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[John Rabbit]

Lt. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), addressed cadets on Thursday in a powerful speech about treating one another with ”dignity and respect" after racial slurs were written outside five black Air Force cadet candidates' dorm rooms.

”So just in case you're unclear on where I stand on this topic, I'm going to leave you with my most important thought today," he said. ”If you can't treat someone with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you can't treat someone from another gender, whether that's a man or a woman, with dignity and respect, then you need to get out. If you demean someone in any way, then you need to get out. And if you can't treat someone from another race, or a different color of skin, with dignity and respect, than you need to get out."

Article:
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/09/get-out-lt-general-rains-hell-on-air-force-academy-after-racist-messages-were-left-on-black-cadets-rooms/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxITADfhXnk

This is the America we should be. This is the kind of leadership I expect from the U.S. military.

Did a search, tell me to get out if old, etc

 

[Isaac Otherworld]

How long until he is force out of the military by the Trump administration for "divisiveness"?

 

[Staf]

RPG?

 

[Choppasmith]

See, Trump? It's not hard.

 

[Wag]

It's too bad his commander-in-chief thinks otherwise.

He won't last.

 

[Frozenprince]

Does the soul good

 

[neorej]

When a military man is more presidential than the president...

 

[bobnowhere]

I reckon he saw the Australian General David Morrison's speech from four years ago.

 

[Gattsu25]

Who should the cadets listen to? Him or their commander in chief?

The sad fact of the matter is Trump is a rallying cry to all racists and bigots. They saw that signal and they latched onto it. This guy speaks with the authority of his unit. Trump's racist ass speaks with the authority of the united states of america and all of our armed forces.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

See, Trump? It's not hard.

.

 

[Blablurn]

Fantastic speech

 

[norm9]

I liked the movie too, bro.

 

[FlutterPuffs]

Who should the cadets listen to? Him or their commander in chief?

The sad fact of the matter is Trump is a rallying cry to all racists and bigots. They saw that signal and they latched onto it. This guy speaks with the authority of his unit. Trump's racist ass speaks with the authority of the united states of america and all of our armed forces.

I can understand the cynicism, but soldiers aren't mindless drones that bow only to the one queen ant.

Also everyone knows what Trump is. Doesn't make it a problem if people latch to positive stories like this to boost hope up. It's healthy tbh.

 

[faisal233]

Who should the cadets listen to? Him or their commander in chief?

The sad fact of the matter is Trump is a rallying cry to all racists and bigots. They saw that signal and they latched onto it. This guy speaks with the authority of his unit. Trump's racist ass speaks with the authority of the united states of america and all of our armed forces.

Presidents come and go, General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand lives forever in your permanent record.

 

[Future]

This is the kind of shit I thought as a kid I would hear from self respecting adults. Later I realized, most adults are fucking idiots and nowhere near anything anyone should aspire to be

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

An actual patriot. Unlike the garbage right fuckheads that label themselves as such.

 

[MMarston]

Great movie too.

 

[Not]

When a military man is more presidential than the president...

This is why I think we might actually get a coup if the Toupee'd Tyrant does decide to go to war with NK.

 

[Droopaloop]

I hope this becomes viral. It's a solid speech that cuts the notion that protests during the national anthem being disrespectful to the troops and the flag to shit. Not that it'll matter because the people who say that are deflecting at best, racist at worst. It's refreshing to hear someone that's not of insignificant power in the military publicly give a monologue like this though.

 

[Geist-]

Fantastic speech. Sounds like it was straight out of a movie though.

 

[Mortemis]

That was an amazing speech. I've always heard good things about the Air Force.

 

[GeoGonzo]

Seems like a good speech, but I wonder:

If you can’t treat someone from another gender, whether that’s a man or a woman

Is this comment made in support of transexual women and men serving in the army, or a “both sides” comment suggesting women are also disrespecting men?

 

[Angry Grimace]

When a military man is more presidential than the president...

Almost all of them are, dude.

 

[Aztechnology]

Good on the Air Force Academy. You can see the faces of some of the people behind him just beaming with pride.

 

[Geist-]

Seems like a good speech, but I wonder:
Is this comment made in support of transexual women and men serving in the army, or a “both sides” comment suggesting women are also disrespecting men?

I think you just need to look at the context.

 

[John Rabbit]

Seems like a good speech, but I wonder:

Is this comment made in support of transexual women and men serving in the army, or a “both sides” comment suggesting women are also disrespecting men?

Consider the rest of his speech.

 

[fabricated backlash]

Why are recruits held to higher standards than the commander in chief?

 

[Hermii]

* Unless you are a haji, skinny, gook etc

 

[Zubz]

Y'see, I'd feel proud to be an American right now if our legislative & executive branch thought the same way.

 

[llien]

I was told US Army has perfect representation of minorities (matching population).

Is that not the case in air force? (or at all)

 

[Hesemonni]

Seems like a good speech, but I wonder:

Is this comment made in support of transexual women and men serving in the army, or a “both sides” comment suggesting women are also disrespecting men?

Some of you guys...

 

[iRAWRasaurus]

So when is trump firing him for "insert reasons here".

 

[Patrick Bateman]

He should have just quoted Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann:

I am hard but I am fair. There is no racial bigotry here. I do not look down on niggers, kikes, wops or greasers. Here you are all equally worthless.

Spoiler

Funny enough that this character from a Vietnam-movie is less racist than the current POTUS..

 

[jetsetrez]

That was a beautiful speech. The part at the end where he told people to get out their phones was brilliant. I wish he could say this to the entire country. Bigots, get the fuck out of this country. It's not yours, it's ours.

 

[xelloss12]

That was an amazing speech. I've always heard good things about the Air Force.

I'm pretty sure the Air Force has been considered the most right wing and racist of the US military branches, with the Navy being the best.

Good on this guy though.

 

[Yaphett Kotto]

I was told US Army has perfect representation of minorities (matching population).

Is that not the case in air force? (or at all)

Air Force has a diverse population but there is definitely a rise in racists/bigots and you can tell after the elections. Something of this caliber is rare in this branch. The worst I've had is a roommate who wanted to have a Confederate flag in the house we were getting.

Most people know their place, though.

I'm pretty sure the Air Force has been considered the most right wing and racist of the US military branches, with the Navy being the best.

Good on this guy though.

Check up on your sources? Definitely not the most right wing and racist.

The majority of people I know of don't care much about politics. The ones that do usually swing somewhat left to far left. But like I said before, the elections are bringing a rise to the right here.

 

[Hex]

#Respect

 

[red731]

His presence, how well spoken was the Lt. Gen., wow.
What a man and person.

 

[Forerunner]

Check up on your sources? Definitely not the most right wing and racist.

The majority of people I know of don't care much about politics. The ones that do usually swing somewhat left to far left. But like I said before, the elections are bringing a rise to the right here.

His racism claim does have some merit to it. There have been studies done that show that black airman are far more likely to face punishment than white airmen compared to the other branches.

Air Force

• From 2006 to 2015, black airmen were 1.71 times (71%) more likely to face court-martial or non-judicial punishment (NJP) than white airmen in an average year. This disparity ranged from 1.49 to 1.94 times more likely in a given year.
• Airmen of a race other than black or white, or whose race was unknown, had higher court-martial and NJP rates than white airmen. However, the inclusion of those whose race is unknown makes it difficult to draw specific conclusions.

Marine Corps

• From 2006 to 2015, black Marines were 1.32 times (32%) more likely to have a guilty finding at a court-martial or NJP proceeding than white Marines in an average year. This disparity ranged from 1.23 to 1.48 times more likely in a given year.
• The greatest disparities were generally seen for the most serious disciplinary proceedings. In an average year, black Marines were 2.61 times more likely than white Marines to receive a guilty finding at a general court-martial, while they were only 1.29 times more likely than white Marines to receive a guilty finding at an NJP proceeding.

Navy

• From 2014 to 2015, the only complete years provided by the Navy, black sailors were 1.40 times (40%) more likely than white sailors to be referred to special or general court-martial and 1.37 times more likely to see action taken against them in the case in an average year.
• The disparity between black and white service members nearly disappeared when considering only post-referral outcomes. Black sailors were about equally likely as white sailors to be diverted from harsher military justice action or to receive a conviction at special or general court-martial. However, because black sailors were initially referred at higher rates, they remain disproportionately impacted by the military justice system.

Army

• From 2006 to 2015, in an average year, black service members were 1.61 times (61%) more likely to face general or special court-martial compared to white service members.
• The disparity between black and white service members ranged from 1.34 to 1.82 times more likely in any one year.

Here's a link to the full study.

Anecdotally, my unit was notably racist and sexist. It was all male and probably ~90% white. We would have indoc and none of the women would pass. Even if some did they would find some way to wash them out. I heard my leadership talking before and they said women were too much of a problem. The majority of the people that passed were white male airmen. It was one of the reasons I decided to separate. It was a very toxic environment.

All that being said. I still enjoyed my time in the Air Force and that was a great speech. We need more leaders like him.

 

[Arol]

Great speech.

 

[Shadybiz]

Good speech...more eloquent than the President, and not an idiot.

Seems like a good speech, but I wonder:

Is this comment made in support of transexual women and men serving in the army, or a “both sides” comment suggesting women are also disrespecting men?

You're reading far too much into it.

 

[Mahonay]

Feels amazing to hear a Lt. General say this

Fuck you Trump, you piece of trash. These service men and women deserve a better Commander in Chief.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Who should the cadets listen to? Him or their commander in chief?

The sad fact of the matter is Trump is a rallying cry to all racists and bigots. They saw that signal and they latched onto it. This guy speaks with the authority of his unit. Trump's racist ass speaks with the authority of the united states of america and all of our armed forces.

Presidents do not kick out service members with a dishonorable discharge on their permanent record.

The commanding officer of your command is your god, and you go by what he or she states.

 

[Dude Abides]

The AFA used to (and maybe still does) have a real nasty culture of right-wing crazy fundie Christianity.

 

[Subpar Scrub]

I reckon he saw the Australian General David Morrison's speech from four years ago.

I felt like if I looked away he was going to scream at me haha

 

[MysteryQuesadilla]

That's the professionalism I expect from a LTG regardless of service branch. Glad to see the top brass has decided to make clear they are fostering a respectful work climate.

 

[MazeHaze]

But Americans have the right to be racist. Freedom. This guy is disrespecting our flag, I'm gonna burn any US military merchandise in my ho-.....wait.

 

[Omegasquash]

Lt. General Silveria just expressed what I've always thought the military was made of. Respect that doesn't have a single thing to do with where you're from, the color of your skin, what's between your legs, or anything else.

Racism has no place anywhere, and certainly not in the United States military. Hearing this statement honestly isn't too surprising coming from a service member of his rank and record, but it's necessary.

 

[HStallion]

You all totally misunderstood what he was actually saying. He is just a big fan of the movie and wants to make sure no one goes to the sunken place.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Great stuff, the military always gets bashed here as if its some direct hand of Conservatives but there are a lot of good people who have passed through its halls.