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Racism in the military
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has received hundreds of complaints of racism in the military. Their report says discrimination haunts African-Americans, Latinos and women in the military. In 2000, 37.5% of the enlisted personnel were people of color, but only 16.2% of the officers were. Latinos in the Marine Corps, for example, made up 13.5% of the enlisted ranks, but only 5.8% of the officers. When the Los Angeles Times investigated the Ft. Leavenworth military prison in 1994, it found that 50% of all the inmates, and 83% of those under a military death sentence, were people of color.From an interview with a veteran, Aiden Delgado, published by blackcommentator.com
Q: In the 1980s the U.S. military made a lot of reforms. It is widely believed that racism in the military is now a thing of the past.
DELGADO: I have two answers.
First, have we overcome racism in the sense that blacks and whites are banded together in the hatred of Arabs? That’s not progress.
Second, we had an incident in our unit with a black specialist. He was a nice guy, really popular in the unit. There was no physical fight, but there was a dispute over him dating this white girl, having a relationship with a white girl. Two white guys took a piece of rope, tied a noose, and put a hangman’s noose on his bed. He found out who it was and went to his black sergeant.
They went to the equal opportunity representative. The issue was effectively stifled. Full article …
Topics: Broken Promises, Military Facts, Veterans Speak Out |