Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix
Sen. Theresa Hatathlie speaks and WWII Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay speaks – and sings – at the Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration in Phoenix.
Arizona Republic
I thought that Donald Trump’s unhinged obsession with eliminating anything he thought to be the result of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives could get no worse than dishonoring the heroes buried at Arlington National Cemetery by scrubbing information about some Black, Latino and women from the cemetery’s website.
I was wrong.
Axios is reporting that articles and information about World War II’s heroic Native Code Talkers have disappeared from some military websites.
According to the report, when asked about the missing pages, Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot replied in a statement: “As Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has said, DEI is dead at the Defense Department. … We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms.”
Pleased?
Code talkers were vital to military success in the Pacific during WWII
Who could possibly be pleased by an effort to erase the history of a group of native men who were vital to the success of every major Marine Corps operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II, particularly America’s victory at Iwo Jima.
At least 10 articles containing information about the Code Talkers has disappeared, according to Axios.
Late last year one of the last Navajo Code Talkers, John Kinsel, died at 107.
Navajo President Buu Nygren said of him, “It is appropriate for us to acknowledge, recognize and honor this distinguished man’s life, bravery and steadfast dedication to his family, community of Lukachukai and to the entire Navajo Nation as a model Navajo citizen and warrior.”
Every elected official in Arizona should be outraged
Kinsel and his fellow Marines represent the best of the Navajo Nation, the best of Arizona, the best of the United States.
Every elected official in Arizona from every party should be pounding on the doors of the Defense Department to reverse the idiotic DEI overreach that is trying to erase the Code Talker legacy.
They were not an example of DEI hires.
They were an example of honor. Of bravery. Of patriotism.
Of everything the people behind this atrocity are not.
Reach Montini at [email protected].
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