Capricious and cruel

 

There are so many ways that the current Trump administration is offensive.

Playing the game of renaming military bases ("forts") back to the names they had before, but naming them for someone else other than the Confederate heroes they were originally named for, is one of the most offensive. And that's saying a lot. 

Particularly this one.

Not that Benning: Hegseth renames Fort Moore, but not for Confederate general, he says

"Hegseth renamed the Georgia base [which had been named Fort Moore] in honor of Cpl. Fred G. Benning, a World War I veteran awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and not the Confederate general for whom it was originally named, according to a memo released Monday. Earlier this month, Hegseth also renamed Fort Bragg – another base whose original Confederate-inspired name was restored – in that case to honor a distinguished World War II soldier named Roland Bragg."

So who was (actually were) the honoree that gave the base the name Fort Moore?\

"Fort Benning's name was changed to Fort Moore in 2023 in honor of Hal Moore, a Vietnam War general, and his wife Julia. Hal Moore was highly decorated for his service during the battle of Ia Drang. Julia Moore changed the way the Army notifies families of service members killed in action through her activism."

So was changing the name back to Fort Benning, but naming it for someone else, NOT the "ardent secessionist, bitter opponent of abolition and senior officer in the Confederate Army" it was originally named for, a good idea?

Not so much.

"Ty Seidule, a retired Army brigadier general and co-chairman of the commission that swapped out names of Confederate soldiers who waged war against the United States for American heroes, blasted the decision on Monday. He called Hegseth’s decision “capricious and cruel.”

“I’m heartbroken. First family to ever be recognized. First spouse. Legendary heroes who are buried on the post,” Seidule said. “The Moores were and are an inspiration to all soldiers and all Americans.”

Hegseth’s decision, Seidule said, overturns the will of the American people. Congress created the commission and accepted its findings.

“Commemoration reflects our values and nobody better reflects the values and mission of Fort Moore than the Moore family,” Seidule said."

Hegseth should obviously have left it that way. But he's a jerk and he worships the horrid President, so what else was he going to do?

Screw him.