ABD: Pentagon, azınlık ve kadın katkılarını silme operasyonu başlattı
Pentagon Diversity Efforts Under Scrutiny: Thousands of Contributions Removed
Pentagon, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have come under fire as the US military’s website has seen the removal of thousands of contributions from people of color and women. This significant action, part of the Trump administration’s controversial stance on DEI, has left visitors encountering error messages instead of the valuable historical content that once existed.
When exploring the Department of Defense website, it is evident that many pages detailing the historical and ongoing contributions of various races, ethnicities, women, and other minorities have been deleted. This raises serious concerns about the erasure of historical narratives.
Historical Contributions Erased
A search for black history yields 1,126 results, but many lead to "404 – Page Not Found" errors. For instance, a link titled "Intrepid African American Soldiers Broke Barriers" results in an error message indicating that the page cannot be found. Additionally, a multimedia tribute dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American flying unit in the US military, has also been removed. This original content highlighted how the Tuskegee Airmen transformed the air force’s history.
Similarly, attempts to access information about the contributions of Native American military members result in 440 findings, with many original links now missing. Notably, a webpage showcasing Kiowa Veterans is no longer accessible, along with a commemorative event led by former Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, who was the highest-ranking woman in the State Department until President Trump took office.
Impact on Women and Minority Contributions
Women, who have historically faced challenges in the military, have also been adversely affected by the attacks on DEI. Of the 1,540 search results related to women’s history, numerous articles detailing the crucial role of women in the military and efforts to reduce barriers have been eliminated. Moreover, a notable piece celebrating female achievements from a skydiving team was also removed.
Contributions from Asian Americans and Latinos have been severely impacted as well. Web pages discussing Pride—often affirming the rights of LGBTQ individuals—have been taken down. Even though there are thousands of Muslim military personnel, online references to the contributions of Muslims and Arab Americans were already limited, with scant profiles other than a few posts about Ramadan iftar dinners.
Recent Controversies and Responses
Last week, the Defense Department faced backlash for removing pages dedicated to an African American Medal of Honor recipient and Japanese American service members. However, the Pentagon has since reinstated these pages, claiming their removal was an error, as reported by The Guardian.
Army Major General Charles Calvin Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1970, becoming the highest-ranking Black service member to receive this prestigious military honor after being wounded three times in Vietnam. Recently, a significant change to the website’s address—altering "medal" to "Deimedal"—sparked public outcry, implying that the award was a mere DEI initiative rather than recognition of merit.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the administration’s actions, stating, “Anyone who claims that diversity is our strength is frankly incorrect. Our shared purpose and unity are our strengths.” He emphasized this from his perspective as a leader of a diverse combat platoon in Afghanistan.
Policy Changes and Future Implications
On January 20, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing." This directive mandates the termination of all policies and programs related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
Following this, the Defense Department’s top public affairs official issued a memo requesting all military services to remove website postings, photos, news articles, videos, and references promoting DEI by a March 5 deadline. Additionally, the department announced it would no longer host events related to cultural awareness months, including Black History Month and Women’s History Month, emphasizing that “unity and purpose” are crucial for the mission.
Service members and civilians can still attend these events unofficially outside of duty hours.
In conclusion, the Pentagon’s recent actions regarding the removal of significant contributions from diverse groups have sparked considerable debate about diversity, equity, and inclusion within the military. We invite our readers to share their thoughts on this issue or explore related articles to understand the broader implications of these changes. Please feel free to comment below!
For more insights on military diversity and related topics, check out our articles on military history and diversity in the armed forces.
