House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana, recently asserted that the US Navy should issue an apology for supporting Henry Rogers, who is better known as Ibram X. Kendi, a prominent figure associated with critical race theory. Kendi has faced scrutiny recently due to a financial mismanagement investigation initiated by Boston University authorities.
In an interview with Breitbart News, Banks expressed his view that the US Navy is making an error by featuring a fraudulent individual and a vehement anti-American radical on its recommended reading list. When questioned about the rationale behind his criticism, Banks asserted that Kendi has consistently exhibited deceitful behavior.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the Navy should issue an apology to all its servicemen and women for endorsing and propagating the ideas of a radical leftist figure.
Banks’ remarks to Breitbart followed Boston University’s announcement on September 21, revealing their initiation of an investigation into the Center for Antiracist Research led by the author. In an official statement, the university explained that this inquiry was prompted by reports of the center dismissing more than half of its staff amidst allegations of inefficiency and the improper use of $43 million in contributions.
Subsequently, the Boston Globe published an interview in which one of the university’s professors, Saida Grundy, who had been employed at the center from 2020 to 2021, expressed uncertainty regarding the whereabouts of the funds.
In 2021, the first instance of Kendi being included in the Navy’s recommended reading list for sailors occurred when former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday suggested his book, titled “How to Be an Antiracist.” At that time, Banks, who was a naval reservist, strongly criticized Gilday a couple of weeks after the book’s recommendation. Banks argued that having a radical leftist figure like Kendi on the Navy’s reading list was inappropriate.
In response to Banks’ criticism, Gilday asserted that racism was a significant issue in the United States and defended Kendi by suggesting that it was essential to consider the context in which Kendi wrote the book.
