Army Strong; Air Force Weak
Their story is now viral. Their picture of pride and accomplishment is under attack. That photo is being used, by those both ignorant and hypocritical, to vilify and condemn them. Sixteen female black members of the graduating Class of 2016 at West Point deserve far better treatment than what they are being forced to endure. Without belaboring the specifics of this raging “controversy”, I asked two Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) supporters to offer their thoughts on this matter and am pleased to provide them below for your review.
Please keep in mind that the DoD and Army regulations, in the main, lump political, ideological and religious expression/limitation matters together. I tell you this because of the outrage today from MRFF’s many faculty, staff and cadet (including cadet football players) clients at my alma mater, the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). They are incensed at the disparate treatment of the black female cadets’ expression of solidarity/achievement at West Point as compared to the TOTAL lack of any similar scrutiny and/or criticism levied upon the heavily publicized and orchestrated public, pregame prayers of USAFA football players expressing their personal religious preferences last December, 2015.
The hideous stench of hypocrisy cannot be denied.
From: Senior Active Duty Air Force Officer
Subject: Army Strong, Air Force Weak
Date: May 9, 2016 at 3:27:57 PM MDT
To: “Weinstein, Mikey”
Dear MRFF,
I understand that 18 female Firsties (senior cadets) at the US Military Academy are under some level of scrutiny–in fact an investigation is underway according to the New York Times–because some think they may have been violating well-established rules against making political statements in uniform. This all came about after their personally taken “Old Corps” group photo became public via social media. the photo, as you are well aware, showed them around West Point’s oldest barracks in a scene reminiscent of the 1800s, in dress grays, but with each of them raising one fist. The fists aren’t raised in any uniform pose whatsoever. Some are high, some low, some look a bit half-hearted, other more strident, at least three are left-handed. A retired Army Full Colonel (O-6) (former Blackhawk pilot, black, and female) posted it on her Facebook page with pride and it also showed up on two Facebook pages run by parents of USAF Academy parents–all of the posts had comments that were nothing but supportive. I, myself, “liked” the photo, and then scrolled on. I felt their pride in accomplishment, and took it as a message of strength, sisterhood, camaraderie–eighteen women who have all overcome and flourished in an environment that we’d all call among the most challenging possible for a college-aged student. It never crossed my mind that they were making any political or religious statement of any kind, nor that they were identifying with any political group or movement. (I am, however, one-each European, middle-class, white, suburban male–so, if they were making a statement that was political or religious, it’s entirely possible that I could miss the clues.)
So, I guess what bothers me, is the contrast between what looks like a gross over-reaction to a very ambiguous, seemingly innocuous (and privately taken) group photo at USMA, and the extreme UNDER-reaction by the US Air Force Academy several months ago with the overwhelming majority of the Air Force football team trotting out of the locker room and almost in unison running to the end zone where they formed circles and all took a “Tebow” to pray in a distinctly Christian manner. This included, if reports are to be believed, many members of the football team who felt pressure to ape their religious teammates for fear of being “outed” as non-religious and not “part of the team.” The MRFF covered this, broke the story–based upon complaints by cadets on the team and fans in the stands–and USAFA claimed to do an “inquiry,” but nothing to the extent of what now may take place at USMA.
The football incident seems (to me at least) to be the far more egregious situation. Players declared their faith en masse, in uniform, to a nationally televised audience a half-dozen times (at least) over the course of the season, yet nothing was done. Would the same have been true if 90% of them had lined up on the goal line and raised their right arm, fingers rigidly pointing, palms down in a Nazi salute? What if they’d all rolled out prayer rugs and bowed East toward Mecca–or refused, for one game, to practice Buddhist non-violence and play touch football? Could they sport Hillary or Bernie stickers on their helmets?
The fact is, the USAFA cadets were allowed–if not encouraged–to publicly display their religious convictions BECAUSE they are the majority. When ire was raised, it was dismissed out of hand–it’s their religious RIGHT to do so say their similarly oriented superiors. What a contrast to our USMA sisters who, in trying to capture a private moment of pride and accomplishment, have every possible motive examined under the microscope, all possible negative inferences and worst suspicions suddenly confirmed because they are the minority and have been so since the day they in-processed. No wonder their fists are raised. I guess I didn’t appreciate all for which they’ve fought until I compared these two cases. Bravo ladies! I will be proud to serve with you.
A Senior Active Duty Air Force Officer
The following thoughts are from a female West Point graduate who is a long time MRFF staff volunteer, supporter, and subject matter expert
Hi Mikey
Here are my thoughts–and I did personally speak to two of the West Point (Class of 2016) African American women cadets and they say that the raised fist was mean for personal strength, not political. Every year since 1980 African American women gather for a photo. Also learned they do not know who sent the photo out, but it was not meant for public distribution. Social media adds a new level of personal responsibility, yet how can one control the way everything is interpreted?
As a former outreach officer, I am amazed that 18 African American women are graduating. Wonder how many classes they endured being the only woman? The only black person? Being different is the norm for them. How many African American women are on staff and faculty? Usually, for the African American community, the church is a strong supportive community. Is there a black chaplain assigned to West Point? I am guessing not, because if there were, this issue would never have escalated to this point.
If this were a picture of white women cadets, then possibly the raised fist would bring thoughts of “Rosie the Riveter.” A group of male cadets, possibly the idea of “Army Strong.” Anytime a minority gathers together, prejudice lurks close behind. If the minority women cadets meant for the raised fist to be a symbol of Black Power, then did they post the picture making that political statement? Or was the photo, as in all the other years African American women gathered together in solidarity memorialized their journey with a picture, meant for personal keepsake? Interestingly, if one follows the eyes of the women, they see raising in the distance the new barracks named after shunned cadet Benjamin Davis. What would have happened had that shadow of prejudice prevented his graduation? Thankfully, he endured.
While the easier choice now is to delay graduation pending an investigation, the harder right is to stand up against illogical thinking founded on racial fear. What support community rallies to these women? The same support community that helped GEN Davis endure? These 18 African American women are each other’s support. All they have overcome, and to scrutinize based on a photo which can be interpreted in many ways. Has the United States Military Academy, the supposed premier leadership institute in the world, allowed itself to be on the end of a political string that dances to the tune of ignorance fueled by prejudice? May the shadow of the new barracks cast its mighty light into the minds of decision makers.
“The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that’s also a hypocrite!”
Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) American playwright.
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Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein, Esq. is founder and president of the 7-time Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), an honor graduate of the Air Force Academy, and a former J.A.G. in the U.S. Air Force. He served as a White House counsel in the Reagan Administration and as the Committee Management Officer of the "Iran-Contra" Investigation. He is also the former General Counsel to H. Ross Perot and Perot Systems Corporation. His two sons, daughter-in-law, son-in law, and brother-in-law are also graduates of USAFA. In December 2012, Defense News named Mikey one of the 100 Most Influential People in U.S. Defense. He is the author of "With God On Our Side" (2006, St. Martin's Press) and "No Snowflake in an Avalanche" (2012, Vireo).