Support our troops ... unless they speak out against racism
Col. Ben Jonsson blocked from promotion because of Missouri Senator Eric Schmitt
Besides Andrew Sullivan’s discussion with Charles “Chip” Gallagher and activist Lisa Bond during “Race2Dinner,” and Donald Trump’s delusional take on “the Blacks” fandom, I honestly didn’t expect tone deafness on racism to get any worse. That is, until I read a recent report from Military.com about Col. Ben Jonsson.
If his name is unfamiliar to you, start by reading the colonel’s article in AirForceTimes.com: “Dear white colonel … we must address our blind spots around race.” He starts off the post without mincing his words.
As white colonels, you and I are the biggest barriers to change if we do not personally address racial injustice in our Air Force. Defensiveness is a predictable response by white people to any discussion of racial injustice. White colonels are no exception. We are largely blind to institutional racism, and we take offense to any suggestion that our system advantaged us at the expense of others.
And that 832-word article appears to have led to an ongoing professional dispute. After President Joe Biden’s administration nominated Jonsson to receive a promotion to brigadier general in January 2023, his promotion was first blocked by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. over the Pentagon’s abortion access policy. After that was over, now Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., has tapped himself in to solely block Jonsson. And it appears to be because of that July 1, 2020 article on anti-racism.
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Why? Schmitt's office has decided diversity is “divisive.” In fact, he put a hold on six officers in a fight to "eradicate" diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and is trying to do away with 40 federal DEI departments.
Speculating that DEI programs “have done nothing more than waste taxpayer money and sow division among federal employees,” Schmitt feels that Biden’s multi-cultural attitude “undercuts the very foundation of our country.” Ironically, he’s historically not wrong. After all, the Middle Passage was damn sure not intending to make sure Africans (and African-Americans later on) have equal rights with slaveowners.
His Abolish Government DEI Act wouldn’t just abolish DEI programs in Missouri. His goal is to abolish 40 DEI programs nationwide, including the Office of Resolution Management, Diversity and Inclusion of the Department of Veterans Affairs and programs for common organizations such as HUD, including the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He’s even picking a fight with the tobacco industry by wanting to end the Office of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the Department of the Treasury.
But since he can’t abolish the programs alone (and the Senate is still Democrat-led — if you count Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema before she leaves office), he’s taking his wrath out on this one white military veteran who asked for white colonels “to give a damn” and “aim high” against discrimination.
Schmitt, what an idiotic way to not support the troops.
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