A response to Kelly Scoles' letter:

Hi again, Kelly,

I regret that last week's Realities was less than clear for you. Because you saw it as "a perfect example of the challenges of our discourse" I would appreciate a chance to clarify a few things.

My criticism of General Charles Brown (now chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) for racist policies, and your denial of his "embracing race-based hiring and promotions in the military for the sake of diversity" awakens a famous saying: "Facts speak louder than words", and the facts here are crystal clear. "Diversity and inclusion are now focal points in Air Force personnel decisions. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Charles Q. Brown has been a major backer of the DEI efforts. Brown said in the fall of 2020 that DEI was a key focal point of recruiting and a factor in promotions." "Shortly after assuming office, President Joe Biden signed three separate executive orders directing all federal agencies to commit extensive time and resources towards Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts.” The Heartlander, 7-7-2023.

General Brown has served as the Air Force Chief of Staff since 2020. The Heritage Foundation's "2023 Index of Military Strength" notes that under his tenure the Air Force's military strength has descended from "marginal" in 2021, to "weak" in 2022, and to the lowest mark of "very weak" in 2023. Brown's command style prioritizes diversity, but the inexorable diminution of military strength raises grave concerns about the practice. The intentional selection of personnel based on race and ideology prompted the watchdog group the American Accountability Association to file a complaint about possible violations of the Constitution for illegal hiring practices. Breakdown: as of June 30, the active-duty Air Force was 71 percent white, 15 percent Black or African American, 4.3 percent Asian American, 1.2 percent Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and less than 1 percent American Indian or Native Alaskan. About 16 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino. Sept. 9, 2021.

“[Brown's] unwavering support of identity-based quotas and DEI imperatives is sufficient to justify and rationalize the purge of the depleted pilot corps of competent aviators that is composed of too many white males. With deep divisions within the military and the uncertainty of its ability to defend the country, General Brown's leadership style comes into question. An effective leader cannot adhere to an ideology that denigrates many of those under one’s command. Leadership embodies Eisenhower's humility as it relates to blood and sacrifice, the qualities imbued in Shakespeare's St. Crispin's Day Speech, and Chiang Kai-Shek's testimony to morale and spirit." (Scott Sturman)
How badly is Brown's intense racist DEI hurting our military? The Army alone has assigned more than 10,000 soldiers, equivalent to about three brigades, to recruiting duty.

A major conflict would break the AVF [All Volunteer Force]—an open secret in defense circles, but something that few in Washington want to discuss. Over the past year of fighting, Russia and Ukraine have both taken casualties equal to at least half the active-duty U.S. Army. Trying to explain this problem to liberals is, I think, a waste of time, regardless of its importance. Brown is fanatically engaged with promoting DEI because, regardless of his extraordinary personal success in the military, he nurses resentment for perceived past racist career injustices, a sharp chip on his shoulder for which the white man (particularly the white pilot) should pay. It's ugly, but it's a psychological fact. Brown is the last man who should be in charge of our military forces.

Last comment on Brown's suitability for overall command: Kelly, we have to look at what he is doing, not so much at what he says to placate his accusers. That's his big deception.

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About Nikki Haley's comment on the causes of the Civil War: Nikki is an intelligent, articulate woman. I don't understand why she answered that voter's question in that way. It's somewhat a puzzlement. I'm stunned, however, by your criticism, one of those "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" type of things. Kelly, may I remind you that South Carolina was a Democrat state when it started the Civil War! Remember, Democrats were also responsible for all that slavery, and all of that bloody post-Civil War fallout, like Reconstruction, KKK, Jim Crow, lynching, all that Democrat stuff. Republicans are the ones that fought to the death to end slavery. Democrats fought to the death to keep their slave culture. So, I should fault Nikki for not acknowledging the Democratic Party's historic guilt, but I won't elaborate, except to say she should certainly have mentioned the word slavery.

The Temecula school is wrong to hide the fact that the Democratic Party started the Civil War.
You are right, Kelly, as you say, to recognize that "some people still censor or deny uncomfortable historical truth..."