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“This is a time of tremendous change in this country,” said Juan Williams, senior correspondent at National Public Radio and a Fox News commentator. “The country is in a different place than it has ever been.”
Williams will be in Independence on Monday to moderate and serve as keynote speaker at the Harry S. Truman Library and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s Freedom to Serve Forum from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. inside the auditorium of the Truman Library.
The forum will commemorate the 61st anniversary of Truman’s signing of Executive Order 9981, a bill that ended racial segregation in the armed forces.
Williams said the order set the stage for change in America that manifested itself when Barack Obama was elected president in November.
“When we look at what Truman did – his willingness to go against what was socially acceptable at the time – he was willing to set the pace in this country of a willingness to change,” Williams said. “That really is one of the key moments of the 20th century.”
The forum is a series of panels who will explore the history and lessons learned of racial discrimination in the United States military. Panelists, including Maj. Gen. Vance Coleman, who was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery and served in the Korean War, will also examine gender discrimination and the ban on openly gay service members.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the SLDN, said the organization provides legal services for active and reserve members of the U.S. military. He added the group specifically provides services to armed forces members who are having problems with the military’s “dont ask, don’t tell” policy.
“There is a bill (H.R.1283) pending in Congress that would repeal and replace “don’t ask, don’t tell,”” Sarvis said. “Congress passed (the current policy) it, Congress owns it. The president can’t change it with an Executive Order, the Pentagon can’t change it. If congress has a new view 16 years later then that’s good and they can change it.”
Sarvis said Truman demonstrated courage and leadership by desegregating the military so that all qualified Americans could serve their country with full equality, adding today’s leaders can take encouragement from the example of Truman, who, during an election year, put justice and equality under the law before political expediency.
“It will be a good discussion on Monday,” Sarvis said. “I think it will be a very interesting day at the Truman Library.”
Discussion set for Monday at library
“This is a time of tremendous change in this country,” said Juan Williams, senior correspondent at National Public Radio and a Fox News commentator. “The country is in a different place than it has ever been.”
Williams will be in Independence on Monday to moderate and serve as keynote speaker at the Harry S. Truman Library and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s Freedom to Serve Forum from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. inside the auditorium of the Truman Library.
The forum will commemorate the 61st anniversary of Truman’s signing of Executive Order 9981, a bill that ended racial segregation in the armed forces.
Williams said the order set the stage for change in America that manifested itself when Barack Obama was elected president in November.
“When we look at what Truman did – his willingness to go against what was socially acceptable at the time – he was willing to set the pace in this country of a willingness to change,” Williams said. “That really is one of the key moments of the 20th century.”
The forum is a series of panels who will explore the history and lessons learned of racial discrimination in the United States military. Panelists, including Maj. Gen. Vance Coleman, who was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery and served in the Korean War, will also examine gender discrimination and the ban on openly gay service members.
Aubrey Sarvis, executive director of the SLDN, said the organization provides legal services for active and reserve members of the U.S. military. He added the group specifically provides services to armed forces members who are having problems with the military’s “dont ask, don’t tell” policy.
“There is a bill (H.R.1283) pending in Congress that would repeal and replace “don’t ask, don’t tell,”” Sarvis said. “Congress passed (the current policy) it, Congress owns it. The president can’t change it with an Executive Order, the Pentagon can’t change it. If congress has a new view 16 years later then that’s good and they can change it.”
Sarvis said Truman demonstrated courage and leadership by desegregating the military so that all qualified Americans could serve their country with full equality, adding today’s leaders can take encouragement from the example of Truman, who, during an election year, put justice and equality under the law before political expediency.
“It will be a good discussion on Monday,” Sarvis said. “I think it will be a very interesting day at the Truman Library.”
Discussion set for Monday at library
Special guests at Monday’s Freedom to Serve Forum at Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum include Truman’s grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel, and Clifton Truman Daniel’s daughter, Aimee Daniel. (Michael Beschloss, presidential historian, was scheduled to speak, but canceled due to scheduling conflicts.)
Panelists and guest include:
Panel 1: The History of Racial Discrimination in the Military
Major General Vance Coleman, who was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery and served in the Korean War, will discuss his first-hand experience of serving in a segregated Army unit. Oliver Vincent Shields will also join the panel to share his experience of serving as an African American during World War II.
Panel 2: The History of Women in the Armed Forces
Speakers will examine the expanding role of women in all branches of the armed forces, from the time of the American Revolution to the present. Women are still barred from serving in numerous positions including infantry, special forces, ground combat and others.
Panel 3: Diversity in Allied Nations’ Armed Forces
Stuart O’Brien of the Royal Australian Navy and openly gay Israeli Army veteran Avner Even-Zohar will share the experiences of integrating gays, women and minorities in their nations’ armed forces. O’Brien will also discuss working alongside U.S. service members during his 2006 tour in Iraq.
Panel 4: The State of Diversity in the U.S. Military – Remaining Challenges
Panelists will close the forum by examining how discrimination against racial minorities, women and gays continues to impact today’s military.
