Why should taxpayers pay for sex change?

Regarding Army soldier Bradley Manning aka Chelsea Manning: Is paying for sex change hormone therapy the answer to punishment for treason in the United States?

The Department of Veterans Affairs is going to treat Manning, proclaimed transgender/an American traitor, with female hormone therapy as he wants to live as a she. Why do convicted felons think American taxpayers owe them anything, much less help with sex-change therapy?

Did Bradley Manning get drafted, forced into or join the Army of his own free will? After joining, Manning decides to leak classified government information. Manning was tried and convicted of treason for leaking national security secrets, went to prison, and given room and board (paid for by the American tax payers). Now, he/she wants taxpayers to pay for sex change hormone therapy. Really?

Why should a traitor or prisoner have any rights?

(Imprisonment is for committing a crime, punishment should equal no rights.)

Why should the government pay for a prisoner or anyone to have sex-change hormone treatments?

(Taxpayers should not pay for sex-change hormone therapy; if you want a sex change hormone therapy, stay out of prison, get a job, save your money and pay for it yourself.)

Does he/she stay in the prison for men or does he/she get moved to a prison for women or is the government going to establish and fund prisons for transgender people?

(Oh no, more taxpayer money — wish I hadn’t suggested that!)

Taxpayers do not care if people want to be a male or female, but with all of the other issues in America, such as 1.75 million homeless people and 31 million individuals living in hunger, using government resources to pay for sex-change hormone therapy seems irresponsible and senseless (Statistics Source: National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty).

— Jeff Carter

China Grove