West Point
The more I sit here and wonder has anything changed in the past few days, the louder the roar of "YES" resounds in my ears.
People at this academy are supposed to be the beacons of leadership and courage, yet for the past few days the cadets here have brought it back to the 1970's concerning race relations. Or maybe it was always there lurking in the background just waiting for a trigger. And what bigger trigger then Barack Obama being elected president. Are they concerned he'll change the color of the white house to brown?
Chocolate? Mocha? Are they serious? Of course they are!
To think I wanted to serve with some of these people. I don't know how to handle this. Don't get me wrong I know and understand that this should not represent the White community as a whole. But why does always seem like we've got to play nice and they don't?
Why do I have to present an image utter perfection while they can get away with substandard?
I'm just extremely frustrated and angry that this is even happening! Black Cadets and cadets of color have been threatened and emotional harm has been caused, and yet most "people"* will say is, they can't believe that this is happening here at West Point. So because they unwilling to believe what is happening they are willing to dismiss these incidents in class and perpetuate a mindset of ignorance about the other races and their plight on this campus.
*(Emphasis on "people" because most of them don't really count us as people, If they did they would not so easily dismiss it as "Oh those Black kids are starting trouble again.")
On the other hand you have instructors actively combating the ignorance that like a cloud, hangs thickly over this "Premier Institution for Leadership and Character development;" however, there are instructors out there who stir up within the disgruntled cadets, fear of change or more specifically blacks in power. These Instructors are the planters of seeds of hatred, resentment, racism and groupthink; some of the most deadly mindsets of leaders in world. It only takes a glance in our history books to see on a larger scale how these mindsets can drive people to commit acts against their fellow man.
Once again I must remember that the Supe, Comm and Dean are doing something about this and taking very immediate action. Let's not forget 1st Captain and SGM who are working vigorously to combat this uprising of hatred and bigotry.
This makes me think back to all those incidents during beast and wonder was I at a disadvantage because I was black?
Did my squad leader use this (the color of my skin) to turn everyone in the chain of command during Beast, very effectively, against me?
And what was the deal with 1SG giving me demerits before checking in with my PSG to see if the PSG delivered 1SG message to me?
What's going on here?