Latest news with #ThurgoodMarshall
CNA
a day ago
- Politics
- CNA
Commentary: America First, China Next? Why Trump's new travel ban harms US interests
SINGAPORE: United States President Donald Trump has rebooted his travel ban, hitting Southeast Asia for the first time. He banned – partially or fully – citizens of 19 countries, including Myanmar and Laos, from entering the US with effect from Monday (Jun 9). He clearly learned lessons from the ban he instituted initially during his first term. Mr Trump' playbook started with an executive order on the first day of his second term ordering the State Department to launch a global review of foreign governments' vetting and screening capabilities and to identify which were 'so deficient as to warrant' a travel ban. This time, instead of calling it a 'Muslim ban' like he did eight years ago with no study, he justified the ban for national security reasons after a review of several months, claiming also that people from those countries had high rates of overstaying their visas. This policy, preordained but dressed in process, will likely be upheld by the courts. 'A CONVENIENT DISTRACTION' FROM BAD NEWS The travel ban comes amid reports of the lowest US job growth in two years, strong public criticism of Mr Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' from Elon Musk as they feud, and an antisemitic attack a week ago. 'This noxious reboot comes as a convenient distraction from so many bad news items in the form of setbacks for the Trump agenda,' Thurgood Marshall Jr, a senior Clinton official, told me. And while Mr Trump said last week's Colorado 'terror attack' for which an Egyptian national has been charged with injuring several with gasoline bombs spurred the timing of the travel ban, Egypt not being on the list undercuts his premise this ban would have prevented it from happening. This ban both appeals to his core MAGA anti-immigration base and advances his governing philosophy. Mr Trump made the real message plain as he announced the travel ban: 'We don't want them.' The 'America First' agenda includes a sweeping crackdown on immigration: So far, he has barred international students from Harvard University, halted student visa interviews for those accepted to US schools and ordered immigration raids across the country. Of course, every country can and should aim to ensure only legal and lawful immigration to their territory. Citizens from certain countries should receive higher scrutiny for any number of reasons, including whether their government sponsors terrorism. Individuals who have a high chance of overstaying their visa can also be denied one. A blanket ban on all citizens from a given country provides the easy way out administratively and a political win from his base; however, it brings upon the US geopolitical harm. SOUTHEAST ASIA NOT SPARED This time, Laos and Myanmar were included in Mr Trump's travel ban – countries that accounted for barely 11,000 of the 72 million foreign visitors in 2024 per the Department of Commerce. Rick Reece, Executive Director of non-governmental organisation Village Focus International, an American who has lived and worked in Laos since 1998, told me: 'There are so many family connections [with the US] here. Now, uncertainty with the US comes out in anger and cynicism.' 'I hope Lao people don't lose their respect and admiration for the US. My own son and wife, both Lao passport holders, would love to visit the US to see friends and family, but I can't see that happening for the foreseeable future,' he added. Tatum Albertine, a former State Department and USAID official with years of experience in Myanmar, told me it was surprising to see Myanmar included in the travel ban. 'I don't think the Trump Administration even knows what it wants out of its relationship with them,' she said. The US had already taken a reputational hit in the country in the wake of the deadly earthquake in March. 'Trump 2.0 massively failed in sending a USAID humanitarian intervention team,' she added. '[Secretary of State Marco] Rubio said they were deployed, but people on the ground tell me that was not true – those people who were ready had been fired.' The rest of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, are also caught in Mr Trump's continuing assault on immigration, with the halt to student visa interviews pending the expansion of 'social media screening and vetting'. No one knows how long this will last. Some students who have been accepted to US schools have no idea when, or if, they'll be allowed to enter the country. Those already enrolled aren't sure if they will be let back in if they head home during the summer break. In a region where the US competes with China for influence, a ban on two ASEAN member states and collateral damage from the change to student visas could strengthen China's hand. AMERICA FIRST LEADS TO CHINA NEXT While there will be no immediate fallout by banning travel from these countries given their lack of geopolitical and geoeconomic standing, there will still be consequences. Mr Trump's broader immigration policies create anxiety about US travel, amid unhappiness about his sweeping tariffs. A head of global public affairs at an American multinational told me she can't have her team meet in the US this summer because many of her international staff fear travelling there. New York City, the top US destination for internation travel, estimated 2.5 million (or 17 per cent) fewer foreign travellers in 2025. Travel from Canada, the US' top source of visitors, is expected to go down more than 20 per cent. The World Travel & Tourism Council projects a US$12.5 billion loss in international visitor spending this year. Nelson Cunningham, who served in the Biden administration as a Senior Advisor at the State Department, told me: 'If we cut off contact with the best and brightest around the world, America First cannot help but become America Alone'. 'America First inevitably leads to China Next,' he concluded. With the new travel ban, governments will continue to seek alternate markets and partners for trade and security. Businesses will see diminish their advantages with access to foreign government officials, customers and employees. The erosion of Brand America continues.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Naval Ship Honoring Harvey Milk Is Getting a Name Change. Several Others Could Be Next
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." 1930–1978 The USNS Harvey Milk tanker ship is on the verge of receiving a new name, sparking intense reactions from some political figures. According to a report, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to rename the ship, which has honored the late gay rights activist and his military service since its launch in November 2021. A memorandum obtained by CBS showed that vessels named after other noteworthy figures—including Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, and Dolores Huerta—have also been requested for review. The act of renaming a Navy ship is very rare and considered partially taboo. The most recent occurrence was in 2023, when the USS Chancellorsville and research ship USNS Maury received new monikers. Both names were tied to the Confederacy. The timing of the proposed change is notable, as June is Pride Month in the United States. The honorary month dates back to 1970 when the initial LGBTQ Pride marches took place on the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Democratic lawmakers criticized the decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling it 'an utter abomination in terms of the extreme MAGA Republican effort to continue to erase American history, and we're not going to allow it to happen.' Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted in a post to X, formerly Twitter, saying Hegseth should immediately reverse the decision. Gay rights activist and community leader Harvey Milk made history in January 1978 when he became one of the first openly gay public officials in the United States. He served on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors. Prior to his political career, the native New Yorker had served in the U.S. Navy and worked in a variety of industries before settling in San Francisco and opening a camera shop. His life and his political career came to an untimely end when he was fatally shot in November 1978 at age 48. Numerous books and movies have been made about the politician, including the Oscar-winning 2008 biopic Milk starring Sean Penn.$10.30 at FULL NAME: Harvey Bernard MilkBORN: May 22, 1930DIED: November 27, 1978BIRTHPLACE: Woodmere, New YorkASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Gemini Harvey Bernard Milk was born on May 22, 1930, in Woodmere, New York. Reared in a small middle-class Jewish family, Milk was one of two boys born to William and Minerva Milk. A well-rounded, well-liked student, Harvey played football and sang in the opera at Bay Shore High School. Like his brother, Robert, he also worked at the family department store, Milk's. After graduating from the New York State College for Teachers in 1951, Milk joined the U.S. Navy, ultimately serving as a diving instructor at a base in San Diego during the Korean War. Following his discharge in 1955, Milk moved to New York City, where he worked a variety of jobs, including public school teacher, production associate for several high-profile Broadway musicals, stock analyst, and Wall Street investment banker. He soon tired of finance, though, and befriended gay radicals who frequented Greenwich Village. In late 1972, bored with his life in New York, Milk moved to San Francisco. In California, he opened a camera shop called Castro Camera on Castro Street, putting his life and work right in the heart of the city's gay community. For much of his life, Milk had stayed quiet about his personal life. He had known since high school that he was gay, and even in the wake of an emerging gay rights movement, the deliberate and careful Milk chose to remain on the sidelines. But things had started to turn for him toward the end of his time in New York, as he befriended a number of openly gay people who frequented Greenwich Village. In San Francisco, his life and outspoken politics evolved even further. As Castro Camera increasingly became a neighborhood center, Milk found his voice as a leader and activist. In 1973, he declared his candidacy for a position on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to help lead the city and the county. A novice politician with little money, Milk lost the election, but the experience didn't deter him from trying again. Two years later, he narrowly lost a second election for the same seat. By then, Milk had become a political force—an outspoken leader in the gay community with political connections that included San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, Assembly speaker and future city mayor Willie Brown, and future U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. In 1977, Milk, who was known affectionately as the 'Mayor of Castro Street,' finally won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He was inaugurated on January 9, 1978, becoming the city's first openly gay officer, as well as one of the first openly gay individuals to be elected to office in the United States. While his campaign certainly incorporated gay rights into his platform, Milk also wanted to tackle a wide variety of issues, such as childcare, housing, and a civilian police review board. Milk's ascension had come at an important time for the gay community. While many psychiatrists still considered homosexuality a mental illness at this time, the liberal San Francisco Mayor George Moscone had become an early supporter of gay rights and had abolished the city's anti-sodomy law. Moscone had also appointed several gay people and lesbians to a number of high-profile positions within San Francisco. On the other side of Moscone was Supervisor Dan White, a Vietnam veteran and former police officer and fireman, who was troubled by what he perceived as a breakdown in traditional values and a growing tolerance of homosexuality. Also elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, he frequently clashed with the more liberal Milk on policy issues.$12.00 at A year after his election, in 1978, White resigned from the board, citing that his salary of $9,600 wasn't enough to support his family. But White was prodded on by his police supporters and subsequently changed his mind regarding his resignation and asked Moscone to reappoint him. The mayor refused, however, encouraged by Milk and others to fill White's spot with a more liberal board member. For White, who was convinced that men like Moscone and Milk were driving his city 'downhill,' it was a devastating blow. On November 27, 1978, White entered City Hall with a loaded.38 revolver. He avoided the metal detectors by entering through a basement window that had been negligently left open for ventilation. His first stop was at the mayor's office, where he and Moscone began arguing before eventually moving to a private room so that they couldn't be heard. Once there, Moscone again refused to reappoint White, and White shot the mayor twice in the chest and twice in the head. White then went down the corridor and shot Milk, twice in the chest, once in the back, and twice in the head. Soon after, he turned himself in at the police station where he used to work. Milk died at age 48. White's trial was marked by what came to be known as the 'Twinkie defense,' as his lawyers claimed that the normally stable White had grown slovenly prior to the shootings due to abandoning his usually healthy diet and instead indulging in sugary junk food such as Coke, doughnuts, and Twinkies. In a surprising move, a jury convicted White of voluntary manslaughter rather than murder. In the wake of White's downgraded conviction, peaceful demonstrations by Castro's gay community outside City Hall turned violent. More than 5,000 policemen responded by entering nightclubs armed with truncheons and assaulting patrons. By the riot's end, 124 people were injured, including 59 policemen. This episode is known in history as 'The White Night Riots.' White subsequently served just six years in prison. In 1985, a year after his release, a distressed White died by suicide. Editor's Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviors, call or text 988 to get help from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In the years since the killings, Milk's legacy as a leader and pioneer has endured, with numerous books and movies made about his life. In 1984, Milk was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk. Nearly three decades after its release, the project was added to the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in 2012. In 2008, actor Sean Penn starred as Milk in the acclaimed biopic Milk. The movie primarily focuses on Milk's life and political aspirations throughout the 1970s. Penn's performance drew widespread acclaim, and he won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the slain politician. The film was also awarded the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. In July 2016, the U.S. Navy announced it would name a yet-to-be constructed tanker after Milk, calling it the USNS Harvey Milk. Milk's nephew praised the decision, saying it would send 'a green light to all the brave men and women who serve our nation: that honesty and authenticity are held up among the highest ideals of of nation's military.' San Francisco politician Scott Wiener also celebrated the announcement. 'When Harvey Milk served in the military, he couldn't tell anyone who he truly was,' he wrote in a statement. 'Now our country is telling the men and women who serve, and the entire world, that we honor and support people for who they are.' However, some critics argue that Milk wouldn't have wanted such an honor, citing his opposition to the Vietnam War. The ship, a replenishment oiler that refuels aircraft carriers at sea, launched from San Diego in November 2021. Four years later, in June 2025, the tanker was back in the headlines when reported U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the Navy to rename the ship, stripping Milk's name. According to the report, a memorandum showed the change was requested to show 'alignment with president and [secretary of defense] objectives and [secretary of the navy] priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture.' A new name for the ship has yet to be announced. Additionally, a terminal at the San Francisco International Airport is named after Milk following a five-year renovation project. Completed in 2024, the space now includes multiple departure gates, exhibits, and a museum gallery dedicated to Milk. All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words. Hope will never be silent. I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! You Might Also Like Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother Queen Camilla's Life in Photos
Newsweek
6 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Full List of Navy Ships That Could Be Renamed By Pete Hegseth
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is looking to rename several Navy ships which honor civil rights leaders, according to documents obtained by CBS. These memos show Secretary Hegseth is changing the name of the USNS Harvey Milk at the beginning of Pride Month. The USNS Harvey Milk honors the memory of the gay rights campaigner who served in the Navy during the Korean War before being discharged for his sexuality. The USNS Harvey Milk is not the only ship that the Secretary wants to rename. He is also looking to change the names of several other ships named after civil rights campaigners and leaders. According to the memo this renaming is being done in "alignment with president" and "priorities of reestablishing the warrior culture." Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement to Newsweek: "Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos." Main: Civil Service Mariners aboard Military Sealift Command's fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk, Norfolk Virginia, September 2024. Inset: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers his speech during 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday,... Main: Civil Service Mariners aboard Military Sealift Command's fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk, Norfolk Virginia, September 2024. Inset: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers his speech during 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. More Main: LaShawn Sykes, Inset Anupam Nath/Main: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, Inset: AP Photo Why It Matters The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which kept gay service members closeted was repealed in 2010 by President Barack Obama. The Trump administration is now reversing LGTBQ+ policy in the military by firing transgender troops and renaming a ship celebrating a gay leader. Critics argue that wiping the names of civil rights leaders from ships is disrespectful to them and redefines values America fights to protect. What To Know The USNS is a John Lewis-class oiler, meaning it is one of several ships named for civil rights campaigners. John Lewis was the racial justice campaigner who coined the term "good trouble." Other Ships up for Renaming USNS Thurgood Marshall (T-AO 211) Description : Named in honor of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice and a pioneering civil rights attorney. : Named in honor of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice and a pioneering civil rights attorney. Military Service: Thurgood Marshall did not serve in the military. However, he played a significant role in advocating for the rights of African American service members, notably providing legal counsel during the Port Chicago mutiny trial, which highlighted racial discrimination in the military. USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14) Description : Named after Cesar Chavez, a labor leader and civil rights activist who cofounded the United Farm Workers union. : Named after Cesar Chavez, a labor leader and civil rights activist who cofounded the United Farm Workers union. Military Service: Cesar Chavez served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1948, shortly after World War II. He was stationed in the Western Pacific, including assignments in Saipan and Guam. USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE-13) Description : Commemorates Medgar Evers, a civil rights activist and World War II veteran assassinated by a white supremacist in 1963. : Commemorates Medgar Evers, a civil rights activist and World War II veteran assassinated by a white supremacist in 1963. Military Service: Medgar Evers enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 at age 17. He served in the European Theater during World War II. In the segregated 657th Port Company, he participated in the Red Ball Express, a logistics operation critical to the Allied advance at Normandy. USNS Harriet Tubman (T-AO 213) Description : Honors Harriet Tubman, an Underground Railroad conductor and Union spy during the Civil War. : Honors Harriet Tubman, an Underground Railroad conductor and Union spy during the Civil War. Military Service: During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman served as a nurse, scout, and spy for the Union Army. Notably, she led the Combahee River Raid in 1863, which resulted in the liberation of over 700 enslaved individuals. In 2024, she was posthumously awarded the rank of brigadier general in the Maryland National Guard. USNS Dolores Huerta (T-AO 214) Description : Named after Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers alongside Chavez. : Named after Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers alongside Chavez. Military Service: Dolores Huerta did not serve in the military. Her contributions are rooted in labor organizing and civil rights advocacy. USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) Description : Commemorates Lucy Stone, a suffragist and abolitionist who was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. : Commemorates Lucy Stone, a suffragist and abolitionist who was the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a college degree. Military Service: Lucy Stone did not have military service. She was a prominent advocate for women's rights and the abolition of slavery. USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg (T-AO 212) Description : Honors the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice known for her lifelong advocacy of gender equality and civil rights. : Honors the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice known for her lifelong advocacy of gender equality and civil rights. Military Service: Ruth Bader Ginsburg did not serve in the military. However, she significantly impacted military policies through her legal work, notably contributing to the end of the military's policy of discharging women for becoming pregnant. It is rare for a Navy ship to be renamed as the practice is considered to be taboo within the armed forces. However, two ships were renamed in 2023 as they had ties to the Confederacy. Unlike the ships that were named after people who tried to secede from the Union, these ships are being stripped of being named after people who strived to improve the rights of others within the US. This is one of several moves from Hegseth and the Trump administration to remove mention of civil rights leaders from the military. In early April, Hegseth purged 400 books from the Naval Academy library on race relations, gender, and sexuality. The Trump administration Defense Department has also banned affinity groups such as the Black Society for Engineers and the Native American Heritage Forum at military academies. What People Are Saying Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement to Newsweek: "Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete." Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi: "Our military is the most powerful in the world—but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the "warrior" ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country. "As the rest of us are celebrating the joy of Pride Month, it is my hope that the Navy will reconsider this egregious decision and continue to recognize the extraordinary contributions of Harvey Milk, a Veteran himself, and all Americans who forged historic progress for our nation." Senator Martin Heinrich on X (formerly Twitter): "Harvey Milk served his country honorably—first in uniform, then in public office. Taking his name off this Navy ship sends a clear message, and it's one of disrespect and cruelty." Harvey Milk served his country honorably — first in uniform, then in public office. Taking his name off this Navy ship sends a clear message, and it's one of disrespect and cruelty. — Martin Heinrich (@SenatorHeinrich) June 3, 2025 What Happens Next Pride Month will continue to be celebrated by LGBTQ+ people and allies across the world for the month of June.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Navy set to rename USNS Harvey Milk, mulls new names for other ships named for civil rights leaders
Washington — The U.S. Navy plans to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a fleet replenishment oiler named after the slain gay rights leader and Navy veteran, and is considering renaming multiple naval ships named after civil rights leaders and prominent American voices, CBS News has learned. Norfolk Va., (Sept. 24, 2024) — Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARS) aboard Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) completed their first replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with two Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels. LaShawn Sykes U.S. Navy documents obtained by CBS News and used to brief the secretary of the Navy and his chief of staff show proposed timelines for rolling out the name change of the USNS Harvey Milk to the public. While the documents do not say what the ship's new name would be, the proposal comes during Pride Month, the monthlong observance of the LGBTQ+ community that also coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising of 1969. WorldPride celebrations are being held in Washington, D.C., this year. The documents obtained by CBS News also show other vessels named after prominent leaders are also on the Navy's renaming "recommended list." Among them are the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USNS Harriet Tubman, USNS Dolores Huerta, USNS Lucy Stone, USNS Cesar Chavez and USNS Medgar Evers. CBS News found that a December 2024 web article from Naval Sea Systems Command about the laying of the keel for the future USNS Thurgood Marshall has been deleted. File: Alissa Kamens Marshall, USNS Thurgood Marshall ship sponsor participates in the time-honored tradition of the keel laying/certification by welding her initials into the keel plate of the new ship. Sarah Cannon "The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream," Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi told CBS News in a statement. She added, "Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the 'warrior' ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CBS News the move was "an utter abomination in terms of the extreme MAGA Republican effort to continue to erase American history, and we're not going to allow it to happen." And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X that Hegseth "should be ashamed of himself and reverse this immediately." Following his confirmation in January, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive instructing the Pentagon and U.S. military services to cease hosting events tied to heritage or awareness months, citing concerns that such programs could undermine unity within the ranks. The "Identity Months Dead at DoD" guidance banned official manpower and resources from being used on such events — among them, Pride Month, Black History Month and Women's History Month. The documents obtained by CBS News were not marked with the traditional classification markers typically seen on Defense Department memos. The documents were not marked as "For Official Use Only" or "Controlled Unclassified Information," they were also not marked to indicate they were drafts. There was a "CAUTION" note, however, referring to the information as publicly sensitive. The memo said the renaming of naval ships was to realign the U.S. military with Trump administration priorities of "reestablishing the warrior culture." The documents call for Navy Secretary John Phelan to select a new name for the USNS Harvey Milk on Tuesday, with the notice of the name change going out to other senior U.S. Navy officials later in the week after undergoing legal review. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Hegseth "is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos." Parnell added that any potential renaming decisions would be announced once the internal reviews are complete. first reported the name change for the USNS Harvey Milk on Tuesday, but the news of other naval vessels being considered for a name change has not yet been reported. The USNS Harvey Milk is a John Lewis-class replenishment oiler, designed to support carrier strike groups at sea. The class of ships is named after civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, who died in 2020. Harvey Milk, the political trailblazer, emerged in the 1970s as one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States. After years of activism, he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, where he quickly became a national symbol of LGBTQ+ political empowerment. His life was cut short in 1978 when he was assassinated in City Hall, alongside Mayor George Moscone. The USNS Harvey Milk was christened in 2021 and represented a significant step toward inclusivity within the armed forces. Before he emerged as one of the most visible advocates for gay rights in American history, Milk served in the U.S. Navy. From 1952 to 1954, he held posts as an operations and dive officer aboard two submarine rescue ships — the USS Chanticleer and the USS Kittiwake — both active during the Korean War, according to the U.S. National Archives. But his sexual orientation carried profound consequences as Milk came under scrutiny. In December 1954, Milk, who was then a lieutenant junior grade, was facing a court martial for participating in a "homosexual act" a year earlier. Instead of facing trial, Milk was drummed out of the U.S. military, like so many other gay service members of his era. In January 1954, he resigned his commission and accepted an "Other Than Honorable" discharge. In 2021, the Navy approached Milk's nephew, Stuart Milk, to see if he wanted his uncle's discharge upgraded, according to NPR. Stuart decided against it as a reminder that not everyone was treated with honor. The name change would follow two base renamings Hegseth directed earlier this year to reverse the work a congressionally mandated naming commission did to remove names honoring the Confederacy. In February, he directed Fort Liberty in North Carolina return to Fort Bragg, saying it would now be named after a non-Confederate Bragg, and then directed Fort Moore change to Fort Benning, after another Benning. The naming commission also suggested the Navy rename the guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, which honors a Confederate battle victory, to the USS Robert Smalls, to recognize a slave who stole a Confederate ship and surrendered it to the Union. The Navy also renamed the USNS Maury to the USNS Marie Tharp, removing the name of a Confederate sailor and replacing it with the name of a pioneering female oceanographer. Although the Navy has renamed ships for various reasons, name changes are still an exceptionally rare occurrence, especially after the ships have entered service.
New York Times
6 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Hegseth Orders Navy to Review Ship Name Honoring Gay Icon Harvey Milk
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Navy to review the names of vessels honoring prominent civil rights leaders, including Harvey Milk, who was one of the country's first openly gay elected officials and a Navy veteran. News of Mr. Hegseth's decision, reported earlier by comes just days into Pride Month, which celebrates the contributions of luminaries in the L.G.B.T.Q. community. Instead, Mr. Hegseth's order was intended as a rebuke of Pride Month, keeping with the Trump administration's drive to expunge diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the federal government, according to a senior defense official familiar with the decision. Mr. Milk is one of several trailblazers whose name has been identified for possible removal from naval vessels. According to a senior official familiar with a memo from John Phelan, the secretary of the Navy, they include Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice; Ruth Bader Ginsburg, another Supreme Court justice, who became a feminist icon; Harriet Tubman, who, after being born into slavery, became an abolitionist instrumental in the Underground Railroad; Lucy Stone, a prominent abolitionist and suffragist; Medgar Evers, a civil-rights leader who was assassinated by a member of the Ku Klux Klan; Cesar Chavez, a labor leader; and Dolores Huerta, another labor leader. The names of the additional ships under review were previously reported by CBS News. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about unannounced policy decisions. 'Secretary Hegseth is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the commander in chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos,' the Pentagon said in a statement issued on Tuesday. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
