I want to keep this discussion within the realm of military science, I would love to argue opinion, but I consider this a serious subject matter.
The American military has since Roosevelt tracked the level of discrimination in American society, because there is a relationship between the level of discrimination in a society and the ability of that society to defend itself. This led to the signing of Executive Order 9981.
Roosevelt for reasons, sent several non-Caucasian airmen from there normal training base in Tennessee to Texas. And, asked the flight commander in Texas to run them through the most rigorous training possible. Because the training of an attack pilot is to give him a one second advantage over the enemy pilot and that determines our ability to win air campaigns.
The trainer in Tennessee told the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States of America that the reason he did not press that non-Caucasian to the limits was that he did not believe that non-Caucasian pilots were as smart and skilled as their Caucasian counterparts.
The reports from Texas showed otherwise. Roosevelt moves more of the pilots from Tennessee to Texas and they distinguished themselves in the Italian campaign. But what Roosevelt learned was that the discriminatory beliefs of the flight commander in Tennessee weakened our ability as a nation to defend ourselves.
Roosevelt prepared Executive Order 9981, he died and it was signed by Truman.
One step further, it is customary practice when administrations change, for the incoming president and first-lady to have tea in the White House with the outgoing president and first-lady. Eisenhower refused to enter the White House until Truman and his wife had left, because Truman signed Executive Order 9981 integrating the Armed Forces of the United States.
Every country and group that wants to attack us studies our discriminatory patterns and exploits them, the same way our military studies the discriminatory patterns in the societies we are at odds with. It is the nature of warfare, insurgency and counter insurgency.
This is the problem with the aide to Senator Portman, his discriminatory behavior is what is exploited by our enemies. And, Roosevelt considered equating discrimination as an act of treason.
When did it become fashionable for Senators to hire traitors as aides.
- in progress -
Business as Usual
... the 2012 presidential campaign in Ohio
Eric LaMont Gregory
This is my take on the Ohio Republican Party's behavior during the last presidential election cycle. I think it is an important review before we enter the next round of gubernatorial and Congressional elections. In essence, when the Dublin group thought they were winning the nastier side of the personalities of people who worked there surfaced. And, they were nasty, callous and bitter.
An aide to Senator Rob Portman affronted me in front of Tagg Romney on the grounds of Washington Court House. And yet, that same individual becomes a keynote speaker at the Clinton County Annual Republican Dinner. The seven percent fall in voter turnout in Clermont County should have sent shock waves throughout the state, strong enough to reach the Governor, but there is little indication of that having happened.
But, it has often been said, that when the problem starts at the top, there is no one to tell.
The aide that affronted me only reflects the attitudes of the Senator he works for, or he is a renegade. There are some who will accept the latter explanation.
Be that as it may, the larger problem is that I have no representation in the House or in the Senate, and if I have none, neither does anyone else in our beloved community. Did this country not begin, because of taxation without representation?
The incident with the Portman aide, reminds me of going to the John Ross Department Store on Central Avenue with my parents when I was a child in the 1950s. I will say no more; let his children and grandchildren have fond memories of their grandfather.
I returned from Central Africa, three weeks before the genocide in Rwanda. And, after a meeting with the National Security Adviser to President William Jefferson Clinton, I went to our Congressman's office to discuss what the United States could do to stop the slaughter, and it was like walking into the John Ross Department Store in the 1950s. A million people were slaughtered three weeks later.