Michael Robinson: The DoD has recognized pride month every year since 2012, following the repeal of DADT. Not a new policy; the "backlash" is a shift in how conservative media outlets report on the military, which *is* new. The case is a great data point in the debate over "politicization" and the military. (🧵)

The DoD has recognized pride month every year since 2012, following the repeal of DADT. Not a new policy; the "backlash" is a shift in how conservative media outlets report on the military, which *is* new. The case is a great data point in the debate over "politicization" and the military. (🧵)

Official US Navy Special Forces page draws backlash for ringing in Pride month: 'Navy SEALs have gone woke'www.foxnews.com The Facebook account for Navy Special Warfare celebrated the beginning of "pride month," causing backlash on social media.

This reporting turn tracks directly with lower GOP support for the services. Many point to recent surveys as evidence of a "loss of confidence in the military" but the "loss" comes nearly all from GOP (-22pp), versus Dems (1pp), following the turn in media coverage. news.gallup.com/poll/509189/...

Confidence in U.S. Military Lowest in Over Two Decadesnews.gallup.com Americans express the lowest level of confidence in their military in decades. Republicans are still the most likely to be confident in the military.

The shift in reporting has been incredibly influential to an audience that consumes a much narrower media diet, and therefore imbues more reliance on individual media outlets. www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2...

Political Polarization & Media Habitswww.pewresearch.org Liberals and conservatives turn to and trust strikingly different news sources. And across-the-board liberals and conservatives are more likely than others to interact with like-minded individuals.

When these outlets (with large audiences) change tack on reporting, the effect can be substantial to audience attitudes. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Military brass denounced Tucker Carlson’s remarks about a ‘feminine’ force. Women say barriers remain for pregnant troops.www.washingtonpost.com Despite steps to better integrate women, pregnancy can result in career setbacks and blowback from military peers.

The “SEALS/woke” story illustrates an example of what I term “aspect” politicization – viewers reliant on third-parties for info about the military are convinced the military is moving “away” from them, when the viewer’s own ideological position is becoming extreme due to narrow media habits.

When these actions happen through the parties themselves, I term this “relative” politicization: party positions become extreme or asymmetrically polarized & the public mistakenly believes the military is “moving” closer to one party. In truth, it is bc the heuristic goalposts have changed.

One example used in the book is Charlottesville. The service chiefs issued statements denouncing racial extremism after the event, statements that on their own were largely uncontroversial reiterations of DoD policy. www.nytimes.com/2017/08/16/u...

Inspired by Charlottesville, Military Chiefs Condemn Racism (Published 2017)www.nytimes.com Forceful statements against racial hatred and extremism by five of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stood in unusual contrast with President Trump’s remarks.

We had diversity and sexual harassment training when I served 30 years ago. These fucking people are liars. myferretsatepepethefrog.blogspot.com/2024/06/unho...

Unholy Books (Gravity, Nine.)myferretsatepepethefrog.blogspot.com Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest the...

myferretsatepepethefrog.blogspot.com/2024/06/prid...

Pride (Gravity, Ten.)myferretsatepepethefrog.blogspot.com If your life is like a tornado You've been living in black and white All you need is a smoke and a rainbow Honey, let me give you a light Al...

“I’m sure there has never once been a gay navy seal. It’s impossible. Also, if scientists look inside my brain they will find it’s full of beans.”

Yes. Thank you. So you think the rightwing media shift is causal to the armed forces opinion shift? This runs counter to the way many strategists think of r/w media — which is that it’s just giving people what they want to hear.

In case I was overly subtle: I disagree strongly with that view and agree media can cause shifts like this

They're laying the ground for an ideological purge if Trump takes office. Failing to pack the military with cronies was Trumps biggest dictator 101 mistake in his first term and they're not going to let him repeat it

One of the most famous JSOC operators is a trans woman??

Libs of TicTok should be terrified. She should live her life in fear. If I ever see her irl I’ll make sure.

I bet they wouldn't "backlash" that much if Putin or Xi decided tomorrow to send a few missiles across the pond... Wth would anyone ever care about other people's sexuality, if they don't want to date them?!

There can be no other course of action for every God-Fearing™ conservative but to find a Navy Seal and insult them.

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