They should rename the ship named after a well -known LGBTQ+ person activist, but also for two important judges of the Supreme Court. It is defended by historical references.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wants to rename the ship named Harvey Milk – a well -known homosexual activist who was murdered at the end of the 1970s. By renaming the vessel, Hegseth wants to “restore in the army of the militant spirit”, AP reported, referring to the Military.com news website.
The US CBS News said renaming is also considered for several other ships – including two named after the former Supreme Court judges: Progressive Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall – the first ever African -American in this position.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell only stated in an AFP comment request that “any possible name changes will be announced after the end of internal procedures.”
Names have to reflect history
The spokesman added that Minister HegSeth “is determined to ensure that all names of the facility and resources of the Ministry of Defense reflect the priority of the chief commander, the history of our nation and the combat spirit”.
Since the return of Donald Trump to the position of US President in January 2025, his administration has been leading a large campaign against politicians aimed at promoting diversity.
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi sharply criticized Hegseth’s latest decision and described him as “shameful and vindictive erasure of those who fought for overcoming barriers and allowed everyone to live an American dream”.
The initiative betrays the value
“This mischievous initiative does not strengthen our national security or combat spirit. On the contrary, it is a betrayal of the basic American value: to worship the legacy of those who have built a better country,” Pelosi added.
Harvey Milk was born in 1930 in New York and served in the US Navy during the Korean War. In San Francisco, he later became the first openly homosexual member of the California City Council and an important personality of the LGBTQ+ Community Rights. In 1978, together with the Mayor of George Moscone, he was shot by a former colleague. In 2021 it was named a tank ship of the US Navy.
