Racism At U.S. Military Academies - "We Just Feel It".

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marindem01
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Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:10 pm
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Racism At U.S. Military Academies - "We Just Feel It".

Post by marindem01 »

Eight years after he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Geoffrey Easterling remains astonished by the Confederate history still memorialized on the storied academy’s campus – the six-foot-tall painting of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the library, the barracks dormitory named for Lee and the Lee Gate on Lee Road.

https://apnews.com/article/business-rac ... e088878fb0.

As a Black student at the Army academy, he remembers feeling “devastated” when a classmate pointed out the slave also depicted in the life-size Lee painting. “How did the only Black person who got on a wall in this entire humongous school — how is it a slave?” he recalls thinking.

As a diversity admissions officer, he later traveled the country recruiting students to West Point from underrepresented communities. “It was so hard to tell people like, ‘Yeah, you can trust the military,’ and then their kids Google and go ‘Why is there a barracks named after Lee?’” he said.

I can remember having to attend yearly "Human Relations" Classes. For Five Days you met other Servicemembers and under the instruction of a "Counselor" we would talk about Race Relations in Army. This was at a time many of the more affluent White (ala the Traitor) had evaded Military Service. I cannot deny there was racism in the U.S. Army, I witnessed it on a daily basis. I would have hoped that over time, racism would have been dealt with, and yet in U.S. Military, that is suppose to as Color Blind as possible, we still have racism assholes serving.

Attendance at these classes was mandatory. There was a box that had to checked yes on my Enlisted Evaluation Report that I supported and endorsed the U.S. Army Policy on Race Relations.

And we still see this shit. Geez.
Last edited by marindem01 on Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Love of Country is not Blind Patriotism. It is not devotion to one person or one party. It is knowing fighting for your country is single most important thing you can do. Do not accept the notion violence is the answer.
Glennfs
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Re: Racism At U.S. Military Academies - "We Just Feel It".

Post by Glennfs »

I agree about the barracks hall and gate. But, Lee was superintendent of West Point so the painting seems appropriate.
I can see and understand the Captain's perspective when you combine the portrait with the hall with the gate it is very reasonable to think wtf.
If all it were was the portrait without the other accolades I wonder if his perspective would have been different.
Finally it is great that he is speaking out because I feel certain he is saying what the other cadets are thinking.
Good post very thought inducing
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gounion
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Re: Racism At U.S. Military Academies - "We Just Feel It".

Post by gounion »

Glennfs wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 11:18 am I agree about the barracks hall and gate. But, Lee was superintendent of West Point so the painting seems appropriate.
I can see and understand the Captain's perspective when you combine the portrait with the hall with the gate it is very reasonable to think wtf.
If all it were was the portrait without the other accolades I wonder if his perspective would have been different.
Finally it is great that he is speaking out because I feel certain he is saying what the other cadets are thinking.
Good post very thought inducing
Lee committed treason against his country and took up arms and led a rebellion.

So how is that appropriate?
marindem01
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Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:10 pm
Location: S.F. Bay Area

Re: Racism At U.S. Military Academies - "We Just Feel It".

Post by marindem01 »

Glennfs wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 11:18 am I agree about the barracks hall and gate. But, Lee was superintendent of West Point
Lee was a Traitor and a Slave Owner. His picture has no reason to be displayed at the United States Military Academy.
Love of Country is not Blind Patriotism. It is not devotion to one person or one party. It is knowing fighting for your country is single most important thing you can do. Do not accept the notion violence is the answer.
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