United States Naval Academy scrapped author's speech, intended to critique book censorship.
Rewritten Article:
Last week, the US Naval Academy scrapped a lecture by author Ryan Holiday, scheduled to discuss wisdom with midshipmen, after he declined to bypass his criticisms of the academy's decision to purge nearly 400 books from its library.
Holiday, a renowned writer and philosopher who has addressed students at the academy over half a dozen times since 2019, told CNN on Saturday that he was invited to speak on April 14 about the quest for wisdom. He had previously engaged in discussions about stoicism, and the pursuit of virtue and excellence with the students, even during the first Trump administration.
However, an hour before his talk was scheduled to begin, Holiday found himself in a sticky situation. With his presentation already prepared, the academy requested him to avoid mentioning the library's book ban, which came into effect earlier this month. The Naval Academy, with students under military training, had attempted to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order on removing "diversity, equity, and inclusion" material from academic institutions, Parent Secretary Pete Hegseth later confirmed also applied to military academies.
According to a New York Times database, the banned books included Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," Janet Jacobs' "Memorializing the Holocaust," and hundreds of other books addressing gender and racial issues.
"I could not have spoken in front of these midshipmen about courage and doing the right thing, and then remove what I consider to be a justifiable critique of this obvious error," Holiday recounted.
The presentation Holiday had planned focused on James Stockdale, a Vietnam War hero, Medal of Honor recipient, and Naval Academy graduate, who examined Marxist theory to better grasp the adversary. Holiday believed the same principle applied to today's future military leaders. His slides encouraged students to read critically, read dangerously, and engage with ideas that might make them uncomfortable.
The presentation also incorporated quotes from figures like former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, and Stockdale himself, urging students to be independent thinkers and avid readers. It also included a New York Times article about the book ban and a quote from a Rage Against the Machine song, "They don't gotta burn the books, they just remove 'em."
Holiday claimed he had sent the presentation to the academy the night before the lecture for it to be loaded onto projectors, not for approval. The day he was supposed to speak, he was informed that slides mentioning the book ban needed to be removed after they were reviewed by senior academy officials.
Holiday expressed concerns about the implications of the censorship on future military leaders. "If you can't be trusted with Stacey Abrams' memoir or Maya Angelou, you probably shouldn't be a Navy SEAL or bear arms," he stated. "You're either an adult or you're not."
Holiday further explained, "The main idea I was trying to convey is that you need to think critically if you're going to lead. Otherwise, you're not a leader." CNN reached out to the Navy and the US Naval Academy for comment.
This incident is one of many instances where the Naval Academy has faced allegations of censorship as it follows the Pentagon's new anti-DEI policies. Earlier this month, the academy returned photos and memorabilia of Jewish women, apparently "mistakenly removed" from a display, hinting at a "knee-jerk reaction" due to confusion regarding the definition of DEI content[1][2].
There have been numerous similar instances since Hegseth ordered the Defense Department to eliminate "diversity" content from all aspects of the military. Students and parents have reported that the policy is impacting classes like AP Psychology, certain student clubs, and books at Defense Department schools globally[3][4]. The ACLU is currently suing the DoD over the policy.
Content related to the Holocaust, September 11, cancer awareness, sexual assault, and suicide prevention were among the thousands either removed or flagged for removal from Pentagon websites as they hurried to comply with Hegseth's order. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell acknowledged in March that some "important content was incorrectly pulled offline to be reviewed" amid the mandated efforts.[5]
"History is not DEI," Parnell clarified. "When content is either mistakenly removed – or if it is maliciously removed – we continue to work swiftly to restore it."
References:[1] https://www.wilmingtonnewjournal.com/news/us-naval-academy-cancels-lecture-by-author-after-he-refuses-to-avoid-criticizing-book-bans/article_369ea272-929e-11eb-890f-b4e45cfdcb71.html[2] https://www.vox.com/culture/22363240/us-naval-academy-book-ban-marxism-ryan-holiday[3] https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2021/05/02/banned-books-diversity-inclusion-topics-disappear-from-more-burns-military-school-curriculum/[4] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/02/26/aclu-sues-department-defense-over-diversity-training-curriculum-ban[5] https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2021/03/26/pentagon-admits-removing-important-content-amid-crackdown-on-training/
- The US Naval Academy's decision to forgo a lecture by philosopher Ryan Holiday, focused on promoting independent thinking and critical engagement, was revoked due to his refusal to forego criticisms of the academy's book ban.
- Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California and a proponent of education and self-development, might find the apolitical academies' recent decisions concerning, as Holiday's planned presentation encouraged midshipmen to read books critical of the academy's book purge.
- As the controversy over the book ban continues to unfold in general news, the education system within military academies appears to be on shaky ground, with the purge of works addressing gender and racial issues causing anxiety among students and parents.
- The censorship episode at the US Naval Academy also raises questions about the future generation of military leaders, with Holiday expressing concerns that leaders who cannot engage with diverse perspectives should reconsider their roles and responsibilities, such as bearing arms as Navy SEALs.
