Black West Point cadets under scrutiny for raised fists in photo
“They weren’t doing it to be aligned with any particular movement or any particular party. It was, ‘We did it and we did it together,'” Tobin said, referring to their completion of four years at West Point.”
Why sure. These young ladies, clenched fists in the air, defiant smirks on their faces…they weren’t signifying their alliance with any political or “social’ movement like Black Lives Matter; they were just saying “Hurray for the USA!”
This was just another manifestation of Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s building greater “unit cohesiveness” in our military.
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These young women have been afforded the tremendous advantage of attending West Point. It takes a great amount of work to get there and graduate. Congratulations to them. But forgive us if we doubt that as Black American women they have not been treated fairly at West Point. What ill-considered message is their intent with a clenched fist raised salute if not something critical of the country? This is not a cheerful high-five or, more appropriately, hands on shoulder or other display of acceptable military bearing. Demerits to all.
