What is your take of the viral West Point photo of raised fists? Do you think it was political, racial, or just plain dumb?

LTC Thomas Tennant — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:10:09 -0400

After the photo went viral online, the women faced accusations they were trying to make a political statement in uniform and were violating Defense Department rules. Some noted that raised fists are associated with Black Lives Matter,

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/05/10/west-point-cadet-photo-inappropriate-political/84207292/

West Point: Cadet photo inappropriate, but not political

The 16 black female cadets who posed for a photo with their fists raised and sparked a nationwide debate will face no punitive action, West Point officials announced Tuesday.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:13 AM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:13:02 -0400

Affirmative action in action.

Response by LTC Yinon Weiss made May 11 at 2016 9:25 AM

LTC Yinon Weiss — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:25:26 -0400

How about an option for "The Army did not find it inappropriate, and let's worry about more important things instead."

Response by Capt Tom Brown made May 11 at 2016 9:33 AM

Capt Tom Brown — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:33:28 -0400

Handled in accordance with the best present-day PC principles and guidelines from above. Hopefully it will get the cadet's attention early on in their careers of the many pratfall possibilities out there. If this incident has a positive influence on them and others it was worth the upset.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 9:33 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:33:59 -0400

racial...I don't think it was in reference to BLM but rather the Black Panthers or Malcolm X

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made May 11 at 2016 9:36 AM

CW4 Guy Butler — Wed, 11 May 2016 09:36:41 -0400

Huh. "Much ado about nothing" isn't a choice.

Oh, well.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 10:02 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 10:02:41 -0400

West Point clears black cadets over raised-fists photo.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/10/us/west-point-cadets-photo/index.html

West Point clears black cadets over raised-fists photo

The 16 female, African-American cadets who appeared in a photograph with raised fists in uniform will not be punished for their controversial "Old Corps Photo."

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 10:07 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 10:07:43 -0400

How about an option for "Those women have everything in the world be proud of, and good on them for showing it"

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2016 10:10 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 May 2016 10:10:29 -0400

Also, even if it was racial, it would more likely reference "Black Power" than "Black Lives Matter", and looking at the history of West Point and the history of civil rights and racism in America, nothing could be more appropriate than black women showing their power after graduating from an institution that until recently accepted neither blacks nor women. They earned it.

Response by MAJ Mark N. made May 11 at 2016 10:16 AM

MAJ Mark N. — Wed, 11 May 2016 10:16:04 -0400

West Point leadership conducted an inquiry and found "no hidden agenda", it was merely "pride" in graduation. The "punishment" will be blocks of instruction on how WP Cadets are held to a "higher standard" and how their actions can be misconstrued. So, USMA (and other academy) Cadets need to be told they are held to a higher standard? With a 10% acceptance rate and continuous ratings of "Top 10 colleges", I figured they already knew that. As I predicted, this has been swept under the rug - the further "PC'ing" of the military. Maybe I'm just too old....

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 11 at 2016 10:28 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 11 May 2016 10:28:32 -0400

I responded in another post that the cadets would have been tossed back in the day and surmised the yardstick has changed. Reading between the lines, it appears that the institution probably made a good business decision to move on. Just imagine the media storm otherwise. I'd expect any serious problem with these cadets would have been flushed out a long time ago. Sure there was a good butt chewing though. I got nailed for "not being vertical enough" in a picture of Sunday Parade.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 11 at 2016 11:38 AM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Wed, 11 May 2016 11:38:42 -0400

I think it was several women who failed to see that pose would become a means of strategic communications to the public.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made May 11 at 2016 1:39 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:39:54 -0400

In this thread, a bunch of old white guys will get really upset about a bunch of people they don't know doing something they don't understand and then demand extreme action be taken.

Damn, I'm glad we didn't have social media back when the rest of us were that age.

Response by Cpl Rc Layne made May 11 at 2016 6:11 PM

Cpl Rc Layne — Wed, 11 May 2016 18:11:54 -0400

As future supervisors of troops of various backgrounds, I would suggest that they become familiar with two phrases. "Knew or should have known." and Perception is reality."

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:56 AM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 00:56:06 -0400

It could be that I'm just old, but I didn't even put the "Ferguson" or "Black Lives Matter" tag on it - it was "Black Power." In any case, it was still political - and they should have been handed their asses as they got kicked out of the Academy.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2016 12:05 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 May 2016 12:05:24 -0400

OK ... here is another view. It makes NO difference in what they intended the picture to be! It is the perception of what the picture means. I don't' care if its 1 of 16 or so photos. I don't care how hard life is/was on them. They are about to Graduate West Point which means they should be able to overcome obstacles. And Perception is Reality!! Graduates from West Point are promoted first. West Point Graduates usually go on to Lead the Military. What would you say if it had been a bunch of young white male cadets all holding up Confederate flags? Their would be an OUTCRY to shake all of capital hill. The President would probably be on TV saying they had been removed from West Point. Stop dancing around the issue. What they did was wrong, offensive, ill-conceived, stupid and against regulation.

I personally, as a Military Member, find the Photo offensive. Just as I would find one of Cadets waving a Confederate flags.