After last month’s hugely embarrassing raunchy and cringeworthy twerking dance routine incident at a formal military ceremony attempted by top officers in Sydney, Australia’s military is apparently attempting to crackdown on appeasing “wokeness” and awkward attempts at ‘keeping up with the times’ – especially when it comes to those things that have nothing to do with training, defense preparedness, and national security.
The latest controversial or perhaps even embarrassing incident to draw media attention reportedly involved a Monday morning tea event attended by top brass of the Defense Ministry to mark the “International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia” (or “IDAHOBIT”…no really). Attendees were encouraged to wear rainbow clothing to mark the occasion, or also “ally pins” in order to show “support for our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) colleagues, friends and family,” according to a memo that was circulated.
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But Defense Minister Peter Dutton in response issued a blanket ban on such “woke” events within the military. He circulated a strongly worded memo on Friday which has unleashed a storm of controversy as it was seen as a “sin” against diversity. Previously Dutton vowed to “refocus” the defense department on its core mission of protecting the country, and slammed the “woke tea” event as having nothing to do with the military’s essential values…
“To meet these important aims [of defense readiness], changing language protocols and those events such as morning teas where personnel are encouraged to wear particular clothes in celebration are not required and should cease.”
“I’ve been very clear to the chiefs that I will not tolerate discrimination. But we are not pursuing a woke agenda,” Dutton wrote in the order. “Our task is to build up the morale in the Australian Defence Force and these woke agendas don’t help.”
As for those accusing the defense chief of not representing “diversity” well, his response as spelled out in the ban order pointed out that the nation’s military “represents the people of Australia” and therefore “must at all times be focused on our primary mission to protect Australia’s national security interests.”
Dutton emphasized, “We must not be putting effort into matters that distract from this” – suggesting that ‘rainbow tea events’ certainly do distract from the mission. – READ MORE
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