So long, Marines: Marine Corps adopts affirmative action to increase number of black officers

(August 6: the discussion continues.)

As I keep saying, under the ruling liberal belief system every value, every standard, every tradition and institution of our society must be degraded or eliminated, in order to equalize blacks with whites. And this process of civilizational debasement will continue, so long as whites continue to believe the liberal lie that blacks are behind because of artificial limitations which whites have imposed on them, which whites must make up for and correct, rather than because of blacks’ own inherent limitations, which whites are not responsible for and which they cannot correct.

The story is reported in the North County Times:

Marine Corps commandant vows to boost number of black officers

The commandant of the Marine Corps vowed Tuesday to increase the number of black officers, improve minority recruiting and memorialize the service’s first black troops.

Gen. James Amos told about 500 members of the National Naval Officers Association meeting in San Diego that he was “heartbroken” when he examined the status of blacks in the Marine Corps shortly after becoming commandant last fall. [LA replies: There was a time when the word “heartbroken” would not have been part of any Marine’s vocabulary, certainly not the public vocabulary of a high-ranking Marine officer. But white guilt over black inferiority breaks down everything, even the once-fierce self-respect of Marines. As I’ve said, liberalism turns even strong men into sniveling weaklings.]

“We’re just not there,” the 64-year-old four-star general said. “We’re not the face of society.” [LA replies: Amos should have resigned from the Marines, he should have lain down and died, rather than make this disgusting statement. The Marines have always prided themselves on their special qualities, their superior qualities; such pride is the essence of a Marine. Now he’s saying that the Marine’s main mission is to be a mirror of society in all its mediocrity and sub-mediocrity.]

Amos, who became the 35th commandant on Oct. 22, said black officers numbered 5.6 percent of the total number of officers in 2010.

The general said that although blacks make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, they comprise 10 percent of the 202,000-troop Marine Corps.

“It’s not a quota I’m after, but I’ve got to pay attention to the numbers,” Amos told the naval officers association, a group made up mostly of U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard officers. “I just know I’m not happy with where we are.”

The Marine Corps promoted just 60 blacks among 1,073 promotions to the rank of lieutenant in 2010, he said. Amos said he wants to raise that 3.5 percent figure to at least 5 percent by the end of this year.

“We’re changing our entire approach,” he said, striding across the floor of a hotel ballroom as he made his remarks. “We’re going to improve this year, next year and the year after that.” [LA replies: Of course, by “improve,” he doesn’t mean improve the Marine Corps. He means “improve” the status of blacks who lack the qualities and performance to be promoted on their own merits, a process that will degrade the Marine Corps. So when he says, “We’re going to improve this year, next year and the year after that,” what he really means is, “We’re going to degrade this year, next year and the year after that.”]

The Marine Corps is increasing its outreach to colleges and universities and establishing ties with athletic groups and other organizations to recruit more blacks, he said.

The diversity campaign also reaches into the Marine Corps’ past by elevating the story of the Montford Marines, a group of 20,000 blacks who were the first to join the Marine Corps when the service opened its doors to minorities in the 1940s.

Amos said it was shameful that the Marine Corps segregated those men into a separate boot camp established at Montford Point at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune, where it operated from 1942-49 when the service integrated its recruit training.

The Marine Corps has failed to fully recognize or celebrate the legacy of the Montford Point men and that will change, Amos said.

He said he is instituting their story into training at all levels, making it required reading for all Marines and working with the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to see they are awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.

“That is job No. 1 with me and we’re going to make it happen,” said Amos, who on Saturday spoke to the Montford Point Marine Association’s annual gathering in Atlanta. [LA replies: So celebrating blacks and promoting unqualified blacks as officers is his top priority.]

In talking with those World War II-era troops, Amos said, it was clear they do not hold a grudge over their treatment.

Amos said those men, most of whom are now in their 80s, told him “We just wanted to serve our country.”

“There’s not a bitter man among them. They knew who we (the Marine Corps) were and they were willing to put up with all that guff to get there.” [LA replies: Incredible, his program is to make the Marine Corps feel guilty about its past.]

Later this month, about 200 Montford Marines are being feted by Amos at a three-day gathering in Washington. Events include a parade in their honor and a videotape interview with each so their individual stories are preserved.

“This is a rich part of our history and our legacy and it won’t be forgotten,” he said.

Several members of the San Diego chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association are expected to attend, including Oceanside’s Oscar Culp.

To learn more about Montford Point and its legacy, see www.montfordpointmarines.com or the local chapter site at http://mpmasd.cswd.biz.

At one point, Amos injected a little levity into his remarks, saying it was OK for him and other troops to be critical of the Marine Corps’ early treatment of blacks.

But, he said, “you can’t be critical of the Marines if you don’t wear the uniform because we’ll beat you up.”

The diversity address from Amos comes just a few months after he strongly opposed the repeal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” that will allow gay and lesbian troops to serve openly as of Sept. 20.

He later told reporters that he does not expect any problems with the change ordered last month by President Barack Obama.

“The repeal will take place, the law has been signed,” he said. “I feel good about the training and all the feedback I’ve gotten from the troops, so I’m positive about it.”

Amos also said the matter is a “non-issue” with combat troops he has spoken to in Afghanistan.

He predicted heavy fighting will continue in the northeastern part of that country’s Helmand province, where a majority of the 20,000 Marines in Afghanistan are assigned.

Although most of the province has been brought under control, he said he expects the fighting to continue in its Sangin district well into next year.

“We as a nation ought to feel good about what has taken place there,” he said of the progress, adding, however, that “there’s nothing easy about it.”

The former head of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and first pilot to head the service also said he isn’t yet certain how the debt ceiling deal that calls for massive federal spending cuts will affect the Marine Corps.

- end of initial entry -

Howard Sutherland writes:

I spotted that item in the North County Times also; my exchange with Don Vincenzo about it is below. The father of one of our younger son’s schoolmates is a Marine lieutenant colonel; in Afghanistan at the moment. When Amos was named commandant, he came up to me, all excited, and said “You must be really excited about this: a fighter pilot Commandant!” I did think that was pretty neat (before Amos’s appointment, infantry Marines had carefully kept the top job to themselves), but wondered if it would make any difference. Fighter pilots can be pretty blunt, and don’t always care what others think of them, so I hoped Amos would have a “damn the torpedoes” attitude about keeping the USMC Marine. Evidently not, and I should have known better. Amos is the man Barack Hussein Obama appointed, after all.

As for outreach to increase the black percentage of Marine officers, unless my memories are completely faulty that was already well underway in the late 1970s. I had black platoon-mates in Officer Candidate School who clearly were less on the ball intellectually than the white officer candidates, yet they were there. When they got injured (and OCS was quite injury-inducing, at least then), black candidates appeared to get more time on casual status to mend than did injured whites, who were usually washed out for medical reasons very quickly after they got hurt. The pattern is not confined to the Marine Corps, and I’m sure operates at every level. Some years later when I was in Air Force pilot training, it was impossible not to see how many more opportunities black students (and women) were given to recover from a failed check ride than white students got, and black students seemed to have more trouble with the program generally, probably because it was much easier for them to get in.

The patent idiocy of applying affirmative action in programs designed to teach people to fly high-performance, heavily armed military aircraft is obvious, but then we know that mission-readiness and safety are less important than diversity. We should ask Kara Hultgreen how that worked out for her. Oh, that’s right, we can’t—she crashed and died. Well, it is just as idiotic to have diversity trump ability in selecting the officers who will lead Marines. HRS

From Howard Sutherland to Vincent Chiarello, Thu, 4 Aug 2011
Subject: Re: News from American Renaissance

I saw this and was going to forward to Mr. Auster, but I got too depressed.

I no longer expect anything good of the U.S. armed forces, not even the Marine Corps, but the old allegiances and emotional ties die hard. Still, this is a double-whammy for me. Not only is Amos a Marine, he’s also a fighter pilot, the first aviator Commandant. (Actually, I remembered as I read this story that John Glenn, after a storied career as a Marine fighter pilot extraordinaire and astronaut, went on to be a typically base Democratic senator, so maybe I should have known better.)

This is probably something Amos had to promise the Obamatons in order to get to move in to that nice house at 8th and I, S.E. (Marine Barracks, Washington, and home to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, for the uninitiated). Amos’ll be cooing over riflewomen and gay fighter jocks next, just wait and see.

Speaking of lesser prophets, If we are this age’s Nineveh, we’re very unlikely to heed our Jonah, even if God should be so merciful as to send him to us. HRS Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

From Vincent Chiarello to Howard Sutherland:

Without question: the Marines have surrendered. Gen Amos would not be where he is without the stupid comments he uttered. He’s a joke, and before too long, so will the USMC.

Howard Sutherland writes:

If Gen. James Amos wants young blacks who aren’t averse to violence to be officers in his Marine Corps, maybe he should go to the Wisconsin State Fair and do some recruiting. Sounds like there is no shortage of prospects there … HRS

Allan Wall writes:

Regarding top Marine Corps Commandant Amos, this is the same general who did a complete flip-flop on gays in the Marines. Amos was against it. When the tide turned, he did a 180 degree turn and announced that the Corps “will step out smartly to faithfully implement this new law. It’s important that we value the diversity of background, culture and skills that all Marines bring to the service of our nation.”

If he really believed what he’d said earlier about gays in the Marines, shouldn’t he have resigned his commission when they adopted the policy? But then, when is the last time in recent years that a general has resigned over a matter of principle? (Well, in Turkey they just did, but I mean in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”.) Today’s generals and admirals, let’s not forget, are part of the Liberal Complex, and can be expected to do their part to further its objectives.

Mark A. writes:

A good friend of mine growing up joined the Marines about ten years ago and became an officer. I visited him on base and met many of his Marine Corps friends. He had an emergency one night and I went along with him to his office, which was adjacent to a hangar complex where helicopters were stored. I noticed diversity slogans in several places in the office building. The older white officers reminded me of upper-middle management at a Fortune 1000 company: politically correct, paying their dues to get the pension, and trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. There was de facto segregation amongst most of the groups of Marines that I saw. The blacks especially stuck together. I certainly didn’t see the Marine Corps breaking down racial stereotypes or acting as a racial melting pot as every liberal Republican fantasizes the military to be.

August 6

Van Wijk writes:

Though painful for Mr. Sutherland and other Marines who read VFR, in the long run this is a positive development. The military is steadily disintegrating.

You wrote: “There was a time when the word ‘heartbroken’ would not have been part of any Marine’s vocabulary, certainly not the public vocabulary of a high-ranking Marine officer.”

Ah, but this is not just a high-ranking Marine. This is the highest-ranking Marine. Can there be any further doubt that our “generals” are not George Pattons but politicians in fatigues?

From the article:

Amos said those men [black former Marines], most of whom are now in their 80s, told him “We just wanted to serve our country.”

Those men were talking to the Commandant of the Marine Corps who was actively looking for ways to promote as many blacks as possible. It’s a safe bet that among their fellow blacks, the conversations go quite differently. Blacks know exactly what whites wish to hear, and whites take everything blacks say at face value.

August 6

David M. writes:

That Marine Corps affirmative action article brings to mind an incident I was involved in just three weeks ago. This was at a U.S. base in a Persian Gulf country. I work for a firm that does work for the military.

One of the buildings I was working in houses remote college classrooms and offices. I am experimenting with using a tablet computer, which, while taking me an extra 10 to12 percent longer in the field, will save me about 75 percent of my office work.

I entered one of the classrooms where several students were working on math problems. The level of the conversation was relatively high; it was not some group using a classroom to chat. There was no instructor present.

Suddenly, I had a large, in-shape, young black in front of me, a wall about three feet behind me, invading my space, asking me if I liked my tablet computer; is it mine, or is it the company’s; is it insured … All of this with the big, toothy grin that said, “Here comes trouble.”

I stood my ground. “Are you threatening me?”

“Wha … ?”

“You’re threatening me. Step away.”

No result; he stood right where he was, VERY close to me.

“BACK OFF! NOW!” I then pointed to a chair about 10 feet away, and bellowed “SIT!”

He did, and with a facial expression indicating “This is not supposed to be happening this way!”

Staying out of his radius of reach I then said, loudly, “You don’t have ANY idea who I am, do you?”

“Duhhh” facial expression from him. “I suggest you NOT find out! UNDERSTAND?”

The looks on the faces of the other students (black and white) were priceless. Here is this fat, old, bearded dude who looks like an aging Viking, walks with the rolling gait of the arthritic; in a sweat-drenched plaid button-down-collar shirt; a company-logo “gimme” hat; with a camera, light meter, and discriminator hanging from his neck.

In short, man TOTALLY out of context and place for a military installation.

That was the end of the incident. But then Sunday, the start of the work week in Bahrain. I rounded the corner past the chaplain’s offices headed for the little office we are using for a base of operation. Guess who I encountered? The same man. He fell all over himself with apologies, and one of the first things he blurts out was “I’m not racist or anything … ”

(Note: I never took the incident as racist. I DID take it as racial. His taking an opportunity as a protected class to play “hassle the honky,” only it blew up in his face.)

I held my hand up like a 1930s cop directing traffic.

Me: It wasn’t? Fine. But I am also willing to bet you would NEVER have done this to a brother.

Him: plenty of buh-buh-but excuse making.

Me: I accept your apology, but here’s some advice from a man old enough to be your father and then some. I see you are an E6. I have NO doubts that you have pulled this sort of thing on your subordinates. You keep this up and you will find someone who will—putting it in words you will understand—frag yo’ ass. Now. I will drop this matter here and now. And this is mainly because I am on an airplane home this week and choose not to cause a delay in my departure.

I then stepped forward. He stepped aside as I walked off.

Notice this person was an E6 [a petty officer first class] for heaven sake! This is the sort of thing you might expect to happen with some kid fresh from boot camp or training school. But E6 in the navy generally does not come fast. One would think a senior enlisted man would know better.

Ed H. writes:

I grew up in a military family. I followed my father, a U.S. Army officer, from post to post around the world. This past summer I have been working on a U.S. Army post, the same post my father served on in the 1960s. What I have witnessed would have brought my father to tears. The U.S. Army has completely replaced military standards of performance, and leadership with concepts like “social justice” and “non-discrimination” and “tolerance” The results are the predictable promotion of incompetence.

An example: Standing in line at a cash register I heard two teenage girls talking behind me. It was the typical high pitched giggles, and disconnected ramble of gossip and inarticulate gibberish you expect out of a 16 year old: “I was like, you know like, it was like weird, and like stuff. ..but not really, do you know what I mean?” Turning around I found not two teenage girls but a (white) U.S. Army colonel talking to her friend, a U.S. Army major.

Another example: I spot a tall black in camouflage utilities, he is wearing ghetto style “Mr T” sunglasses and has bling bling costume jewelry rings on his fingers. Real diamonds and real gold to be sure. He smiles and flashes a brillant row of gold front teeth. I wonder how he got into the U.S. Army and how his commanding officer allows him to get away with it. Looking closer I see the spread eagle rank designation on his uniform indicating he is the commanding officer. Again a full bird Colonel. He walks out of the store with a case of tax free booze and gets into a brand new 740i BMW with rims which is (this is the truth) blaring rap music with a heavy thump. If you listen to the lyrics of the music its is all about “sticking it to the Man” and “the coming revolution” and “ho’s” and “bustin a cap” in anyone that gets in the way of the black man’s dreams and destiny.

Another example: I see a black female officer in uniform. Huge, overweight, massive buttocks and thighs. An hour later I see her out of uniform. She is wearing gold lame turban and multi color dashiki, following behind her are five black kids . It looks like a scene right of a West African marketplace. No one will dare raise an eyebrow, or say anything. The U.S. Army is Political Correctness at its most totalitatrian. And in the Age of Obama what standards are there to appeal to?

Across the ghetto and around the world the word is out. Join the U.S. miltary. You will get free pay, medical care, free child care, instant citizenship. It is a system that can be gamed like no other. The benefits are luxurious and quite beyond any civilian’s comprehension. It is the home of the race hustler and the system gamer.

Buck O. writes:

I wish that Ed H. had included more specifics. I wish he would give names and tell us exactly where and when he saw these soldiers. I can’t believe his accounts. It’s simply too incredible. A full-bird U.S. Army colonel wearing pimp glasses and gaudy bling, while in uniform? That’s too much to believe.

Please tell me that you exaggerate! This entry is killing me. Or, perhaps we are already dead.

Ed H. writes:

Buck O. says he needs more specifics to believe my story about the U.S. Army colonel wearing pimp glasses and gaudy bling, while in uniform.

If I told you that a U.S. Army major would communicate with known jihadist websites for years and that the U.S. military would do nothing to stop him, would you believe me?

If I told you that this same U.S. Army Major would pull out his .45 and scream “Allah Akbar!!” while pumping bullets into dozens of his fellow officers on a U.S. Army base, would you believe me?

If I told you that after this event the Army Chief of Staff would get on public television and say that the first worry he had about the event was that it might compromise the Army’s highest belief, that “Diversity is Our Strength,” would you believe me?

If I told you that two years later more Muslims in the Army would be found expressing jihadist sympathies and that they would not be sent to Ft. Leavenworth but would be given “conscientious objector” status, would you believe me?

What would it take to make people see just how multiculturalism has the country in a death spiral? How about over 30 million illegal aliens? How about a U.S. President suing Arizona sheriffs for “racism” for enforcing federal law? What would it take?

Buck O. writes:

All these things that Ed H. says, in his response to me, are true. We know this. My disbelief at his original examples was not my claim to certainty, but more an expression of my outrage at the possibility that what he said could be true. Perhaps Ed was in shock. How could he stand next to this colonel and not confront him at he stood there mocking and disrespecting you and your military family and history, and perhaps in violation of military code? At least take his name and report him to his superiors, to someone. Do something about his outrageous, in your face conduct. Turn to those two girl on girl officers and say something.

We chronicle these acts against us and we don’t act against them, immediately. How is this to end? How is this to be even slowed down while we catch our breath?

Maybe a confrontation would not end well, but at least, we should begin to act.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 05, 2011 05:12 PM | Send