Navy to honor 1st black graduate..................

[LexiGirl75]

Well I am glad you are such a feeling person. I am proud of you.

As for me I dont think its appropriate to name a building for a graduate, just because he graduated and was black.

Obviously others dont feel that way, as they are doing it.
It seem too obvious that the University of Alabama should name a couple of buildings after the students who entered there first. We need a football stadium named after the first white professional football player. West Point is behind times they need to name a building after the first black to attend there . On and on ad infinitum

You believe its deserved, I believe its another feel good act of pandering.

Thats what makes horse races.

Pioneers have buildings named after them.

 

[MMDad]

The man's race caused him to do nothing. He as an individual did graduate, something that was a first. I can name about 30 firsts I accomplished in my career and I certainly don't expect a building to be named after me. IMO, it's much to do about nothing, other than the honor is based on his race.

Do you really see overcoming the prejudice that still existed at that time to be nothing?

The Navy admits that the playing field was not level then. He faced extreme prejudice, and his accomplishment is nothing for you to minimize. He didn't just pass classes and earn a degree. He overcame physical and mental abuse on a scale that would crack most men.

The Navy considers his accomplishment to be worthy. Who are you to question that?

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

Do you really see overcoming the prejudice that still existed at that time to be nothing?

The Navy admits that the playing field was not level then. He faced extreme prejudice, and his accomplishment is nothing for you to minimize. He didn't just pass classes and earn a degree. He overcame physical and mental abuse on a scale that would crack most men.

The Navy considers his accomplishment to be worthy. Who are you to question that?

Who am I to question that? Just another ole salt who did my time, with an opinion. I don't really care if they name a building after him or not. They certainly name ships after folks, who imo, were powerful but pretty incompetent.

Like an earlier post stated (and I agree), if the Navy does this, it opens the door for every person who was the first hyphenated American to have a building named after them. The Navy (and all services) is based on meritocracy. It reeks of being PC to me, IMHO.

 

[LexiGirl75]

Who am I to question that? Just another ole salt who did my time, with an opinion. I don't really care if they name a building after him or not. They certainly name ships after folks, who imo, were powerful but pretty incompetent.

Like an earlier post stated (and I agree), if the Navy does this, it opens the door for every person who was the first hyphenated American to have a building named after them. The Navy (and all services) is based on meritocracy. It reeks of being PC to me, IMHO.

What accomplishments of retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Wesley Brown do you not find to be meritorious? If it was the first black man to graduate in today's time then I would not understand the Navy doing this either. But it's not about an achievement of today it's about an achievement that happened at a time such as the 1940s.

I read on here a while back in a race debate regarding slavery and what blacks want/get etc. and someone mentioned (maybe me I don't know) that Harriet Tubman contribution to the freedom of slaves was a great thing and deserved recognition. Someone else posted that she did not do that alone and that there were some caring white people along the way who helped and looked out too. It was something that I had never seen brought to my attention so I never even thought about that but logicallyI I can believe that she ran into complications and a white person did help, saved butts.

To this day that is something I won't take away. Not sure if there are textbooks or history books that sheds that light but it's something that I am glad was sent my way. An accompishment, achievement and contribution is nothing to take away from someone no matter what part of it someone finds to be unfair to have publicly acknowledged.

That's all I'm saying...

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

What accomplishments of retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Wesley Brown do you not find to be meritorious? If it was the first black man to graduate in today's time then I would not understand the Navy doing this either. But it's not about an achievement of today it's about an achievement that happened at a time such as the 1940s.

I read on here a while back in a race debate regarding slavery and what blacks want/get etc. and someone mentioned (maybe me I don't know) that Harriet Tubman contribution to the freedom of slaves was a great thing and deserved recognition. Someone else posted that she did not do that alone and that there were some caring white people along the way who helped and looked out too. It was something that I had never seen brought to my attention so I never even thought about that but logicallyI I can believe that she ran into complications and a white person did help, saved butts.

To this day that is something I won't take away. Not sure if there are textbooks or history books that sheds that light but it's something that I am glad was sent my way. An accompishment, achievement and contribution is nothing to take away from someone no matter what part of it someone finds to be unfair to have publicly acknowledged.

That's all I'm saying...

Lexi, it seems as if the whole reason he's being considered for the honor is that he was the first black midshipman to graduate, whatever the circumstances. I don't begrudge the man his achievement. I acknowledge the circumstances that accompany that achievement.

What I'm getting at and have a difficult time explaining, is that a lot of people do things under difficult circumstances that are a first for whatever reason. Race shouldn't be a consideration. If race IS a consideration, then name the next 20 buildings after the first Korean-American midshipman, the first Japanese-American midshipman, the first Hispanic-American midshipman, the first German-American midshipman, the first Russian-American midshipman, the first Native-American midshipman, etc.

Unless some hyphenated Americans aren't as worthy as others.

After awhile, IMHO, it takes away from the significance of the achievement.

 

[sommpd]

Lexi, it seems as if the whole reason he's being considered for the honor is that he was the first black midshipman to graduate, whatever the circumstances. I don't begrudge the man his achievement. I acknowledge the circumstances that accompany that achievement.

What I'm getting at and have a difficult time explaining, is that a lot of people do things under difficult circumstances that are a first for whatever reason. Race shouldn't be a consideration. If race IS a consideration, then name the next 20 buildings after the first Korean-American midshipman, the first Japanese-American midshipman, the first Hispanic-American midshipman, the first German-American midshipman, the first Russian-American midshipman, the first Native-American midshipman, etc.

Unless some hyphenated Americans aren't as worthy as others.

After awhile, IMHO, it takes away from the significance of the achievement.

No other class or group of people in this country suffered the indignities that black people did prior to and at the time this man graduated the Naval Academy. No other group of people suffered through not being able to be educated in "white" schools at the time this man was going through the academy. I think that achievement deserves recognition. I disagree this will open the door for other minority groups to be recognized as this man was, because at the time this man went through the academy, no other minority group was being discriminated against to get in!

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

No other class or group of people in this country suffered the indignities that black people did prior to and at the time this man graduated the Naval Academy. No other group of people suffered through not being able to be educated in "white" schools at the time this man was going through the academy. I think that achievement deserves recognition. I disagree this will open the door for other minority groups to be recognized as this man was, because at the time this man went through the academy, no other minority group was being discriminated against to get in!

No other minorities have suffered discrimination? Chinese-Americans during the building of the transcontinental railroad? Japanese-Americans, German-Americans during WWII? Hell, my children as bi-racial Americans went through discrimination at our local American Legion Post less than five years ago, being called 'gooks' (I can't help these worthy veterans were stupid and can't tell the difference between Asian races). Many minorities have a hard time. Let me leave it at that. Just a question however, is there another redeeming factor, other than race, (such as, is he Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, Antartican?) that this man should be recognized for his accomplishment?

 

[ImnoMensa]

Chinaman's Chance: One explanation is that at that time, Chinese migrant workers in the U.S. were sent into mines and construction sites to ignite dynamite, potentially with disastrous consequences. They were also lowered over cliffs by rope and boatswain chairs to set dynamite to clear mountain and other obstructions to make way for the railroad construction. In this work, if they were not lifted back up before the blast, serious injury or death would result. Therefore the phrase a "A Chinaman's Chance" was coined.

How about the Japanese during WW2 who's property was traken and they were put in internment camps.

Irish need Not Apply:All major cities had their "Irish Town" or "Shanty Town" where the Irish clung together. Our immigrant ancestors were not wanted in America. Ads for employment often were followed by "NO IRISH NEED APPLY." They were forced to live in cellars and shanties, partly because of poverty but also because they were considered bad for the neighborhood...they were unfamiliar with plumbing and running water. These living conditions bred sickness and early death. It was estimated that 80% of all infants born to Irish immigrants in New York City died. Their brogue and dress provoked ridicule; their poverty and illiteracy provoked scorn.

 

[ImnoMensa]

I watched a movie a while back . It starred Cuba Gooding and was the story of the first black Navy Master Diver, Chief Carl M. Brashear.

Now this guy went thru hell, He made Master Navy Diver after a leg amputation. Had balls of steel. If anybody deserves a building named after him, this is the guy.
Of course he wasnt an officer ,so I guess that settles that with Annapolis.
First Black Navy Diver Dies

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

I watched a movie a while back . It starred Cuba Gooding and was the story of the first black Navy Master Diver, Chief Carl M. Brashear.

Now this guy went thru hell, He made Master Navy Diver after a leg amputation. Had balls of steel. If anybody deserves a building named after him, this is the guy.
Of course he wasnt an officer ,so I guess that settles that with Annapolis.
First Black Navy Diver Dies

Thank you very much! Many untold stories, but this was unusual because he was the first amputee (not because he was black) to be able to come back as a Master Diver on active duty.

I had the pleasure, or rather, unexpected experience, of going before an LDO board as a first class in Korea. The Chief before me got his azz reamed. I was scared crapless before I went in. I reported to the Board correctly but the Captain had one eye going one way, and the other eye the other. Overcoming my initial shock, my eyes went down to his ribbons. There was this baby blue sucker with five stars on it. I thought I was ..... Whatever. I did well and got a great recommedation for LDO. Ten years later he actually remembered me and when he saw my Warrant boards asked "What took you so long?"

Tom Kelly is still fighting for Veteran's Benefits in Vermont (I hope I got the state right). Severely wounded, a Swift Boat LT, who actually was wounded, fought to stay on active duty, retired as a Captain. I hope there is a building at Annapolis named after him. Sorry for the folks that just see news briefs but some of us see real heroes every day and they never get recognition beyond "This is a no-shizzter" story from some old retired Warrant.

 

[sommpd]

No other minorities have suffered discrimination? Chinese-Americans during the building of the transcontinental railroad? Japanese-Americans, German-Americans during WWII? Hell, my children as bi-racial Americans went through discrimination at our local American Legion Post less than five years ago, being called 'gooks' (I can't help these worthy veterans were stupid and can't tell the difference between Asian races).

Many minorities have a hard time.

I think slavery is a bit more than a "hard" time.

Let me leave it at that. Just a question however, is there another redeeming factor, other than race, (such as, is he Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic, Antartican?) that this man should be recognized for his accomplishment?

I didn't say that other minorities didn't suffer discrimination. I said that no other class suffered the same indignities as black people for soley being black. No other class of people were not allowed to attend the same public schools as white people during the same time as this man attended the United States Naval Academy. That is why this institution has chosen to honor this man. That is his redeeming factor, that he was able to break that barrier.

 

[rotgut]

wow, lots of mispellings, lots of mispellings. before you get too "into" the discussion, explain to me the connection between the words "black" and "man." remember, age isn't important, but level of resonsibility is. good luck.