Tuskegee Airmen Invited to Obama Inauguration

Because it shows racial favoritism. But, I guess that's to be expected. My Dad was never black enough.

As a point of interest, the most decorated unit in the United States Army in the Second World War (and, in fact, in the history of the United States Army) was the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Infantry Battalion. These two units fought together in a regimental combat team, which is an independent formation with it's own artillery, engineers, transport, etc.

The 442nd was formed from Japanese-American volunteers mostly from the West Coast, and the 100th Infantry Battalion was formed from Japanese-American volunteers mostly from Hawaii. Daniel Inoue, who has long served Hawaii in the Senate is a veteran of the 442nd, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, and who lost his right arm in Italy. The 442nd RCT/100th Bn won a total of 21 Medals of Honor, and the members were so frequently wounded that it was knick-named "the Purple Heart Battalion." Most members of the 442nd/100th had family members in internment camps, and many were themselves in internment camps when they volunteered for military service. Total casualties for the 442nd/100th was in excess of 300% (i.e., with killed, wounded and missing, the entire strength of the unit was replaced more than three times). The unit's members were awarded more than 500 Silver Stars, 4000 Bronze Stars, and well over 9000 Purple Hearts.

The 100th Battalion, 442nd Regiment, still exists, and is the last remaining combat infantry unit in the United States Army Reserve. The 100th Battalion has been deployed to Iraq.

Of course, i'm sure our boy here would not want them to be singled out for honors, because there might be white boys out there who would feel slighted.

When I was teaching US history, I did a three-hour lesson plan on the 442nd and a slightly shorter one on the Tuskegee Airmen. There was also an all-black armored outfit that was deployed in North Africa and racked up an impressive record against Rommel's Panzer Korpus, but I've forgotten the numerical designation. Didja know that Jackie Robinson trained as a Tuskegee pilot? He did but he was never deployed with them overseas.

I've always felt that the role of minorities in Warld War II has been sadly overlooked in the history that's taught in our public schools. Kids go to see war movies and there's a sea of white faces on the screen. Blacks, Asian-Americans and Amerinds are conspicuous by their absence. And that is simply inaccurate historically. Oh, yeah. I also did one classroom period on the Navajo code-talkers in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

Teaching about the Tuskegee Airmen was particularly interesting for me because I could bring in an eye-witness guest speaker. There is a fraternal organization of former Tuskegee Airmen here in Boston (just a handful now) and my lwayer at the time was a member. He was also a good friend. His son is my wife's godson. He (the son) graduated from Harvard about two years ago. As most of my students were 'minority', it was a very emotional experience.

Glad to see that these men are being honored. It's about time they received some recognition for their sacrifice in preserving our freedoms.

Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. are trying to help correct that inaccuracy.

America is 10% black, give or take a few % points.

Watch the inauguration carefully. I bet the demographics are skewed in extraordinary fashion.

Why do you care? Really. So what?

Because they deserve to be honored?

Because the country ignored them for so long?

Because they put their lives on the line for a country that denied them the rights promised by the Consitution?

Because, like him, they were trailblazers, who proved that black people could do anything white people could, and do it very, very well?

Because they make me proud of being an American, of being part of a country that can produce men like them?

Hey MJ... I never said they shouldn't be honored...

So why would that be surprising? More blacks may well be inclined to go see the first black inaugurated as president. If we lived in a country where whites were the minority and the first ever white man had been elected this year, I would bet an inordinate number of whites would be at the inauguration. Don't you think?

I'm talking about invited guests....

If I were elected president (I'm not holding my breath waiting...), I'd invite them to my inauguration. Admired their courage for years.

Again, so what? He feels an affinity for the black community thus giving more invites to them than whites. Big deal. When I got married, most of those invited to my wedding were white. Does that indicate I am bigoted against blacks? Of course not. It indicates that most of my closest companions happened to be white rather than black.

Of course, if one is racist, I could understand seeing racism in others at any opportunity in order to justify the racism in oneself. But that is my opinion and not indicative of any thoughts of mine regarding your character.

Have you examined all previous Presidents to make sure all of their invitations were racially balanced? Can you provide us with those numbers?

There are around 3.6 million WWII vets still living. Pretty hard to fit them into the Inaugural ballroom if you invited them. There are about 300 of the almost 1000 Tuskegee Airment still alive. So you invite a smaller group that didn't get the honor they deserved at the time, to represent all the 3+ million vets. I doubt your dad has a problem being represented by another flyer, cj, even if that flyer is black.

And you do know that Barack Obama wants to sleep with your wife, right?

Yes and I also know he's going to get sucked into this Blagojerkoff thing.

About the same probability as him sleeping with your wife.

FYI

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