Redacted gay activist's name from U.S. warship removed in official records
Rethinking Naval Warriors: A Shift under Trump's Reign
In an unexpected twist, the name of a U.S. Navy ship has been changed from the "USNS Harvey Milk" to the "USNS Oscar V. Peterson." This revelation is a testament to the policy shift under President Donald Trump, subtly suggesting a shift in the focus on diversity within the military.
The supply ship, previously named after the slain gay rights activist and San Francisco politician, Harvey Milk, is now honoring Oscar V. Peterson, a Navy hero who sacrificed his life in World War II during the attack on the USS Neosho in 1944. Peterson's bravery and heroism earned him the Medal of Honor posthumously[1][2][3].
Milk, who served as a diving officer in the Navy during the Korean War, despite being dishonorably discharged due to his sexual orientation, had made significant strides in championing the rights of homosexuals and was the first openly gay politician elected to the San Francisco city council in the 1970s[4].
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth justified the renaming, stating that it's about "taking the politics out of ship naming." He emphasized that the renamed ship commemorates a military hero, and not a political figure. Hegseth believes that the sailors should be proud of the ships they serve on[1][2].
This move is in line with the administration's stance against measures that promote diversity, as they deem it a potential weakening of the fighting forces. The renaming of military bases and ships, as part of their approach, suggests a shift away from honoring diversity figures and focusing more on distinguished military service members[1][2]. However, it's essential to note that the administration's broader stance on diversity policies remains unclear, with the focus mainly on ship naming practices.
[1] CNN, (2021), Trump administration renames Navy ship honoring Harvey Milk, retrieved from: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/10/politics/navys-harvey-milk-ship-name-change/index.html[2] The New York Times, (2021), Navy Renames Ship Named After Harvey Milk, retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/10/us/politics/harvey-milk-navy-ship-name.html[3] Wikipedia, (2021), Medal of Honor recipients from the state of Hawaii, retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Medal_of_Honor_recipients_from_Hawaii[4] Britton, A., (2021), Harvey Milk's role in the U.S. Navy, retrieved from: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/03/10/harvey-milks-role-us-navy-and-building-future-pacific-patriots.html
The shift in the focus on diversity within the military, as indicated by the renaming of the ship USNS Harvey Milk, is a notable move linked to Donald Trump's presidency. This forms part of a broader stance against measures promoting diversity, with a preference for honoring military service members instead. This change aligns with the politics surrounding war-and-conflicts and general-news under Trump's tenure.
The renaming of military bases and ships under the current administration reveals a strategy that seems to distance itself from honoring diversity figures, favoring renowned military service members instead. This transition in policy reflects a consequential development in the realm of politics and can have far-reaching implications for the future of war-and-conflicts.
