Title: Defense Secretary Hegseth Pushes to Remove Gay Icon's Name from Navy Ship, Stirring Controversy
Defense Secretary Hegseth advocates for exclusion of Navy ship passengers who are active in promoting LGBTQ+ rights
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US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth reportedly wants to rebrand a Navy vessel currently named after a renowned advocate for LGBTQ rights. This ship, the USNS Harvey Milk, could soon bear a new moniker according to recent reports.
A dramatic unveiling is rumored for early evening on June 13, but the new name remains a mystery. The shift comes as part of an administration-wide initiative to restore the "warrior spirit" in the US military [1][2].
Critics have condemned the move, claiming it's a deliberate attack on Pride Month, a time to celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ individuals and advocate for their rights. On the evening of June 10, CBS News reported that other naval ships honoring civil rights leaders were also on the chopping block [2]. Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, labelled the plan as "malicious," "shameful," and "vengeful" [2].
Harvey Milk, the ship's namesake, served as a Navy diver during the Korean War, though he was prematurely dismissed because of his sexual orientation [3]. He later became a prominent figure in the gay rights movement and made history as the first openly gay politician elected to the San Francisco city council in the 1970s. Regrettably, Milk, along with Mayor George Moscone, was gunned down in city hall in 1978. Selected scenes of his life are portrayed in the Oscar-winning film "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant in 2008.
Hegseth's intentions to revamp the US military were hinted at with a strategic paper outlining his proposed changes months prior. He claimed that measures promoting diversity were incompatible with the Pentagon’s values and hoped to purge such guidelines to return the military to its genesis with high-standard principles [4].
[1] ntv.de, DPA[2] AP News[3] Biography.com[4] Fox News
Further Insight:
- The proposed changes are part of a broader attempt to overhaul diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the Department of Defense [1]. Other naval ships, including those in the John Lewis-class replenishment and resupply fleet, could bear new names as a result [2].
- Critics argue that the name change would diminish the recognition of underrepresented individuals who have made significant contributions to the military [2]. Officials, however, maintain that any renaming will adhere to "the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities, our nation’s history, and the warrior ethos" [2].
- The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, is planning to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a Navy ship honoring a prominent LGBTQ rights activist, as part of a broader initiative to revamp diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the Department of Defense.
- This shift in policy-and-legislation and the potential renaming of ships like the USNS Harvey Milk, stirring controversy and drawing criticism from activists, is seen as a move to restore a "warrior spirit" in the US military and align with the Commander-in-Chief’s priorities.
