which I won't get into, because it would take too much time.

The thing about tattoos, though, is that, from what I've seen and heard, when you get older, it's doesn't look good anymore, and the process of removing a permanent tattoo is quite painful. However, there are also "temporary tattoos" that last only a short time before fading away.

As for the Miss America pageant this year, I was actually rooting for Miss Kansas, but she didn't win. She at least made it to the talent competition, and let me tell you, she was awesome. I mean, who would have thought that a military soldier with tattoos would be an opera singer, let alone a beauty queen, not to mention that she mastered that song in less than 48 hours just by watching it on YouTube. She originally wanted to show off her archery skills, but projectile objects are forbidden, so she improvised and switched to singing, which she had in fact done before, but not in a while, and she nailed it. Then there's Miss Florida, who injured her knee earlier during preparation, but still executed her routine flawlessly live on national TV, while wearing a knee brace.

Both myself and a friend of mine thought that either Miss Kansas, Miss Texas, Miss Florida, or Miss California (the runner up, who was also Asian) should have won, instead of Miss New York. Let's also note that last year's winner, Mallory Hagan, also represented New York, but she's originally from Alabama.

As for Nina Davuluri, the first Miss America of Indian descent? Some people need to get their facts straight. She is not Arab, and she is not Muslim; I am not sure about whether she is Christian or Buddhist, but she is Indian, and not Arab or Muslim. The first Asian Miss America was Angela Perez Baraquio, who represented Hawaii, and is of Filipino (or Filipina) descent, winning Miss America 2001. Let's also note that the unaffiliated Miss USA pageant once actually crowned an Arab Muslim winner, Rima Fakih, Miss USA 2010, who had previously danced on a stripper pole, and was arrested for drunk driving sometime later on. Still, neither myself nor my friend, who is in fact of Indian descent, thought that Nina Davuluri was attractive; her body is good, but her face isn't. Nonetheless, it's still a good thing that the pageant is embracing diversity, though we still have yet to crown a Miss America of Hispanic/Latina descent, even though Puerto Rico has competed in the pageant for quite some time now.

Your post is cute. Why are you talking about tattoos as if no one has them or has ever encountered them before? It makes me wonder what other message boards and articles you are doing your research from (other than that poorly written SF Gate piece about trousers), and why you feel the need to state a "popular" opinion rather than your own.

Most people get tattoos of things that are of personal significance to them. People do get what might be perceived as impulse ink - cutesy stars on the wrist, Tinkerbell on the inside of their ankle, etc. - but if someone is spending thousands of dollars on getting something permanently etched onto the majority of their skin (particularly if we're still in a society is going to make a snap judgement and not hire you to work in an office if they catch a glimpse of your full sleeve), then it is probably more important to them than having tattoos "look good" as an older person.

Bodies age - it's what happens if you're smurfing lucky enough to live a long life, and yes, that includes things like sunspots, cellulite, wrinkles and sagging and weathered skin. It's going to happen whether you get tattooed or not, and personally I would rather some faded or stretched tattoos of great sentimental value and history than spend my time worrying about what my ink might look like in thirty years. If you're an old person who is legitimately worried that your tattoos (or anything about you really) "doesn't look good anymore", your life is pretty smurfing great.

It's 7am and I just laughed at myself because I realized I was rolling my eyes at people being shallow in a Miss America thread :p

Look, I see fellow students with tattoos at my school all the time, and I have in fact complemented some of their tattoo designs. My personal opinion on tattoos is that I like them as long as they are not overdone. The reason why I stated that other popular opinion in the first place was because a lot of other people still think that tattoos and beauty pageants don't mix.

I also know that many people get tattoos because of sentimental value, and usually, these tattoos, which you referred to as "impulsive ink," are small and cute, and sometimes even meaningful. However, if you decide to get a very large tattoo that covers a large amount of skin, I personally would recommend it only on the back, because that is the one part of the body that is most often covered by shirts, but hey, to each one's own, I guess.

And yes, bodies do age as people live longer, and if people don't mind their tattoos not looking as good, because it is of sentimental value to them, then that's fine. Again, to each one's own. But what if you in fact DO regret getting a permanent tattoo, even if you haven't reached old age yet? From what I've seen and heard, removing a permanent tattoo is painful, especially if it's a big one.

Calm down, Calli. Dude's only stating that there is a common misconception about tattoos. xD

I feel bad knowing she's going through all this knowing that she won't win just because there are people that still think of anyone with tattoos as a HEATHEN

i bet she has sex too what a stupid slut am i right guys she's probably a prostitute

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Originally Posted by Quint Eastwood

Calm down, Calli. Dude's only stating that there is a common misconception about tattoos. xD

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Dude, I'm plenty calm. In my initial post I said that I wasn't sure if those were his opinions or a quote - everyone else just assumed he was stating his direct opinion in an inarticulate way. In my last post I mentioned that I was laughing at myself!

Tattoos, like anything else in life, can be regrettable, but if you're the sort of person who is likely to spend large amounts on money on a cosmetic procedure you know is both painful and permanent (yet will not forever look exactly the same as it does when initially finished) - and then change your mind or realize you didn't spellcheck properly beforehand - then in this one instance, you're an idiot. However, I think we've established that that doesn't equate to being promiscuous or a criminal.

The more pressing issue about this Miss America contest is amount of racism the winner has had to endure since being crowned.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

Let me make this clear right now: that statement is NOT my own personal opinion

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The problem is that it's extremely difficult to tell what is your personal opinion, and what is meant as an entry on Wikipedia or as a news article.

Why do we do pageants again? I don't get the point of them.

Because people like being labeled as the prettiest person in the state/nation/world.

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Originally Posted by Jinx

i bet she has sex too what a stupid slut am i right guys she's probably a prostitute

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my sides! :laughing:

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

As for the tattoo thing? Typically, tattoos have a bad rap, due to being associated with strippers and prostitutes in the case of women (think the lower-back tattoo, sometimes insultingly referred to as the "tramp stamp"), and criminals, in the case of men, especially in prison. However, tattoos are also a common military practice, and many soldiers have them.

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At first I thought this was bait, but in reading your second post I believe you were sincere. I am fascinated by how you formed this almost anthropological viewpoint.

Are tattoos that uncommon and unfamiliar where you're from? In Chicago there really isn't any social stigma at all.

(SPOILER) obviously that excludes overtly racist / offensive tattoos that are plainly visible.

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Originally Posted by Shiny

Why do we do pageants again? I don't get the point of them.

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something something media culture something something American caste system.

I hate child pageants the most.

Again, I see people with tattoos all the time at my school, and I'm friends with some of them.

And yes, that Toddlers and Tiaras show on TLC is sickening. I do approve of teenage pageants, such as Miss Teen USA, but little girls with single-digit ages? No way.

As for Miss America? Yes, Nina Davuluri has had to deal with a large amount of racism since her win.

Toddlers & Tiaras is funny. It makes me giggle.

I was in a pageant once... When I was 3. It was a 4th of July pageant in my hometown .. XD My grandfather's 2nd wife bought me a dress for it and it was waay too short, but my mom put it on me anyway with the bloomers underneath and then my older sister walked me across the stage.

I picked my nose in front of everyone. ^_^ My sister nearly died. AND.. The whole thing was televised on a local channel. And thus ended my woefully short career as a pageant queen.

My sister was -huge- into them though.. She was in tons and tons. There was one trophy that was like 4 ft tall and then her 80 billion formal dresses that I'd play in when she was off to college. hehehe. She'd get so pissed off at me.

Tattoos are not associated with criminals any more than, I don't know, cars are. Tattoos are associated with dumb people.

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Originally Posted by Mirage

Because people like being labeled as the prettiest person in the state/nation/world.

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Yeah, it's the contestants who run the show. They set all this up because they like being called the prettiest. It has nothing to do with the audience or anything.

Yeah. That's right.

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Originally Posted by Shiny

Why do we do pageants again? I don't get the point of them.

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Eye candy for people who haven't figured out there's free porn on the internet.

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Originally Posted by comma

Tattoos are associated with dumb people.

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Huh?

I want to also point out that the new Miss America is a sci-fi nerd.

http://31.media.tumblr.com/74fbe44cc...fcvko1_500.jpg

Did she do that Photoshop herself?

She's so hot! My male gaze can't get enough!!

i guess you're All about looking.

Here's something else I recently found on the "tattoos and beauty pageants" issue:

Miss America 2014: Donald Trump slams Miss Kansas Theresa Vail's tattoos - Zap2it

Donald Trump, businessman, star of The Apprentice, and owner of the Miss Universe Organization, which owns the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants, is highly critical of tattoos. In an interview with Piers Morgan (who won a season of The Celebrity Apprentice a few years ago) on CNN, Trump stated that his organization does not support tattoos, and that he personally is not a fan of tattoos. He told Morgan that many people who get tattoos end up regretting it later, that most tattoo artists aren't even that talented, and that he would not want a tattoo for himself, nor would he want anyone else that he's close with to have a tattoo.

Miss Kansas pointed out that about 1 in 5 young people today have tattoos, and that had she won the pageant, it would break many stigmas and open doors for many more women to compete in beauty pageants, though I'm thinking that the Miss America Organization will probably start regulating and placing limitations on which tattoos are acceptable for the pageant.

Good God. Donald Trump and Piers Morgan in a room together. There's a perfect time for a grenade.

Not often Piers is in a room with someone who's a hundred times worse than him, though. Must've felt weird!

Does anyone really care what Donald Trump thinks? I hate men who wear toupees, but you don't see me telling him to gtfo.

I think it is the moral duty of everyone everywhere to tell Donald Trump to gtfo for absolutely any reason.

I'm just saying: trying to back up your claims that a girl with a tattoo is stupid or a whore by saying Donald Trump doesn't like them is a poor argument.

Someone was claiming that?

I assumed they were linking it just so we could all have a good laugh.

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Originally Posted by Jinx

I'm just saying: trying to back up your claims that a girl with a tattoo is stupid or a whore by saying Donald Trump doesn't like them is a poor argument.

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I'm pretty it was just a "hey, check this out" deal.

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Originally Posted by SuperMillionaire

Miss America 2014: Donald Trump slams Miss Kansas Theresa Vail's tattoos - Zap2it

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I like the title of this, because I am picturing Mr Trump feebly trying to slam a US soldier, failing, and then having her slam him with no effort whatsoever.