I have to remind myself to give a little grace to those who are stationed or work at the Naval Academy. Change is hard. Liberation can be difficult.
Not everyone there was marching down the yard with a bullhorn in one hand, and the Little Red Book in the other. No, as in most leftist takeovers, most just tried to keep their head down and survive. Do good where they can, and hopefully not be denounced and thrown to the baying crowd. Some decided to take advantage of the moment, and Viktor Komarovsky-like, made good for themselves by ingratiating themselves with the cadre.
Some, however, were true believers. Chasing either US News college rankings, virtue signaling to their peers in civilian institutions, or, at its worst, saw an opportunity to make radical cultural change in the U.S. military through its future leaders.
Being in a hard-left part of the country made it even easier, if not inevitable. If you think the political monoculture in DC is bad, it is even worse in Annapolis. Such intellectual terrariums can create some fragile creatures that have difficulty with any contact with the outside world. Throw in all the perils of going full-academic at the university level…well…without some careful self-care, things can get wobbly fast.
In the profession of arms, a solid understanding of history is essential, foundational knowledge. It isn’t an elective—it is an existential requirement.
