TriceEdneyWire.com — History tells us that Alexander Stephans was a very dangerous man. As vice president of the Confederate States of America, Stephans gave his famous ‘Cornerstone Speech’ when referring to the equality of races. During his speech, Stephans stated: “Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea. Its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the White man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is natural and a normal condition.”
In 1861, as the second highest ranking official in the Confederate government, he used his position and platform to make very clear his belief in the racial superiority and dominance of the White race. He actually called it the “great truth.” His words were validation to those who shared the same shameful beliefs. While the Confederate government lost the war, this belief still remained in the hearts and minds of Confederate sympathizers for decades and centuries. In 2026, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is also proving to be a very dangerous man. In his high-ranking position within the Trump administration, Hegseth uses his platform to set governmental policies that are aligned with and consistent with the cultural beliefs of Alexander Stephens.
In his recent commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Hegseth harshly criticized diversity, equity and inclusion programs and blasted former military leadership for prioritizing correctness over combat readiness. He argued that previous “foolish and feckless” military leaders had “embraced the DEI craze and tried to introduce diversity and inclusion studies,” which he blamed for endangering soldiers. Addressing the graduates directly, Hegseth pushed back against the recent cultural shifts within the armed forces, including the removal of Confederate monuments from military grounds.
He told the graduating cadets: “Many of you, even in your short time in uniform, have endured what I called the slow slide of the U.S. Army. You’ve seen standards lowered, you’ve seen an obsession with race and gender, you’ve seen the watering down of discipline, codes weakened, and traditions tossed aside in the name of political correctness—with statues taken down, painting placed in the basement.” As people of color, we are not fooled. When we hear Hegseth’s polarizing and misleading remarks, we see and hear Alexander Stephens under the cover. When we see Hegseth defending military bases and monuments that honor Confederate generals who led the rebellion against the Union, we see and hear the rise of the modern-day Confederacy.
Hegseth is correct. As people of color, we want to toss aside the traditions and legacies that support the untrue notion that the “Negro is not equal to the White man.” Yes, we are obsessed with race and gender because we want our current and future military leaders to be strong men and women of character and integrity: leaders who treat people of all cultural backgrounds with fairness while giving them the respect they rightfully deserve. This represents the mark of true leadership which should serve as the example for all graduating cadets. And yes, we challenge any reframing of DEI which supports the idea that maintaining diversity and inclusion means the weakening of standards and the lowering combat readiness. The need for a strong pushback will always exist.
There will always be men and women in powerful positions who will be resistant to any form of progressive change, equality for people of color and the rightful sharing of political power. The deep disrespect will never go away. Hegseth is not alone in perpetuating the foundational beliefs of the Confederacy. There needs to be a moral pushback to what is happening under the direction of Donald Trump, Pete Hegseth and Chief Justice John Roberts. Their efforts are organized and strategic. The pushback must be as well.
The ‘Memphis boycott’ refers to the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike. Black sanitation workers utilized labor strikes and community boycotts to demand better wages, safe working conditions and union recognition. What stood out with Memphis pushback is how organizers developed the ‘I am a man’ slogan to directly confront the dehumanizing social and economic conditions faced by Black laborers. It was a powerful statement to White individuals during the Jim Crow era who systematically used the term ‘boy’ to address adult Black men. The statement by Blacks demanded that White individuals recognize their adulthood and equality. Rev. James Lawson, a key architect of the strike, galvanized the sanitation workers by stating: “At the heart of racism is the idea that a man is not a man. You are human beings. You are men.”
The NAACP’s new ‘Out of Bounds’ campaign is the latest campaign in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. This pushback calls for Black athletes, families, fans, alumni and consumers to withhold athletic commitments and financial support from public universities in states where Black voting power will be severely eroded. The targeted states include: Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Georgia. These are states where legislatures are pursing maps to reduce Black political representation and whose flagship programs rely heavily on top-tier Black athletes in football and basketball. Today, top-tier Black athletes can earn substantial income through Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements, with top earners commanding million-dollar deals.
This is a game changer for top high school recruits. If this boycott effort is to have any long-term impact, we have to remind all generations concerning the ‘why.’ Remind them of the words of Alexander Stephens, Pete Hegseth, and Rev. James Lawson. Remind them of the moral reasons behind the ‘I am a man’ slogan. Remind them that in 2026 their friends, family and neighbors are suffering from increased racial hostility on multiple fronts resulting from anti-DEI agendas being carried out. Once the ‘why’ is presented, let their conscience take over.
(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.)
