[PEN-L:36187] RE: Re: War and the color line

["Devine, James" <jdevine@xxxxxxx>]

Title: RE: [PEN-L:36186] Re: War and the color line

so the following satire from THE ONION is totally off-base?

>U.S. Continues Proud Tradition Of Diversity On Front Lines

>CAMP COYOTE, KUWAIT-With blacks and Hispanics comprising more than 60 percent of the Army's ground forces in Iraq, the U.S. military is continuing its long, proud tradition of multiculturalism on the front lines of war. "Though racism and discrimination remain problems in society at large, in the military-especially in the lower ranks where you find the cannon fodder-a spirit of inclusiveness has prevailed for decades," Gen. Jim White said Monday. "When it comes to having your head blown off by enemy fire, America is truly colorblind."<

------------------------
Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine
stop the war now!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Hoover [mailto:HooverM@xxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 10:42 AM
> To: pen-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [PEN-L:36186] Re: War and the color line
>
>
> >>> lnp3@xxxxxxxxx 03/27/03 11:30AM >>>
> "We're going to be in the front lines ― blacks and minorities," he
> added. "The white folks are going to be way back here."
> <<<>>>
>
> while minorities in military remain disportionately high
> relative to their
> proportion of general population, transformed organizational
> structure of
> u.s.military places smaller percentage at 'front lines' than would be
> expected given disproportion...
>
> 'regular' u.s. military is comparatively small (about 1.5
> million) today
> but it includes much larger percentage of 'professional'
> career-service
> soldiers than in past, whether special ops or high-tech personnel
> (pilots/tanks), these people are mostly white...
>
> above forces now - according to plan - supplemented by reserves and
> federalized national guard (additional 3.5 million), group
> that used to be
> jokingly called 'weekend warriors' is also largely white,
> while some are
> responsible for supply and other 'secondary' activities, many
> are among
> first to be deployed into battlefield situations...
>
> present arrangement explains why military officials don't want return
> of draft, they believe that they are much less susceptible to
> rebellion
> from within the ranks as occurred in vietnam...  michael hoover
>
>    
>
>
> 
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