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Joint Chiefs chairman clashes with GOP lawmakers on critical race theory [Video]

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:


  • Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, clashed with GOP lawmakers after they questioned the military’s stance in studying critical race theory.
  • Republicans oppose the teaching of critical race theory in public schools.
  • During a House Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday, Milley said that “it’s important for those in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read.”

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, clashed with Republican lawmakers Wednesday after the GOP questioned why members of the military are taught critical race theory.

The academic concept has been criticized by conservatives in recent months,  saying it should not be taught in public schools.

While testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Milley insisted there was nothing wrong with trying to learn from history.

“I do think it’s important, actually, for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read,” America’s highest-ranking military officer, said. “And it is important that we train and we understand.

“I want to understand white rage, and I’m white,” he added, referencing the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. “And I want to understand it.”

The general said that he has read Karl Marx and Lenin but “that doesn’t make [him] a communist.”

He asked the lawmakers, “What is wrong with understanding, having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend? And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned, our noncommissioned officers, of being ‘woke.’”

Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania had given Milley time by to respond to comments made by Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz, both from Florida. Earlier in the hearing, Waltz had raised the issue of critical race theory being taught at military service academies, including West Point.

Gaetz was seen shaking his head in disapproval while Gen. Miller is speaking.

Milley directly addressed Waltz, who is a combat veteran, at the end of his comments.

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“I respect your service, and you and I are both Green Berets,” Milley said. “But I do want to know [about critical race theory]. And it matters to the discipline and cohesion of this military.”

Yahoo News reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was a witness alongside Milley at the hearing, has already clashed with Gaetz earlier. The Florida lawmaker claimed that military service members went to him complaining about critical race theory being taught in military training,

“We do not teach critical race theory, we don’t embrace critical race theory and I think that’s a spurious conversation,” Austin said “We are focused on extremist behaviors, and not ideology.”

Gaetz turned to Twitter to voice his displeasure on the issue.

Source: AOL

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. I'm Not A Robot

    June 24, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    There is no place for Marxist doctrine in the military. There is nothing wrong with learning from history. What is wrong is when history is changed into propaganda, and if Milley doesn’t know the damn difference he shouldn’t be in the military period.

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