Army Handout Links 'Make America Great Again' with 'White Supremacy,' Sparking Outrage
Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks is calling for an investigation alleging U.S. Army officials at North Alabama’s Redstone Arsenal might have used federal resources to distribute “racist and partisan political propaganda.”
Brooks’ complaint stems from a handout passed out to uniformed and civilian workers on the base, which inferred that President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” is an example of socially acceptable “covert white supremacy.”
The Military Times reported the handout is from a so-called U.S. Army “Project Inclusion” listening tour handout, which was given to contractors and servicemen and women at the base.
The handout in question is a pyramid filled with examples of “white supremacy,” including overt, or “socially unacceptable,” and covert, or “socially acceptable,” examples of white supremacy.
Among the overt examples of white supremacy are lynchings, hate crimes, usage of racial slurs and the burning of crosses.
Among what it describes as more subtle examples of white supremacy are phrases such as “You don’t sound black,” “All lives matter,” and “Make America Great Again.”
Celebrating Columbus Day was also listed as a covert racist action by whoever authored and distributed the handout.
Army investigates handout suggesting Trump campaign slogan constitutes ‘covert white supremacy’https://t.co/5dCzR2xc9u pic.twitter.com/btqXbW9UEj
— Military Times (@MilitaryTimes) July 9, 2020
Brooks, a Republican whose district includes the Army post, described the inclusivity propaganda as a “violation of the Hatch Act,” both on his website and on Twitter.
Heads should roll. I ask the U.S. Army to investigate this matter and send me a report of (a) who was involved in these Hatch Act violations, (b) whether they will be prosecuted pursuant to the Hatch Act, and (c) whether they will be terminated for their illegal conduct.
— Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) July 8, 2020
The Hatch Act was authored with the intent of keeping military personnel apolitical.
On his website, Brooks called the material “deeply offensive and racist,” and called for the prosecution of those behind the handout, which was apparently also sent out via email.
The congressman stated that “Heads should roll,” over the material, adding, “By including such outlandish propaganda in Army documents, the Army will only continue to sow divisions among their workforce.”
“U.S. Army personnel have violated the Hatch Act and any number of military regulations by distributing materials that, among other offensive things, labels president Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan or ‘Celebration of Columbus Day’ as white supremacist,” Brooks stated.
“The Hatch Act prohibits federal government executive branch employees from engaging in defined, banned political activity. ALL U.S. Army civilian and uniformed personnel who drafted, approved or sent this racist and politically partisan email, using government resources, should be prosecuted for their Hatch Act violations and summarily fired for blatantly and illegally injecting themselves into partisan political activities on government time using federal taxpayer money,” the GOP congressman added.
“I aim to get to the bottom of this outrageous propaganda and see that those responsible are appropriately prosecuted and fired,” Brooks stated of material, which he said labels “patriotic Americans ‘White Supremacists’ and racists if they say or do dozens of things outlined in the U.S. Army email.”
Brooks wrote his complaints in a letter to Army Secretary Ryan D. McCarthy, and also sent copies to President Trump, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Attorney General William Barr.
Brooks also wrote to President Trump on Twitter about some Army officials apparently deeming his campaign slogan as being representative of “white supremacy.”
.@realDonaldTrump, some @USArmy officials think saying “Make America Great Again” = white supremacy!
I aim to get to the bottom of this & see that those responsible are appropriately prosecuted & fired for blatantly violating the Hatch Act.https://t.co/q8jRlBSRYs
— Mo Brooks (@RepMoBrooks) July 9, 2020
The Army is now investigating the matter.
Protect Inclusion, according to The Military Times, is an effort to “improve diversity, equity and inclusion across the force and build cohesive teams” following the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis and the ensuing nationwide civil unrest.
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