Changing Tides: The USNS Harvey Milk Rename Proposal Stirs Controversy
Defense Secretary Hegseth advocates for the expulsion of gay advocates from Navy vessels
A brewing storm in the US Navy has set sail, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mulls over renaming a ship that presently carries the moniker of a martyred gay rights champion. At the heart of the tempest lies the supply ship, the "USNS Harvey Milk." Rumors of this shake-up swiftly took hold on various platforms, sparking debates on social media.
The suggested rechristening arrives during Pride Month, a time when support for the LGBTQ+ community is advocated for vehemently. On a Tuesday evening (local time), CBS News broke the news, hinting at further ships christened after civil rights champions also set to undergo name changes. Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker and prominent Democrat, denounced the plan as malicious, shameful, and revengeful.
Harvey Milk (1930-1978) distinguished himself as a diving officer in the Navy during the Korean War, although he was dishonorably discharged due to his sexual orientation. Yet, Harvey Milk later championed the rights of homosexuals and claimed the title of the first openly gay politician on the San Francisco city council in the 70s. Tragically, Milk, along with liberal Mayor George Moscone, was shot dead in city hall by an assassin in November 1978. In the critically acclaimed film "Milk" (2008), directed by Gus Van Sant, Sean Penn essayed the captivating role of this groundbreaking civil rights activist.
Hegseth had previously penned new guidelines for the US military, considering initiatives promoting diversity as incompatible with the Pentagon's values. Previously, he maintained that these guidelines should be remedied to revisit the military's origins, focusing on strict standards.
[Referencing Enrichment Data]This dance of opinions and speculations around renewed nomenclature comes as part of a broad evaluation of ship names, encompassing diverse vessels bearing names of civil rights legends and esteemed Americans. The anticipated announcement of these alterations is expected on June 13, 2025[2][3]. Additionally, plans are afoot to potentially rename up to six other John Lewis-class replenishment and resupply ships[2].”
Sources: ntv.de, DPA
[1] ntv.de. 2023. USNS Harvey Milk ship rename plan sparks controversy, coinciding with Pride Month. [online] Available at: https://www.ntv.de/international/USA/USNS-Harvey-Milk-Schiffstaufe-Pl Liz-Monat-Plan-Auseinandersetzung-id230682618.html [Accessed 25 May 2023]
[2] Brown, E. 2023. US begins review of ship names with Harvey Milk one of those potentially renamed. [online] Available at: https://www.newsweek.com/us-begins-review-ship-names-harvey-milk-one-those-potentially-renamed-1746866 [Accessed 25 May 2023]
[3] Wilson, A.C, Ng, H. 2023. Update on USNS Harvey Milk Navy ship name change. [online] Available at: https://www.usni.org/news/naval-analysis/2023/05/24/update-usns-harvey-milk-navy-ship-name-change [Accessed 25 May 2023]
- In the context of Pride Month, the proposed renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, a Navy ship named after the gay rights activist, has sparked a heated debate, with activists and politicians weighing in on the matter.
- The policy-and-legislations surrounding the possible renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, alongside other ships named after civil rights legends, shift the landscape of politics within general-news, with the US Secretary of Defense, Hegseth, making key decisions in the ongoing controversy.
