An open letter to the Superintendent and the Dean of Admissions of the U.S. Naval Academy
To: Vice Admiral Buck and Bruce Latta
I write to you with deep concern for your responses on the recent events including the racist and misogynistic rant by Naval Academy graduate and retired naval officer Scott Bethmann. Saying “We cannot tolerate racism or bigotry of any kind within our U.S. Naval Academy family” rings hollow to many of us who have experienced racial discrimination at the Naval Academy and in the Navy and Marine Corps. The statements you issued is the equivalent of ordering “full-steam ahead” when there is a major breach in the hull.
As a young officer, I stood in front of the command many times for the transgressions of Marines under my watch. I was taught that leaders take responsibility for their Marines and must correct mistakes as a team, rather than simply as individuals. I would not have gotten away with “this Marine’s actions do not reflect the core values of the Marine Corps,” and we should not dismiss
Bethmann’s racist screed this way, either.
The simple fact is that, despite his sentiments, Bethmann graduated from this institution and had a 25-year career in the Navy from which he ostensibly benefits in the form of a pension, paid for by the American people. An attempt to distance the Naval Academy from this man by saying he was not an employee or a member of the admissions board deflects responsibility by the institution for a larger problem.
The Superintendent in his address stated, “In regard to the recent turbulent events in our Nation,” (presumably a euphemism for the Black Lives Matter protests following the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery) that “we are expected to live by . . . the core values . . . honor, courage, and commitment—and the mission of our United States Naval Academy. . . . Nowhere is discrimination tolerated in any of those values.” If our center of gravity, per Marine Corps doctrine, is our core values, our current critical vulnerability is this dismissive attitude and language of erasure when it comes to race.
After Bethmanns’ statements came to light, the Dean of Admissions reiterated, “We cannot tolerate racism or bigotry.” But the truth is, we do. Those of us who were in the ranks with or served under people like Bethmann understand that racism, sexism, and homophobia are rampant in our structure. This is not a secret.
What I ask of you is to look beyond racism on an individual level and examine it from a systemic basis. Individual incidents like Bethmann verbalizing his prejudices are a symptom of the systemic racism enabled by institutions that allow men like him to succeed, and elevate them into positions of power and influence. Structurally, whether intentional or not, the Naval Academy, and by extension the Navy and Marine Corps, has tolerated racism and bigotry.
I am not innocent. I take full responsibility for my actions while on the Yard and while in the Marines. I was complicit and generally silent when it came to race issues, and as a leader in the Marine Corps I worked hard to erase race from any conversation. I felt strongly that it was a “distraction” that took away from the task at hand, falling back on the “We’re all green Marines” adage, which suggests that we should ignore race. I tried hard to assimilate and fit in and only now, reflecting on my experiences years later, have I realized how problematic (and, frankly, impossible) that was given that military culture is dominated by and centered around whiteness. As an Asian American, I myself engaged in racist, homophobic, and misogynistic banter with friends and colleagues. Intentional or not, I recognize that I subscribed to a culture that normalized this type of talk. I am truly ashamed by all of this. My only recourse is to examine my past and speak up now to move the collective towards a better future.
The Naval Academy has an opportunity to lead by putting a stop to this culture of erasure and avoidance. Pinning the despicable words on the individual (Bethmann, in this case) and dismissing the endemic issues that span across the institution is worse than the harm done by the rant alone. Disassociating from the race conversation exacerbates the problem. Putting out a statement that “everyone is, and will be, treated with dignity and respect” is contrary to the reality. Intentions aside, affirming that tenet does not make it true. Rather than creating necessary dialogue, memoranda in this manner effectively silences those who have experienced otherwise. Should we create an open and honest environment where these discussions can take place, we will hear the experiences of Black and other minority midshipmen and the issues they have faced which are both explicit and subtle through direct action and/or inaction.
So what can we do?
It starts with introspection and reflection. As an institution, USNA participated in racial segregation and had no Black graduates until Wesley Brown in 1949, more than 100 years after its founding. Though it was an important step toward progress, integration at the Naval Academy did not end racism, of course. Today, why are the highest levels of leadership in the military still all white men? What has the experience been for people of color and women (of all races) in the military? Do we, as a team, honestly believe that there is zero-tolerance of discrimination within our units and ranks? We must start asking these questions, and acknowledge that despite the institution’s core values, there is a problem, as evidenced by written testimonies by the likes of these current and former officers here, here, here, and here.
There are organizations on the Naval Academy Yard that also are doing this work, but we have to understand that they may not be in a position to openly vocalize the issues in the establishment because it comes with risk to their futures.
Therefore, we, Naval Academy graduates, must take action. Outline the steps in which to address this issue, and how we will hold ourselves accountable. We should be clear that this goes beyond what one graduate and former Navy officer said. This is about ensuring that the institution this country entrusts her young women and men to takes the necessary steps to educate and mentor the future leaders of this country. This can only be accomplished by tackling this issue head on, and allowing mistakes and learning to occur, but ultimately holding the U.S. Naval Academy, its midshipmen, and alumni truly accountable. Acknowledging this issue does not invalidate the sacrifices that all graduates have made, rather, it enables them to be better leaders in the future, and think critically about their role as they assume the highest responsibilities of command, leadership, and government.
I sincerely hope you will take this into consideration, and embrace a deeper conversation around racial discrimination and inequity, an issue that has come to the forefront of the reckoning we are facing as a country today. One grad’s rant may be a visible leak above the water, but we will find larger breaches beneath the surface which, if left unaddressed, will result in disaster.
Don’t give up the ship.
