Comment by twofornone | Hacker News Reader

Comment by twofornone | Hacker News Reader

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Well, for one, there was a letter signed by 1xx retired leaders but I'm having trouble finding it on google under the pile of pro D&I propaganda that exclusively makes up search results.

For two, consistent anecdata from personal acquaintances and forum posts. The demographics are also completely changing. The military was until recently carried primarily by white men from small town America. Now white maleness is effectively a career handicap when genitals, skin color, and sexual orientation are considered for promotion.

I think the recent army advertisements are a valid proxy for the negative value that current leadership places on white-maleness. A military which is still majority white and male is releasing recruitment videos which exclusively feature minorities, females, and a healthy sprinkling of homosexuality. Here's a nice illustration, comparing recent US ads to those from Russia and China[0]. Only two of those forces are actually interested in recruiting competent soldiers, if these ads are any indication. China is laughing.

0. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfe6d6MzeLM

Edit: the sister post by jimmygrapes found one of the reports/letters I was looking for. I urge you all to read it to see, among other things, what happens to morale when demographic considerations are added to promotion evaluations. What is reported is consistent with what I've been hearing from former servicemember acquaintances.

> The military was until recently carried primarily by white men from small town America

The military has disproportionately been non-White for a long time (largely, because even while actively racist for most of its history, it was less racist than the rest of American society), despite the White segment of it being disproportionately small town.

Its been disproportionately male, because it has been actively sexist and, unlike its racism, more actively sexist than the rest of society.

> Now white maleness is effectively a career handicap when genitals, skin color, and sexual orientation are considered for promotion.

Genitals, skin color, sexual orientation, and conformity with social norms of alignment of sex assigned at birth with gender presentation have always been a factor in military assignment, promotion, and discipline in the US.

For most of the history of the US military being White was a commanding advantage in that, being male was a commanding advantage in some areas, and a bright-line legal requirement everywhere else, and until very recently not being a cisgender heterosexual was grounds for being excluded from the service and drummed out (and criminally prosecuted) if already in.

The idea that these factors only started to matter when they stopped being a trump card for White cishet men is...amusing.

> until recently carried primarily by white men from small town America

How do you define recent? This was not the case when I was in the military almost 30 years ago.

It's never been the case, but those sorts of made up talking points are the only things these types complaining seem to have to attempt to justify their frustrations at society, or something.

There seems to be a lot of cognitive dissonance or just ignorance about the fact the U.S. has singular counties, essentially close to singular cities, that have the same population of 13 states combined.

And, statistically, those in the lower population 13 states are more and more unable to meet the simple physical requirements of the U.S. military. To my knowledge, the past 5 or so years, the military has had serious recruitment issues because of things as simple as obesity metrics.

Good friend of mine is a white male O-4 BN in the Navy, previously a marine, from a family of predominantly white men in the Navy/military in general, with female family members also in the military.

He first started talking to me about this "perceived issue" you speak of back in the beginning of 2019.

Has repeatedly stated is the most hilariously stupid white nationalist and incel-esque shit he's ever had to hear about or deal with

Along with the fact that everybody he's observed as a marine and a Navy BN spouting off about it is typically an obnoxious douche who everybody hates and is generally incompetent at some of the easiest jobs our government provides citizens.

So, after reading what you've posted, the theme of it seems to line up with his, his families, and all of his higher ranking friends observations - just another person butthurt about females and people who aren't white, likely because you feel you've somehow been wronged by them in life or have other issues you need therapy for.

But go on about this being the issue, and not many of the clearly observered, defined, and reported on issues that the Navy/US Military in general is facing. Hint: one of them is white nationalists, and the poor quality of service/general incompetence and questions about loyalty that typically come with them.

Losers is something I can recall him repeatedly referring to them as, but I'm not sure how appropriate that is for HN.

And, since we're in the thread about the Bonhomme - I'll mention he has some very nice footage of the fire from Coronado bridge.

I like how in the Chinese ad they don't even hide the fact that you might have to run along side the tanks while shells rain down on you. You would have to be mad to watch that video and think, yes that's the life for me!

I’m willing to bet at least ten times as many young men as young women think that’s a good idea.

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