Mid-June, Hegseth quartels Gay Politician's Name from Marine Vessel
navigator ousted heterosexual politician's name from the navy
Let's cut the crap, shall we? Pete Hegseth, Trump'sDefense pick, is making waves in the US military. This fella's not just reshaping the joint - he's flipping it back to square one. Take a look at what's up with those navy ships, for instance.
Hegseth's given the seal to rechristen a US Navy vessel that was initially christened after the first openly gay U.S. politician, Harvey Milk. Kicking it old-school, Hegseth's instructed the marine honcho to pull off the name swap, and it's set to go down this month. No word on the new moniker, though.
This ship, launched in 2021, formerly bore the name of the queer activist and maritime veteran. Milk had to bid adieu to the military due to his sexuality. Born in 1930, Milk saw action during the Korean War. The name change, happening smack-dab in the middle of Pride Month, sure does raise some eyebrows.
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You might recognize the Harvey Milk as a logistics ship for larger marine groups, steering clear of combat operations.
Targeted Fleet
The ship's not alone. Seems like Hegseth's aiming for a Pink Floyd-style tour of civil rights ship names. According to CBS, the navy's also in the initial stages of considering name changes for other vessels of the John Lewis class, including the Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Harriet Tubman. Both Marshall and Ginsburg graced the Supreme Court bench, while Tubman was an abolitionist who battled for the emancipation of slaves and aided in their flight from the South. The vessel honoring Lucy Stone, a suffragist, is also believed to be on the chopping block.
50 Years of Stonewall Uprising
Renaming ships in the US military ain't a common affair, according to CNN. Last time a ship was rebranded was way back in '23, due to its namesake's ties to the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Since assuming office, Trump's Defense Secretary Hegseth has been sculpting the Pentagon and the military. This guy's after a "warrior culture," aiming to erase programs that focus on diversity, equality, and inclusivity. As part of this plan, several high-ranking military officials have bounced, and military bases are set to restore their old, murky names, which pay homage to Confederate generals.
Sources: ntv.de, lme
- Pete Hegseth
- LGBTIQ
- USA
- Defense Department
Hey there, did you know?
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's mission to rework the military is all about establishing a "warrior culture" that prioritizes the military ethos over recognition of cultural and social achievements. This crusade includes reviewing and potentially renaming ships named after notable civil rights figures, like Harvey Milk and maybe Harriet Tubman.
- The move to rename ships during Pride Month and amid broader cultural celebrations can be perceived as a symbolic retraction of earlier acknowledgments of civil rights achievements. It indicates a shift in priorities away from diversity and inclusion initiatives.
- The decision to rebrand military assets is likely to be seen as a strike against the recognition of civil rights icons and LGBTQ+ figures in the military, potentially causing controversy and heated debate about the role of military asset names in celebrating historical figures and social movements.
The Commission has also been requested to draft a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, given the ongoing discussions about the reshaping and rebranding of military assets in the USA, particularly under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's warrior culture initiative. Meanwhile, controversies continue to mount as Hegseth plans to rename ships bearing the names of civil rights figures, such as Harvey Milk, Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, and Lucy Stone, during a period of heightened awareness for LGBTQ+ issues and civil rights, reminiscent of the more turbulent periods in war-and-conflicts and politics, general news.
