Diversity Be Damned: Trump's Navy Rename Game
"Harvey Milk's U.S. Naval Ship has been rechristened as the U.S. Naval Ship Oscar V. Peterson"
Under President Donald Trump, the military isn't exactly embracing diversity. Witness the renaming of a US Navy ship, straight out of a politically incorrect playbook.
In the latest twist, the US Navy has rebranded a vessel that previously bore the name of a gay civil rights activist, Harvey Milk. Now, it's christened as the "USNS Oscar V. Peterson". This move comes on the heels of an order from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "revive the warlike traditions of the military", as the Navy so eloquently puts it.
Milk, a 1930-1978 fabulous phenomenon, served as a diving officer in the Navy during the Korean War, yet was given the boot due to his sexual orientation. Post-dismissal, he became a beacon for gay rights, advocating fiercely for the LGBTQ+ community and making history as the first openly gay member of the San Francisco city council in the '70s.
Politics Redux
Trump. Diversity. Hegseth. The trio that's giving a whole new meaning to polarizing. Trump, the diversity bulldozer, has been knocking down diversity measures left, right, and center, branding them as a potential weakness for the military forces. Hegseth, the ship-naming dictator, is following suit, booting Milk off the navy ship.
In November 1978, Milk and liberal mayor George Moscone met their untimely end in a city hall shooting by an assassin. The charismatic civil rights activist gained fame posthumously, with Sean Penn portraying him spectacularly in the Oscar-winning film "Milk". Directed by Gus Van Sant in 2008.
Hero Swap
Enter Oscar V. Peterson, the new star of the sea. According to the Navy, this WWII warrior served in Asia and literally saved the day when his ship was under attack by the Japanese. Despite sustaining injuries, Peterson valiantly stabilized the vessel and assisted in saving 123 crew members. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards and was posthumously granted the Medal of Honor. The multi-purpose US Navy ship now caters to the fuel, water, or supply needs of its fellow seafaring brethren.
Trump and Hegseth aren't exactly fans of diversity promotion in the military and are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to counter such measures. As part of their grand plan, they're modifying base and ship names too.
[1] On Politics: "Trump Administration Attempts to Remove LGBTQ+ Representation in Military." The New York Times.[2] Military Times: "Navy Strips Harvey Milk from USNS Harvey Milk."[3] The Hill: "Trump Administration Rushes to Replace LGBTQ+ Names on Military Ships."
- Politics in the US is seeing a resurgence of polarizing figures, with President Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Harvey Milk's name becoming synonymous with diversity debates, as the Trump Administration attempts to remove LGBTQ+ representation in the US military.
- As the US Navy rebrands vessels, it appears to align with Trump's vision, renaming a ship that previously bore the name of gay rights activist Harvey Milk, replacing it with the name of Oscar V. Peterson, a WWII hero, in what seems to be a move to revive the warlike traditions of the US military and counter diversity promotion efforts.
