When the preening Department of (social) Justice are done with our military and our police force, what will we be left with?

Most likely, a ruined nation.

Case in point:

A division of the Department of Justice has released an instructional video for police officers across the country on how to interact with individuals who identify as transgendered. The video, which runs nearly 13 minutes, focuses on teaching cops the approved terminology with those they believe are transgendered citizens. Among the tips the video recommends for cops on the beat is asking whether a citizen prefers to be called “ma’am” or “sir.”

Because our police officers have nothing more pressing to worry about than the politically correct address of people with mental disorders.

I’ll say I have no problem with training on community outreach. This is an ever-changing world and our police officers need to know how to relate to and communicate with the communities they serve.

We have Black Lives Matter. We have a growing non-English speaking segment of our society. Social media has become a more powerful force for relaying information and influencing the public perception, for good or for bad.

All of these are valid areas of concern and I can see the good in putting tax dollars to work in those areas. These are areas where proper training can actually yield tangible results, for both the public and law enforcement.

Wasting training time and resources to teach our police officers to acquiesce to political correctness of the most frivolous nature? No. I see not a single substantial benefit in teaching our officers to ask a guy in drag, who just robbed a liquor store if he’d rather be called “ma’am.”

No. Call him “suspect” and let that be it.

The DOJ, however, feels a more gentle hand is required. Because political correctness, or something.

The training uses three non-emergency and non-crisis situations to discuss ways for police officers to effectively and politely interact with transgender individuals. In promoting best practices, the video defines three important terms: assigned sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. As the training outlines, understanding the terminology and the major issues facing the transgender community can help rebuild trust and ensure that encounters are safe for all parties. The video also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between a threat and a stereotype, and notes that individuals who feel disrespected are less likely to have faith in or cooperate with law enforcement.

“Transgender Americans, like all Americans, deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect by law enforcement officers,” said Acting Director Paul Monteiro of CRS. “The information provided in this video will help strengthen the relationship between police and the transgender community, allowing for more effective investigations and safer encounters for officers and citizens alike.”

Everybody deserves respect, no doubt, but that doesn’t require training videos on government-approved speech. That’s not teaching respect. That’s teaching something insidious and meant to control and condition thought.

The video wasn’t just the brainchild of the DOJ. Special interest groups, PFLAG National, National Center for Transgender Equality, and several LGBT advocacy groups were involved, as well.

Oddly enough, Christians and religious rights advocacy groups never get that kind of cooperation from our federal government, these days.