Joe Biden's Pentagon isn't interested in warriors. It wants social justice warriors. That was abundantly clear last week when a Space Force commander in Colorado was relieved of his duties for sounding the alarm about the "toxic" new trainings on critical race theory in the ranks. "They're rooted in Marxism," Lt. Colonel Matthew Lohmeier warned. Three months into the Defense Department's "extremist" witch hunt, America can call off the search. We found them -- calling the shots.
Lt. Colonel Matthew Lohmeier has served his country for 10 years, so he knows a threat when he sees one. Ever since February, when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin started introducing this woke new training into the branches, Lohmeier has been concerned. What he saw in the DOD's new videos, Lohmeier told Sean Hannity, which "were sent to every base and servicemember... taught that the country was evil -- that it was founded in 1619 and not 1776, and that whites are inherently evil." Those ideas, Lohmeier warned, are antithetical to America. And frankly, he went on, they're dangerous to the founding values of the country.
"My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics," he said. But "I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically non-partisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history," he said. In it, Lohmeier says he doesn't demonize any particular person, but he makes it clear to Secretary Austin and "every servicemember that this [diversity and inclusion] agenda, it will divide us, it will not unify us."
That message wasn't well-received by many in leadership -- including his boss at Space Force, who decided criticizing a political theory was a fireable offense and reassigned Lohmeier last week. But now that the story has started making national headlines, an Air Force spokeswoman says the entire incident has been elevated to the inspector general's office.
Republicans, meanwhile, aren't waiting for a formal investigation. They're demanding a Lohmeier's reinstatement now. "Call me old fashioned," Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said, "but I think the military should be 100% focused on being the best fighting force it can be to counter our adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party or Russia and stop entertaining Left-wing social experiments."
Others, like Congressman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), blasted the Biden Pentagon's priorities. "Our military should be preparing to win battles -- not being brainwashed with Marxist ideals. This man is a hero." Two dozen Republicans agreed, firing off a letter to the acting secretary of the U.S. Space Force demanding that Lohmeier be returned to his post. "Whether you agree with him or not, no rational American can review his level-headed critique of the critical race theory-based 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' training the military is currently conducting and conclude that his comments on that subject deserve relief of command."
As part of their complaint, the group ticks through a number of incidents where servicemembers attacked former President Donald Trump or politicized speech on the Left and weren't punished. Surely, the same standard should apply here.
Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), who's served on the Senate's Armed Services Committee for years, says he has "many questions" about the handling of Lohmeier's case. "Based on the information the committee has received so far and what's been reported in the press, I am concerned. Members of our military should not only be able to speak out against Marxism, but they should be encouraged to do so -- as long as they follow the rules and laws already in place. Marxism is an ideology that goes against everything this country stands for, and it belongs, as Ronald Reagan said famously, 'on the ash-heap of history.'"
Others, like Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), drove their point home another way. Posting side-by-side ads of a lethal-looking Russian soldier and a cartoon of a U.S. Army recruit with two moms, he pointed out, "Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea..." Let's hope someone explains that to Joe Biden before our enemies do.
