[From article]
My first reaction when I saw the photos of the black female West Point graduates in their seemingly defiant, fists-raised black power poses was probably similar to that of a large segment of conservative America: "What the hell is going on here?" That was accompanied by an old Army vet's revulsion that the barracks, uniforms, and prestige of a hallowed American military institution were being used to showcase support by junior Army officers for what I consider racist black supremacist politics.
[. . .]
It was while reading comments to this piece that what was bothering me about the hundreds of responses I'd read here and elsewhere gelled in my mind. I'd expected the widespread angry reaction, but what I had not expected was the openly expressed racial bitterness and censure directed at a group of young women who without question had made a very thoughtless and truly dumb mistake.
[. . .]
Similar feelings to mine were expressed by many veteran commenters, both retired officers and enlisted, all of whom are well aware of the foolhardiness of any officer openly demonstrating such political racial solidarity.
But the main takeaway from this incident is that had this same event taken place ten years ago, it would have drawn similar media attention but most likely fewer critical comments by readers, and most assuredly the racial intensity and hostility expressed in those comments wouldn't have been even close to what they are today. Most certainly a large number of them, especially here at American Thinker, would have been blocked for being too racially insensitive – but now, after almost eight years of a black president, they're just part of the acceptable racial narrative. It's no secret that Eric Holder was speaking for his boss and setting out the racial position for the Obama administration when he described black felons as his people. Obama's recent black college commencement address where he lapsed into black vernacular demonstrates that it's still in place. Gullible voters put Obama in office and kept him there all this time based on the hope that he would end racial strife. They may as well have hoped for the Tooth Fairy to leave it under their pillows.
If Obama wants to know what his real legacy is, he should start reading web comments.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/05/west_point_responses_obamas_true_legacy.html
May 11, 2016
West Point responses: Obama's true legacy
By Russ Vaughn
Published on May 9, 2016
A controversial photo has arisen of 16 black women with their fists raised in Army Uniform at West Point Military Academy. West Point is a college environment unlike the majority of college campuses in the United States, in that any political affiliations, protests, are banned on campus. The Department of Defense (DoD) also states that a person is not allowed to make a political statement of any sort while in military uniform. This creates issues in which the women featured in this photograph are going to have to face.
The first issue is the moral outrage. A popular fitness blogger and Army Veteran, John Burk, wrote an op-ed style blog on his website decrying the photograph as against what the military is all about (unity) and being against DoD regulations.
The second point is obviously the rule violation. The photos were taken as part of a long-standing tradition at West Point, which is to don the old-school grey Uniforms to take graduation photos in front of the very historic Nininger Hall. Which means the class of women in the photo are going to graduate this year, 2016. The rule violation could place them in a situation where they are expelled from the school, unable to graduate just two weeks before they are scheduled.
It would be unfortunate if these women were not allowed to graduate, or if another possibly career-altering result would arise, but what are the alternatives? If allowed to go unfettered, this action could spur other actions, such as a group of white males displaying the Nazi/Aryan extended palm salute. Nobody would try to understand the dynamics of the photo, and rightfully so. However, it would be unfair for that photo to be punished severely while the photo of the black women raising the black power fist goes unchallenged.
Whatever the solution and/or response to the photo is, it must be something that the Army and the DoD in general is willing to live with for other similar cases. Not to say that the Nazi/Aryan salute is the exact same thing as the Black Power/Black Unity Fist... however... they are both political statements that are against regulations. They must be treated the same in the eyes of the authority that will rule on them. If not, what you're going to have is race-based discipline, which truly has no place in the United States Military.
https://youtu.be/3Lzm6A3DTWc
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[From article]
Sixteen African-American senior cadets at West Point thought it a good idea to pump their fists in the air in a recent photo. In what many consider a violation of their oath of “Duty, Honor, Country,” they instead appear to align themselves with #BlackLivesMatter
[. . .]
It is clear that these woman lack leadership skills. The best solution is to award them the degree in engineering that they have earned and dismiss them from the military. It is questionable if they are fit to lead, despite the fact that taxpayers just spent $250,000 educating each of them.
What would have happened if the situation were reversed and sixteen “good old white Southern boys” were photographed holding the Confederate flag? They would have been expelled immediately and would be long gone.
Women in the military want fair treatment; well, give it to them.
Thomas Lifson adds:
These women will have careers in the Army because without them, the quotacrats would make life miserable for the top brass. Under President Obama, the United States military is driven by quotas and social engineering imperatives, not the defense of the nation. Sad, but that's the way it is. For now.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/05/fist_pumping_cadets_embarrass_west_point.html
May 10, 2016
Fist-pumping cadets embarrass West Point
By Susan Daniels
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