As we reported in July of last year after extensive study, critical race theory has “established a beachhead” at the military service academies, including the United States Military Academy at West Point.
In December, we held a live seminar called Saving the Military Service Academies from Wokeness with former Space Force Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier, author of the bestselling book, Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military, published in May 2021. For publishing and speaking publicly about his book, then-Lieutenant Colonel Lohmeier was relieved of his command and subjected to an Inspector General investigation within the Pentagon. Lohmeier then joined veteran-led nonprofit group STARRS (Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services) and actively works to educate Americans about the dangers of racist and radical ideologies infiltrating our military. The video from the event is here:
We have also repeatedly reported on critical race theory’s inroads specifically at West Point here:
We have documented West Point’s incorporation of CRT into its current curriculum at CriticalRace.org. As we show in the West Point section of the database, slides used for cadet training reference ‘Modern Day Slavery,’ ‘Racial Inequality and Slavery,’ ‘Whiteness’ as ‘Race Privilege,’ ‘How White Networks Exclude Black Men from Blue-Collar Jobs,’ ‘Queer Theory,’ and ‘Critical Race Theory.'” “Cadets at West Point are required to attend a mandatory seminar…covering ‘White Power at West Point’ and ‘Understanding Whiteness and White Rage.'”
Congressman Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), alarmed at these discoveries and after doing some digging himself, “said in a letter to the West Point superintendent, “Additionally, I understand that on September 24, 2020 the entire corps of cadets was required to report to Michie Stadium for your address as Superintendent and to hear from a cadet panel. In this session, an active duty female colonel described to the Corps how she become ‘woke’ to her white privilege, and felt guilty for the advantages of her race. At this same assembly, white police officers were described as murderers with no context or court documents provided to corroborate the anecdotes of police brutality.”
But, this is all a big mistake according to Congressman Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), whose district encompasses West Point. In an interview with military.com, Ryan “warn[ed] Republicans against using the military academies in their planned war on ‘wokeness’ [and] argued political attacks such as GOP accusations of ‘critical race theory’ infiltrating the military academies undermine public trust in the military and distract from preparing the services to compete with China.”
‘Especially at a time of great global risk and change and uncertainty between China and Russia and everything else, we need to be the adults in the room here. We need to be the ones thinking not about scoring political points or what’s gonna get you more likes on Twitter or hits on Fox News[.]I have zero time for the political distractions and BS, and I will very aggressively call that out,’ he added. ‘The ultimate irony to me, a lot of people calling this out haven’t spent a single day in uniform, and I think that certainly shows in how they’ve conducted themselves.’
These statements led to a sharp rebuke from STARRS President and CEO Ronald J. Scott, Jr., Ph.D. a retired United States Air Force Colonel who signed an “Open Letter” addressing the issue:
Evidence of ‘critical race theory’ has already been established…The loss of public trust stems from legitimate concerns about the actual infiltration of this ideology, advanced and enforced by diversity and inclusion officers and NCOs. The US Air Force Academy has 90 cadets wearing purple diversity and inclusion armbands throughout the wing at the squadron, group, and wing levels.The Left has latched on to CRT and DEI to divide Americans into oppressors and the oppressed.Dismissing the domestic ideological threat merely exacerbates our vulnerability to the external threat.As the representative for a district that harbors a critical institution designed to produce officers to counter external threats, we strongly encourage you to more closely examine the ideological threat that has infiltrated your alma mater.
The Open Letter was also signed by Lieutenant General Robert D. Bishop, Jr., United States Air Force (retired), Chairman of STARRS, and Major General Joseph W. Arbuckle, United States Army (retired), Vice Chairman of STARRS.
As a 31-year military veteran and former Commanding Officer of USS Toledo (SSN-769), an improved Los Angeles class attack submarine, my take is that CRT and its inherently divisive rhetoric have no place at West Point or any other military education facility, including my alma mater, the United States Naval Academy.
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