Contemplations – 9 continued
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Who will we become?
It seems to me that we are at a critical juncture in our history. Will we become a better people pursuing equality and justice, or move towards becoming a more authoritarian regime that doesn't strive to serve the best interests of all its citizens?
To put it mildly, I have not been a fan of many of the people in Trump's administration, including U.S. Defense Secretary Esper. Today I heard the remarks he gave at the Pentagon to reporters and all of us. His remarks follow yesterday's exploitive photo op by Trump in front of St. John's Episcopal Church, shortly before which peaceful protestors were violently removed so that Trump could walk from the White House to the church, and at which Esper was present, seemingly as another prop for Trump. (For more context, listen to this report, which includes the remarks made in response by Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde⩘ , the diocesan bishop who oversees St. John's Episcopal Church.)
Given all that, I was, frankly, quite surprised by Esper's remarks. They are just words—only time will reveal if there is any sincerity behind them—but they struck me, for the most part, as good words, though he should've apologized clearly and forcefully for his previous and unacceptable use of the term "battlespace," rather than trying to excuse it away.
Esper's words also appear to run counter to what Trump is saying, so it will be interesting to see whether Trump will fire or otherwise try to sideline Esper.
For all these reasons, I feel it is worthwhile to capture a substantial excerpt from Esper's remarks so I can refer back to them once time reveals to us what unfolds.
First, let me say up front, the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis policeman is a horrible crime. The officers on the scene that day should be held accountable for his murder. It is a tragedy that we have seen repeat itself too many times. With great sympathy, I want to extend the deepest of condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd from me and the department.
Racism is real in America, and we must all do our very best to recognize it, to confront it, and to eradicate it. I've always been proud to be a member of an institution, the United States military, that embraces diversity and inclusion, and prohibits hate and discrimination in all forms. More often than not, we have led on these issues, and while we still have much to do on this front, leaders across DOD and the services take this responsibility seriously, and we are determined to make a difference.
Every member of this department has sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. I've taken this oath many times, beginning at the age of 18 when I entered West Point. The rights that are embedded in this great document begin with the First Amendment, which guarantees the five freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. The United States military is sworn to defend these and all other rights, and we encourage Americans, at all times, to exercise them peacefully. It is these rights and freedoms that make our country so special, and it is these rights and freedoms that American service members are willing to fight and die for.
At times, however, the Unites States military is asked, in support of governors and law enforcement to help maintain law and order so that other Americans can exercise their rights to be free from violence against themselves or their property. That is what thousands of Guardsmen are doing today in cities across America. It is not something we seek to do, but it is our duty, and we do it with the utmost skill and professionalism. I was reminded of that Monday as I visited our National Guardsmen who were on duty Monday night protecting our most hallowed grounds and monuments. I'm very proud of the men and women of the National Guard who are out on the streets today performing this important task, and in many ways, at the risk of their own welfare.
I've always believed and continue to believe that the National Guard is best suited for performing domestic support to civil authorities in these situations in support of local law enforcement. I say this not only as Secretary of Defense, but also as a former soldier and a former member of the National Guard. The option to use active duty forces in a law enforcement role should only be used as a matter of last resort, and only in the most urgent and dire of situations. We are not in one of those situations now. I do not support invoking the insurrection act.…
Most importantly, I want to assure all of you and all Americans that the Department of Defense, the Armed Services, our uniformed leaders, our civilian leaders, and I take seriously our oath to support and depend the Constitution of the United States and to safeguard those very rights contained in that document we cherish so dearly. This is a tough time for our great country these days, but we will get through it. My hope is that, instead of the violence in the streets, we will see peaceful demonstrations that honor George Floyd, that press for accountability for his murder, that move us to reflect about racism in America, and that serve as a call to action for us to come together and to address this problem once and for all. This is the America your military represents, this is the America we aspire to be, and this is the America that we're committed to defending with our lives.
[Sep 2020 update: Looks like the DOD has taken the following down. I guess political pressure has trumped truth: https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2206460/esper-briefs-on-national-guard-support-of-civil-authorities/.] U.S. Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper briefed reporters at the Pentagon on National Guard support during civil unrest in cities across the country, U.S. Department of Defense, June 3, 2020.
Postscript: Just listened to an amazing episode by a favorite podcaster, Erica Heilman of Rumble Strip: 1900 Cars⩘ , which is about food insecurity in the U.S., and how it has been exasperated by the pandemic. In it, there is a mention in passing about how the National Guard in Vermont has helped make it possible to get food to people in need. As much as my stomach turns when I see the Guard being used to assist what appear like the actions of a police state, I think we need to remember that they do things like this, as well as assisting in times of natural disaster, etc. For example, when our community was ravaged by severe flooding, the Guard showed up to help us out with rescues, evacuations, and protection.
