Some mornings I get up and think I will take a break from writing for the day. Usually, however, something manages to stir my blood or strain all credulity. Today is one of those days.
In its rush to burnish its racist and misogynistic bona fides, the Trump regime has decided that even the dead are fair game.
First, some background information:
Approximately 400,000 veterans are buried in the Army-run cemetery, which was established after the US Civil War at the home of the South's general, Robert E. Lee.
On the cemetery's website, internal links that directed users to webpages with information about the "Notable Graves" of dozens of black, Hispanic and female veterans were missing on Friday.
The Independent reports the following:
The purge follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s declaration that “DEI is dead” as he implements Trump’s agenda at the Pentagon.
One of Trump’s many executive orders was banning DEI in federal programs, and Pentagon bosses have carried out orders to remove any content that “promotes” it.
That includes removing internal links to educational materials on the cemetery’s website.
On the website’s “Notable Graves” dropdown menu, African American History, Hispanic American History and Women’s History no longer appear...
A spokesperson for the cemetery said ... it wanted to ensure that the content aligned with Trump's orders and also with instructions from Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
These shameful actions form part of a larger pattern:
Trump has made dramatic changes in the military in his second term, including firing the country's top general, CQ Brown, a black man who had supported diversity in the armed forces.
Secretary Hegseth - a former Fox News host and military veteran - has pledged to root out all diversity initiatives and had accused Gen Brown of being "woke".
Understandably, given that over 30% of those currently serving identify as Black or Native Americans, and 18% as Hispanic or Latino, and one-fifth are women, outrage is widespread.
Democrats and veterans groups hit out at the move. “This is a terrible affront to the veterans posthumously dishonored and canceled and to their families,” Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said. “It is a pathological statement that the MAGA government cannot even accept inclusion in death.”
Progressive Veterans group VoteVets accused the Trump administration of “whitewashing history.”
“Arlington National Cemetery just erased DEI from its website — because Republicans threw a tantrum over honoring ALL who served,” the group said. “The same GOP that cuts Veteran healthcare now decides who’s worthy of remembrance. This isn’t patriotism. It’s whitewashing history.”
I'll close with a picture and information of one of the dead who have been 'erased:
AltSpaceForce 🚀🇺🇲
The Defense Dept has deleted references to Black, Hispanic & female service members as well as topics such as the Civil War from its website in order to remove all references to diversity, equity, & inclusion.
Sgt William H. Carney, a former slave, is the first black man to get the Medal of Honor.
