By Lt. General Rod Bishop, USAF ret, USAFA ’74
STARRS Chairman
The Lorraine American Cemetery is one my wife Mary and I took two of our three kids to (the two who were still with us when we were stationed in Germany) multiple times when we were at Ramstein Air Force Base in 2005-2008 .
We would visit especially on Sunday afternoons when we would drive the 30 mins or so to France (and pass right by the cemetery) to pick up cheese, wine, and French bread for the week.
Be sure and watch this short 2 minute video:
Note that at about the 1 min 30 sec point it highlights the nearly 450 missing Americans–out of over the 10,000 American dead buried in the cemetery.
The video says those honored there were all from all US states and territories, were of many different races, different creeds, and many different stations in life.
“All of them gave their lives in the cause of liberty.”
When I hear those words, I ask myself—”isn’t that what America is/should be all about?”
Equality–not government imposed “equity”—we are all the same—all endowed by the same Creator with unalienable rights. What we make of our lives is up to us.
Sacrifice for our country. A warrior ethos. NOT the “identity politics” and discrimination so many cadets have told us is going on at USAFA under the rubric of “DEI”—a harmful and divisive ideology unfortunately pushed by just one of America’s political parties.
As you have heard me say multiple times—any leader, officer, commander worth his/her salt is all about “diversity (of thought) and ‘inclusion’ (welcoming of all).” Equity? Not so much as it exudes discrimination.
But the words behind “DEI” are really only camouflage as we know–camouflage for a harmful, Marxist based ideology.
Thank God we are making huge progress in making America realize this.
Now Lowes, Jack Daniels, Harley Davidson, Ford, Coors, Tractor Supply Company, and Toyota (and a host of other companies, universities and states) have all canceled or significantly curtailed their DEI programs—as they have realized what we have been saying for 4 years now–it is Marxist based, its intent is to divide and as an instrument of division it has been hugely successful.
We wouldn’t have over the 2000 comments on our website describing the division if this was not true.
Hopefully the US military will soon wake up too.
Although we are a 501c3 and can’t advocate for a particular candidate, I would think the folks on this email know which candidate has promised to end DEI and return our military (especially) to a meritocracy and which party has been forcing this Marxist ideology across all aspects of our government. Look at the policies, not the people.
VR, Rod
General Bishop hit the nail on the head with his commentary. He and other volunteer leadership for STARRS exemplify what patriots do when their military institutions are threatened, they fight back. Let’s see how many of the Woke General Officers push back when WOKE is banned in the military. I predict none will. They will disappear with their higher pensions as payoff for dishonoring their oath of office never to be heard from again. Good riddance!