Section 370 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 requires the removal of all Confederate honors/names/symbols within three years. Congress enacted this law today (1/1/21) with a vote to override the president's veto.
Teaching leadership and educating our nation's military leaders requires a commitment to highest national ideals. As institutions that embody those ideals, U.S. military academies must be free of Confederate symbols and honors because they perpetuate racial discord and white supremacy. Tell our Congress and military leaders it is time to remove the names of Confederate leaders from buildings and other infrastructure at West Point and the Naval Academy.
Since President Thomas Jefferson founded the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1802, the federal government has expanded and improved the education of military leaders. Two centuries later, however, the national declaration that "all men are created equal" remains unfulfilled. Naming academy buildings, roads, and other infrastructure for Confederate leaders at West Point and Annapolis perpetuates American inequality.
At West Point, a barracks constructed in 1962--the height of the civil rights movement--was named for Robert E. Lee. At the Naval Academy, an engineering building and the superintendent's house were named for Confederate naval leaders in 1907 and 1976, respectively. Both academies also have roads and other infrastructure named for Confederate leaders.
I recently urged West Point Superintendent LTG Darryl A. Williams, a fellow West Point graduate, to rename Lee Barracks and other infrastructure to "serve the nation’s paramount quest for a more equitable and just society under law." He wrote that "the Academy -- as a subordinate command of the Army -- will not act independently on this issue," "Confederate memorialization is an Army issue," and West Point recognizes "individuals who are a part of our history as an institution and a nation, not as representatives of a cause."
The Confederacy and its leaders, however, will always stand principally for disunity, racism, and white supremacy. Honoring Confederate leaders at military academies reveres those values over equality and liberty. It is time for the nation's self-described premier leadership development institutions to replace Confederate names so they more fully express and honor Americans' highest values.
Those values are clearly expressed through countless state and local officials who have removed Confederate statues and other divisive symbols from public spaces since the violent racist attacks in Charleston, SC in 2015 and Charlottesville, VA in 2017. State and local officials are fulfilling citizens' interests and leading an important democratic change movement where the federal government is failing.
Sign this petition to:
- tell the Defense Department and Congress to align the academies' values with your values;
- support legislation that will require and fund the removal of Confederate honors at the military academies;
- give your children better environments to learn leadership and selfless public service.
Retired general and West Point history professor Ty Seidule brings great perspective and scholarship to this topic. CBS reporter notes that West Point hopes to remove all Confederate names/memorials within 1 year...2 years sooner than the law now requires.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/author-ty-seidule-on-his-upbringing-ugly-parts-of-american-history/?intcid=CNM-00-10abd1h
Lloyd Austin's confirmation as the first Black defense secretary is a welcome historic moment. His leadership and personal experience in the ranks will undoubtedly help ensure the success of removing Confederate symbols under the 2021 NDAA.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/22/us/lloyd-austin-confirmed.html
On Friday, January 8, 2021, acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller appointed Sean McLean, Josh Whitehouse, Ann Thomas (A.T.) G. Johnston, and Earl Matthews to the commission that will develop the plan to remove all Confederate names/symbols/memorials/etc. from defense department assets. All currently hold (or have held) political appointments in the Trump administration. Look for President Biden's permanent or acting defense secretary to appoint new individuals in time for the commission's first meeting, which the NDAA sets 60 days following enactment (March 2).
https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2466980/department-of-defense-announces-new-appointments/
Petition is successful with 5,901 signatures
Success! With today's (1/1/21) enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021, ALL Confederate names, symbols, monuments, etc. will be removed from ALL Defense Department assets (which includes the military service academies) by 1/1/24.
NY Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/01/us/politics/senate-override-trump-defense-bill.html?
We have nearly reached our goal of removing all Confederate names and honors from West Point and the Naval Academy! This change was not on the defense department's to-do list in January, but YOUR willingness to define a better future for our military and nation has helped turn the tide.
On Dec. 11, the Senate and House passed the 2021 defense spending bill with a sweeping elimination of "all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the "Confederacy") or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America from all assets of the Department of Defense" within 3 years.
Despite the president's Dec. 23 veto of this bill, Congress is poised to override the veto early next week. Stay tuned...
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/us/politics/trump-veto-defense-spending-bill.html
5,000 signatures reached
Great news today from the Naval Academy Board of Visitors Chair, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger. Here's an article reporting he wants Navy's buildings named for Confederate leaders to be changed despite the president's recent statement.
“As the new Chairman, the time for discussion is over," he said in the release. "It’s time for action. Midshipmen who have earned the privilege to study in one of our nation’s most prestigious institutions should not have to walk around campus and see buildings named for men who fought to uphold slavery and promote white supremacy.”
https://www.capitalgazette.com/education/naval-academy/ac-cn-confederate-naval-academy-ruppersberger-20200611-qb52kcw27nhjtnklj6tliud6t4-story.html
LOTS of action this week!
On Wednesday, President Trump rebuked Secretary McCarthy and Secretary Esper saying his administration would not rename bases honoring Confederates.
But the Senate voted to strip those names within three years before the end of the day.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8410819/Republican-senators-DEFY-Donald-Trump-vote-strip-Confederate-names-Army-bases.html
We are helping the military makes these changes!
June 8, Secretary McCarthy says they're looking for bipartisan engagement to rename Confederate bases. https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/politics/us-army-considering-renaming-bases/index.html
June 9, Retired General David Petraeus calls for removal of Confederate names on Army bases in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/06/take-confederate-names-off-our-army-bases/612832/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share
Our companion letter to Congress is out the door. It is going to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees with a copy of our letter to Secretary Esper. Find recipient names and a copy of each letter at https://www.facebook.com/david.g.delaney.5/posts/10160529849512837
"Chatham For All" is officially supporting this effort! CFA is a citizens group in Pittsboro, NC that successfully petitioned Chatham County commissioners for the removal of a 1907 Confederate statue erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Learn about their work here: https://www.facebook.com/ChathamForAll
I'm pleased to report that "Do More Together," West Point's African American alumni group, is officially supporting this effort! Please visit their site and learn about their programs here: https://www.domore2gether.org/
Here is our letter forwarding this petition to Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Thank you for supporting this effort!
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10160522713552837&set=a.59084507836
1,000 signatures reached
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