Latest news with #USNSHarveyMilk
San Francisco Chronicle
9 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Harvey Milk name erased from Navy ship during Pride Month
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the U.S. Navy has renamed a ship honoring slain gay rights icon Harvey Milk, replacing it with the name of a World War II hero. The decision, which critics called politically motivated and timed to Pride Month, marks a stark reversal in the Navy's recent approach to commemorating civil rights leaders. The fleet oiler, formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk, will now bear the name of Oscar V. Peterson, a Medal of Honor recipient who died saving his ship, the USS Neosho, during a 1942 Japanese attack. 'We are taking the politics out of ship naming,' Hegseth said in a video posted to X. 'People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in.' I am pleased to announce that the United States Navy is renaming the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson. We are taking the politics out of ship naming. — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) June 27, 2025 The ship was christened in 2021 under a policy from the Obama-era Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to name oilers after civil and human rights champions. Milk, a Navy veteran who was forced to accept an 'other than honorable' discharge due to his sexuality, later became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. before his assassination in 1978. An internal Navy memo revealed that the renaming aligns with President Donald Trump's and Hegseth's goals to 're-establish the warrior culture.' The timing — days after WorldPride celebrations in Washington, D.C. — has drawn intense backlash. 'The removal of Harvey Milk's name from a naval vessel — during Pride Month, no less — is absolutely shameful,' state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, said in a statement when the news of the name change first emerged this month. 'Brave LGBTQ veterans worked for years to achieve the naming of a ship for Harvey. Now Trump and Hegseth are wiping it away due to straight-up bigotry.' The USNS Harvey Milk is one of 17 vessels built to honor civil rights heroes, including civil rights activist Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.; Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy; women's rights activist Lucy Stone and abolitionist Sojourner Truth. 'Donald Trump's assault on veterans has hit a new low.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on social media this month. 'Harvey Milk wasn't just a civil rights icon — he was a Korean War combat veteran whose commander called him 'outstanding.' Stripping his name from a Navy ship won't erase his legacy as an American icon, but it does reveal Trump's contempt for the very values our veterans fight to protect.'
CBC
13 hours ago
- Politics
- CBC
Pentagon strips activist Harvey Milk's name from Navy ship in latest diversity purge
Social Sharing U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the USNS Harvey Milk will be renamed after a Second World War sailor who received the Medal of Honour, stripping the ship of the name of a slain gay rights activist who served during the Korean War. In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said he was "taking the politics out of ship-naming." The ship's new name will honour Navy chief petty officer Oscar V. Peterson, who was awarded the highest military decoration posthumously for his actions during the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea in the Pacific. The decision is the latest move by Hegseth to wipe away names of ships and military bases given by former U.S. president Joe Biden's Democratic administration, which in many cases chose to honour service members who were women, minorities, from the 2SLBGTQ+ community and more. It follows earlier actions by Hegseth and U.S. President Donald Trump to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and elsewhere. Hegseth's announcement comes during Pride Month, as does the Pentagon's campaign to force transgender troops out of the U.S. military. "We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists," said Hegseth, who earlier this month ordered Navy Secretary John Phelan to put together a small team to rename the USNS Harvey Milk replenishment oiler. He said Peterson's "spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy." Pride Toronto links funding woes to Trump's anti-DEI agenda 16 days ago Duration 2:01 'Re-establish warrior culture' When Hegseth announced the decision to rename the ship, officials defended it as an effort to align with Trump and Hegseth's objectives to "re-establish the warrior culture." Peterson served on the USS Neosho, which also was an oiler. The ship was damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea, and even though Peterson was injured, he managed to close the bulkhead stop valves to keep the ship operational. He died of his wounds. The Navy in 1943 named an escort ship after Peterson. The USS Peterson served for more than two decades and was decommissioned in June 1965. The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy secretary Ray Mabus, who said at the time that the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. Harvey Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, in San Francisco. He was assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former city supervisor.
San Francisco Chronicle
14 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
USNS Harvey Milk is renamed after a WWII sailor in the latest Pentagon diversity purge
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the USNS Harvey Milk will be renamed after a World War II sailor who received the Medal of Honor, stripping the ship of the name of a slain gay rights activist who served during the Korean War. In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said he was 'taking the politics out of ship naming.' The ship's new name will honor Navy Chief Petty Officer Oscar V. Peterson, who was awarded the highest military decoration posthumously for his actions during the 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea in the Pacific. The decision is the latest move by Hegseth to wipe away names of ships and military bases that were given by President Joe Biden's Democratic administration, which in many cases chose to honor service members who were women, minorities, from the LBGTQ community and more. It follows earlier actions by Hegseth and President Donald Trump, a Republican, to purge all programs, policies, books and social media mentions of references to diversity, equity and inclusion in the military and elsewhere. Hegseth's announcement comes during Pride Month — the same timing as the Pentagon's campaign to force transgender troops out of the U.S. military. 'We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists,' said Hegseth, who earlier this month ordered Navy Secretary John Phelan to put together a small team to rename the USNS Harvey Milk replenishment oiler. He said Peterson's 'spirit of self-sacrifice and concern for his crewmates was in keeping with the finest traditions of the Navy.' When Hegseth announced the decision to rename the ship, officials defended it as an effort to align with Trump and Hegseth's objectives to 're-establish the warrior culture.' Peterson served on the USS Neosho, which also was an oiler. The ship was damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea, and even though Peterson was injured, he managed to close the bulkhead stop valves to keep the ship operational. He died of his wounds. The Navy in 1943 named an escort ship after Peterson. The USS Peterson served for more than two decades and was decommissioned in June 1965. The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 by then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who said at the time that the John Lewis-class of oilers would be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. Harvey Milk, who was portrayed by Sean Penn in an Oscar-winning 2008 movie, served for four years in the Navy before he was forced out for being gay. He later became one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, in San Francisco. He was assassinated in 1978 by a disgruntled former city supervisor.
Washington Post
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
USNS Harvey Milk is renamed after a WWII sailor in the latest Pentagon diversity purge
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the USNS Harvey Milk will be renamed after a World War II sailor who received the Medal of Honor, stripping the ship of the name of a slain gay rights activist who served during the Korean War. In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said he was 'taking the politics out of ship naming.'
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US Supreme Court delivers major blow by siding with parents in LGBTQ+ school curriculum, hands Trump a 'huge win'
The US Supreme Court Friday ruled that Maryland parents can pull their children from lessons that cover LGBTQ-themed topics. The top court ruled 6-3 to let parents opt their children out of LGBTQ-themed lessons at public schools, in a landmark decision that will be seen as striking a blow for religious rights in education. The justices voted in support of the group of parents who said a curriculum adopted in 2022 by the Montgomery County Public Schools for elementary age children violated their religious rights. The court's majority said the parents who brought the case are entitled to a preliminary injunction while it proceeds. The introduction of the books "along with its decision to withhold opt-outs, places an unconstitutional burden on the parents' rights to the free exercise of their religion", Justice Samuel Alito wrote. "For many people of faith, there are few religious acts more important than the religious education of their children," wrote Justice Samuel Alito in the majority opinion. ALSO READ: Trump approval rating takes a wild turn after US strike on Iran. Americans have spoken and numbers will leave you stunned Live Events He added that the books in question "are designed to present certain values and beliefs as things to be celebrated, and certain contrary values and beliefs as things to be rejected," citing the normalization and celebration of same-sex marriage as one such example. In the dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor -- joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson -- argued that public schools "offer to children of all faiths and backgrounds an education and an opportunity to practice living in our multicultural society." "That experience is critical to our Nation's civic vitality. Yet it will become a mere memory if children must be insulated from exposure to ideas and concepts that may conflict with their parents' religious beliefs," she warned. ALSO READ: Who is Oscar Verner Peterson, after which naval ship USNS Harvey Milk has been renamed? Trump administration calls it 'big win' President Donald Trump hailed the outcome as a "great ruling for parents." "They lost control of the schools and they lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents," he said at a White House press conference. 'I think it's a great ruling for parents. It's really a ruling for parents. They lost control of the schools, they lost control of their child, and this is a tremendous victory for parents. And I'm not surprised by it, but I am surprised that it went this far,' Trump said in remarks in the White House briefing room Friday. "The Court rightfully held that schools can't shut parents out or disregard their religious obligations to their children. A great day for parents and education champions!" education secretary Linda McMahon said. ALSO READ: Harvey Milk, US 'gay rights icon, snubbed by Pentagon from a Navy ship. Who was he? Trump has taken aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the federal government, with particular focus on transgender issues. His Justice Department backed the parents in the case, calling the school district's policy "textbook interference with the free exercise of religion." Supreme Court on birthright citizenship The Supreme Court also handed another significant victory to Donald Trump - and future American presidents - when curbing lower courts' power to block executive orders. The court's decision not only impacts Trump's birthright citizenship order, but also emboldens him to enact many of his other policy actions that have been temporarily thwarted by similar injunctions. Trump was beaming as he addressed reporters at the White House briefing room podium, calling it a "big, amazing decision" which the administration is "very happy about". He said it was a "monumental victory for the constitution, the separation of powers and the rule of law". (With agency inputs) Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
