Latest news with #EinsteinonRaceandRacism
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - The Navy can't fight for freedom while banning books
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I took on the issue of professional military education. It may not have garnered many headlines, but education was viewed as critical from the top echelons of the Pentagon to the remote operating bases I visited in Iraq and Afghanistan. We sharpen our warriors' effectiveness when we develop their skills in critical thinking, languages, cultures and history. But we are now going dangerously backwards. The New York Times reported that the U.S. Naval Academy is identifying books in the school's Nimitz Library that may be pulled from circulation because they relate to so-called diversity, equity and inclusion. Among the 900 potential offenders: a biography of Jackie Robinson, 'The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.' and 'Einstein on Race and Racism.' The Chinese military is expanding. Russia is threatening Europe. But you can sleep better tonight knowing that the Navy is keeping its men and women safe from Jackie Robinson. The move is part of the Trump administration's campaign to purge its way through federal museums, concert halls and now the military. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — who might want to focus on threats closer to home, like how he communicates war plans — ordered the review. I'm guessing his own book, 'The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,' won't make the cut list. It's an interesting title, because the act of banning history books in a naval library is a betrayal of the men and women who keep us free. The irony in this move is rich. In the name of freedom, we mustn't let our future leaders do things like, oh, read what they want to read. We must treat them like snowflakes, so brittle and sensitive that they must be protected from the offensive views of Robinson, King, Einstein and whoever else is on the blacklist of the Navy Blue and Gold. Our warriors need body armor, not censorship. The best of them want to build their intellectual resilience. When I visited them in Iraq, Afghanistan and our military academies at home, many consistently told me that they fought better when they had time not only to drill, but to learn. To read. During a visit to Iraq, I remember asking Gen. Ray Odierno what he needed when he commanded the Third Infantry Battalion in Iraq. Whenever I asked that question, military leaders usually answered with a list of hardware and weapons of war. Odierno's answer surprised me: more people who speak foreign languages, understand other cultures and had the skills to deal with various factions trapped in conflict zones. It was a Marine who later explained to me why military education was so important: 'If you know how to think, you realize you don't have to kick in the door and start shooting; sometimes, you can find a safer way — for yourself.' I also spoke to a soldier stationed on a remote operating base near a village called Musa Qala. His unit was preparing to assault a Taliban stronghold the next day. Amidst the maps and heavy weapons surrounding him, he said, 'Anyone who's ever studied how war is fought in Afghanistan knows one thing: We'll take the village tomorrow, and the Taliban will retake it when we leave.' That is exactly what happened across Afghanistan. Instead of supporting our warriors with libraries that will give them an unvarnished telling of history, the Pentagon has decided to whitewash it. Instead of encouraging critical thinking skills, the Navy has decided to dull them. In a world of volatile, complex military threats; of cyberwarfare and an artificial intelligence arms race; of existential enemies like Iran nearing imminent development of a nuclear warhead; the Hegseth doctrine suggests that there is nothing to fear but ink on pages, bound on the shelves in the Navy library. In the war on so-called 'cancel culture,' the U.S. military is canceling history. The brave men and women of our armed forces should receive all the training, resources, technology and weaponry they need to protect our country — books included. Our military leaders should be focused on keeping us safe from Vladimir Putin, not Jackie Robinson. Hegseth should reflect further on the title of his book. In the story of 'the betrayal of the men who keep us free,' he is the one doing the betraying. Steve Israel represented New York in the House of Representatives for eight terms and was chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2011 to 2015. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
03-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
The Navy can't fight for freedom while banning books
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I took on the issue of professional military education. It may not have garnered many headlines, but education was viewed as critical from the top echelons of the Pentagon to the remote operating bases I visited in Iraq and Afghanistan. We sharpen our warriors' effectiveness when we develop their skills in critical thinking, languages, cultures and history. But we are now going dangerously backwards. The New York Times reported that the U.S. Naval Academy is identifying books in the school's Nimitz Library that may be pulled from circulation because they relate to so-called diversity, equity and inclusion. Among the 900 potential offenders: a biography of Jackie Robinson, 'The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.' and 'Einstein on Race and Racism.' The Chinese military is expanding. Russia is threatening Europe. But you can sleep better tonight knowing that the Navy is keeping its men and women safe from Jackie Robinson. The move is part of the Trump administration's campaign to purge its way through federal museums, concert halls and now the military. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth — who might want to focus on threats closer to home, like how he communicates war plans — ordered the review. I'm guessing his own book, 'The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,' won't make the cut list. It's an interesting title, because the act of banning history books in a naval library is a betrayal of the men and women who keep us free. The irony in this move is rich. In the name of freedom, we mustn't let our future leaders do things like, oh, read what they want to read. We must treat them like snowflakes, so brittle and sensitive that they must be protected from the offensive views of Robinson, King, Einstein and whoever else is on the blacklist of the Navy Blue and Gold. Our warriors need body armor, not censorship. The best of them want to build their intellectual resilience. When I visited them in Iraq, Afghanistan and our military academies at home, many consistently told me that they fought better when they had time not only to drill, but to learn. To read. During a visit to Iraq, I remember asking Gen. Ray Odierno what he needed when he commanded the Third Infantry Battalion in Iraq. Whenever I asked that question, military leaders usually answered with a list of hardware and weapons of war. Odierno's answer surprised me: more people who speak foreign languages, understand other cultures and had the skills to deal with various factions trapped in conflict zones. It was a Marine who later explained to me why military education was so important: 'If you know how to think, you realize you don't have to kick in the door and start shooting; sometimes, you can find a safer way — for yourself.' I also spoke to a soldier stationed on a remote operating base near a village called Musa Qala. His unit was preparing to assault a Taliban stronghold the next day. Amidst the maps and heavy weapons surrounding him, he said, 'Anyone who's ever studied how war is fought in Afghanistan knows one thing: We'll take the village tomorrow, and the Taliban will retake it when we leave.' That is exactly what happened across Afghanistan. Instead of supporting our warriors with libraries that will give them an unvarnished telling of history, the Pentagon has decided to whitewash it. Instead of encouraging critical thinking skills, the Navy has decided to dull them. In a world of volatile, complex military threats; of cyberwarfare and an artificial intelligence arms race; of existential enemies like Iran nearing imminent development of a nuclear warhead; the Hegseth doctrine suggests that there is nothing to fear but ink on pages, bound on the shelves in the Navy library. In the war on so-called 'cancel culture,' the U.S. military is canceling history. The brave men and women of our armed forces should receive all the training, resources, technology and weaponry they need to protect our country — books included. Our military leaders should be focused on keeping us safe from Vladimir Putin, not Jackie Robinson. Hegseth should reflect further on the title of his book. In the story of 'the betrayal of the men who keep us free,' he is the one doing the betraying.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration reportedly moves to ban Jackie Robinson biography from Naval Academy library
Jackie Robinson was court-martialed in the Army for refusing to move to the back of a bus. (AP Photo/Bill Chaplis, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) A week after removing then restoring an article about Jackie Robinson from the Pentagon's website, the Trump administration has reportedly gone back to that well. A biography about Jackie Robinson has been identified as a candidate for removal from the Nimitz Library at the U.S. Naval Academy due to a directive from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering the school to identify books with diversity, equity and inclusion themes and remove them from circulation, according to The New York Times. Advertisement The Robinson biography is reportedly one of 900 books identified as conflicting with the order, with other examples including 'The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr.' and 'Einstein on Race and Racism.' The Naval Academy's statement, via NYT: 'The U.S. Naval Academy is fully committed to executing and implementing all directives outlined in executive orders issued by the president and is currently reviewing the Nimitz Library collection to ensure compliance,' said Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, a Navy spokesman. 'The Navy is carrying out these actions with utmost professionalism, efficiency, and in alignment with national security objectives.' Hegseth is reportedly scheduled to visit the Naval Academy on Tuesday. It's unclear if the flagged books will be removed before his arrival. The move to remove the Robinson biography comes less than two weeks after the Trump administration received a torrent of criticism for removing an article about the Dodgers legend's Army career from the Department of Defense's website, as well as articles on subjects such as the Navajo code talkers and the first Black recipient of the Medal of Honor. Advertisement The article in question, which discussed how Robinson was once court-martialed for refusing to move to the back of a bus, was later restored. When asked for comment by ESPN's Jeff Passan, Pentagon press secretary John Ullyot released a statement doubling down on the administration's campaign against diversity initiatives and implying some content might be removed by mistake. That statement was widely criticized, and another statement was quickly released with the following first paragraph: "Everyone at the Defense Department loves Jackie Robinson, as well as the Navajo Code Talkers, the Tuskegee airmen, the Marines at Iwo Jima and so many others — we salute them for their strong and in many cases heroic service to our country, full stop. We do not view or highlight them through the prism of immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or sex. We do so only by recognizing their patriotism and dedication to the warfighting mission like ever other American who has worn the uniform." Robinson served in the Army from 1942 to 1944 as a second lieutenant in the 761st Tank Battalion. That unit went on to become the first Black tank unit to see combat in World War II. Robinson was unable to join them due to his court martial for protesting a racist policy. He was later acquitted and went on to break MLB's color barrier. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Robinson's team of 10 years, announced earlier this week they will visit President Trump at the White House to celebrate their 2024 World Series title in April, the same month they will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day.
