Politics

Obama’s Military Was Known For Political Correctness, Here Are 7 Egregious Examples

U.S. Marine Corps M-16A4 service rifles are stacked against a wall after urban operations training on Marine Corps Outlying Landing Field Atlantic, North Carolina, Feb. 18, 2016.

Former President Barack Obama left a legacy of radical social change in the military, but aside from major shifts like allowing women in all combat roles and repealing the ban on open transgender service, many cases of rampant political correctness have been memory-holed.

Here are just seven egregious examples of social justice that creeped into the armed forces over the last eight years.

1. Handbook tells soldiers not to criticize pedophilia 

A proposed U.S. Army handbook from 2012 ordered soldiers not to make any nasty comments about the Taliban or criticize the common practice of pedophilia in Afghanistan. The handbook also suggested that the West’s failure to grasp culture in Afghanistan was partially responsible for the spate of insider attacks. In 2012 alone, insider attacks accounted for 63 deaths of members of the U.S. coalition.

According to a draft of the document leaked to The Wall Street Journal, the document urges troops to stop “advocating women’s rights,” or bring up “any criticism of pedophilia,” or “anything related to Islam.”

Commands to ignore pedophilia in Afghanistan have by no means been limited to the 2012 draft handbook. Rather, The New York Times reported in 2015 that troops have been told repeatedly to ignore cases of pedophilia and extreme sexual assault — even on U.S. military bases.

2.  The Bible disrespects diversity

In December 2014, the Army punished Chaplain Joseph Lawhorn for listing Bible verses as an optional resource in a suicide prevention training class. While his training was very well-received, one soldier complained and contacted an outside organization to put pressure on the military. Army Col. David Fivecoat, Lawhorn’s superior, condemned him for supposedly violating Army policy. Fivecoat told him he was to stop mentioning the Bible because it disrespects diversity.

3. An Air Force base banned the greeting, “Have a blessed day.” 

The Robins Air Force Base in Georgia banned the greeting “Have a blessed day” in March 2015 after a non-religious, anonymous airman bitterly complained that the greeting made him feel as though he was supposed to believe that a higher power affected the course of his day. Just over 10 other airmen joined in his objection to the greeting.

The old greeting was replaced with a new phrase of, “Have a nice day.” But after attention was raised to the issue, the backlash on social media was so swift and severe that Air Force officials outside the base stepped in and reversed course, allowing the original greeting to stand.

4. Army ROTC cadets pressured to walk around in bright red heels for social justice

In April 2015, Army ROTC cadets at Arizona State University said they were pressured by leadership to walk around in bright red high heels as part of the university’s “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” event. The event was intended to raise awareness about sexual violence faced by women. While event participation was officially listed as voluntary, cadets said if they dodged attendance, they’d face repercussions. The Army’s own website about the event in 2014 confirmed that there was a push to get as many participants as possible.

“Walk a Mile [in Her Shoes] is open to everyone,” said Army Sgt. 1st Class Aretha Garrett. “We are trying to get maximum participation and even if they can’t be there, we still encourage them to make a donation.”

5. DOD-approved training listed the Declaration of Independence as a document that perpetuates sexism. 

Again in April 2015, The Daily Caller broke the story that a Department of Defense-approved training course referred to the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bible as “historical influences that allow sexism to continue.” This presentation was created by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute. The training states the Bible is full of quotes that could be interpreted as sexist. And of course, the Declaration of Independence only mentions “men,” and does not include the word “women.”

6. Navy domestic violence training said traditional gender roles are an example of male privilege

The Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively reported in November 2016 that a training lesson on domestic violence in the Navy stated that abusers use male privilege by “insisting on traditional gender roles.”

“I was considering joining the Navy, to get away from all this sjw crap in college and to serve my country, but this makes me have second thoughts. Is it that bad or this just a one off kinda thing?” one Reddit user asked in response to the training.

7. Navy tried to fire a chaplain for Biblical teaching on sexuality

Navy chaplain Wes Modder, who retired in 2016, declared in an interview as he was leaving that the military has become openly hostile to Christianity, and his own experience bears witness to this fact.

“If you’re a Christian and you come into the military today, it’s going to be difficult for you,” Modder said.

The Navy tried to fire Modder after a gay activist officer tried to bait him into answering controversial questions on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. After answering from a Biblical perspective, the Navy removed Modder from duties. It was only when Modder contacted the legal defense group First Liberty that he was able to retire without trouble.

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