It was Tuesday [May 10] that West Point officials announced that they will not be taking any disciplinary action against the 16 Black female cadets who posed with raised fists in uniform for a photo that sparked an intense debate on whether or not the photo violated any Defense Department regulations.
It was last week that the photo, featuring 16 cadets of the graduating class, began to circulate, with many raising the question on whether or not the photo infringed upon regulations that state that members on active duty should not engage in partisan political activity, citing that the raised fists signaled an alliance with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Following an inquiry launched by the U.S Military Academy, it was found and once more reiterated that the photo was intended as a gesture of “unity” and pride”, as read in a letter written to the student body by the academy’s superintendent Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr.
The statement further read, “that based upon available evidence none of the participants, through their actions, intended to show support for a political movement.”
“As members of the Profession of Arms, we are held to a high standard, where our actions are constantly observed and scrutinized in the public domain,” said Lt. Gen Caslen, Jr. “We all must understand that a symbol or gesture that one group of people may find harmless may offend others. As Army officers, we are not afforded the luxury of a lack of awareness of how we are perceived.”
