Article by Eric Utter in The American Thinker
The woke military won’t work
Some British soldiers are demanding that their nation’s armed forces introduce vegan uniforms that comport with their beliefs and practices. According to online reports, a newly formed group in the British Army called “The Ministry of Defence Vegan and Vegetarian Network” has launched a campaign to empower vegans and vegetarians in the armed forces.
One of the policies proposed by the vegan group is for military personnel to have the option to wear vegetarian-approved footwear not made from real leather. Incredibly, the Royal Air Force has allegedly considered the notion. This despite the fact that “vegan leather” may well be worse for the environment than real leather due to its lack of biodegradability and its use of plastic polymers. Moreover, the non-animal-based synthetic materials are less durable than natural ones, such as the genuine leather used in standard military combat equipment. Furthermore, the vegan alternatives would be significantly more costly than current materiel-- and simply unfeasible in some instances.
The move to make the military openly inclusive to every woke group, no matter how small, is part of a broader effort by proponents of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DIE) to revamp military doctrine to reflect trends they say are “relevant to our soldiers in the 21st-century.” Such as doing away with the recognition of sexual dimorphism and gearing up to fight white supremacy, Christianity, patriotism, “toxic masculinity” and climate change?
What’s next, vegan missiles and tanks? Non-binary grenades? Microaggression-free battle tactic wording and strategy? “Inclusive” intelligence briefings?
In the U.S., our toxically all-male armed forces combat units acquitted themselves exceptionally well in combat from 1775 until recent decades. Almost without exception. Then “don’t ask, don’t tell” became “Proud gays are welcome. Women, too. And bisexuals, transgenders, the pan-gendered, pansexuals, Two-Spirits, etc., etc. Anything goes!” This isn’t meant to be insulting to any one of those groups, but what do you think that does for discipline, morale, cohesion, and unity…especially in combat or in a foxhole?
The military is already the least racist and bigoted entity in American -- and British -- societies. It is spectacularly counterproductive to promote intersectionality in its midst. Vegans? Scientologists? Jews? Bakers? Candlestick makers? Why deliberately balkanize your military? This is the opposite of team building.
And this is a critical time for the West, a crossroads of sorts. We face truly existential dangers. From within and without. We must meet the challenges posed by our own power-mad leaders like Justin Trudeau and Joe Biden… and of calculating, clever, resource-laden, power-mad nations like China and Russia.
As to the latter, we can’t effectively do so with a Royal Vegan Air Force or a Royal Vegetarian Navy. “The Big Red One” (the U.S. Army’s legendary First Infantry Division) cannot be replaced by the “Big Gay/Transexual/ Pangendered One” if it is to continue to be considered a serious fighting force. That, too, is in no way an anti-LGBTQ statement, but a statement of fact. Similarly, the 82nd Airborne Division cannot be renamed the 82nd 1619 Project Advancers and remain a viable entity. The “Green Berets” would not carry the same mystique if rebranded the “Queen Berets.” The Navy Seals could not be as effective if they accepted non-swimmers, just as the Army Rangers would be greatly diminished if it welcomed overweight, middle-aged pacifists who are afraid of heights into its midst.
Historically, the military takes disparate men and molds them into a single cohesive fighting force by treating them all the same, even if that treatment appears quite harsh. Wokesters/leftists/progressives intend to do the opposite. They wish to split the military into as many factions as possible-- gays/straights/transgenders/vegans/etc.—which will dramatically reduce its efficacy as a fighting force.
The unfortunate reality is that our military, if it is to keep us safe, has to excel at potentially killing our enemies and breaking their things. At best, it is so obviously capable of doing so that it will never be challenged and peace reigns, as was the case with the U.S. military for many years after Reagan rebuilt and reinvigorated it. President Trump seemed to realize this.
Speaking of vegetables, President Biden has been responsible for the stunningly quick wokification of-- and consequent diminution of respect for-- America’s military.
The war in Ukraine should remind us all why this is so dangerous.
The West’s militaries don’t need vegan uniforms. They need funding, support, and leaders who are honest and courageous, not disingenuous and craven.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/03/the_woke_military_wont_work.html
