Admiral Allen on CNN Newsroom…
Today on CNN’s Newsroom, Kyra Phillips interviewed Admiral Thad Allen regarding the criminal investigation of two racial incidents involving Coast Guard personnel. Transcript follows…
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The man in charge of the Coast Guard tells me he’s disappointed. Knowing him as I do, that’s a bit of an understatement. He’s Admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard commandant, and he joins me now live from Washington, D.C.
Admiral, thanks for being with me.
ADM. THAD ALLEN, U.S. COAST GUARD COMMANDANT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I want to go back to that e-mail that you sent out to the entire U.S. Coast Guard. We heard a little bit about it in the piece that I just did to set you up, but you made it very clear that this is behavior that you are not going to tolerate at all.
Tell me what you’re going to say to the cadets today as you travel to the academy.
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, the events that occurred are absolutely against our core values, as you stated. But they’re very inconsistent with the mission of the Coast Guard, a real humanitarian service. We save people’s lives.
We have to watch out for each other when we’re doing rescue operations and the country expects that we’re going to perform to a high level. You cannot do that when you create these types of environments, and I won’t tolerate it and I don’t expect my people to either.
PHILLIPS: So tell me what the Coast Guard is doing right now about this criminal investigation into these two incidents involving nooses.
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, at the time of the incidents, we did what was called an admin investigation or a preliminary inquiry. That didn’t produce any results. So now we have a criminal investigation under way, and currently there are 13 agents at the Coast Guard Academy conducting interviews.
PHILLIPS: All right. Admiral, stay with me. We’re going to take a quick break. We’re going to continue this interview.
PHILLIPS: I’m going to continue my interview now. We’re talking about hate symbols, unspoken threats, and where these threats are being made.
Two nooses, two hateful messages sent to a Coast Guard cadet and a civil rights officer at the Coast Guard Academy.
Joining us again live, Admiral Thad Allen, the U.S. Coast Guard commandant.
Sir, we talked about the fact that you are headed to the academy to address cadets today, that you will not tolerate this kind of behavior.
We discussed the Coast Guard’s criminal investigation.
Now I want to ask you about these two incidents. Has this ever happened before at the U.S. Coast Guard?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, I’ve asked our civil rights office to take a look at recent reports around the Coast Guard, and last year we had two incidents where nooses were found at workplaces, but there was no activity directed at an individual. There was immediate action taken by the commands. In one case, the noose was actually a result of a knot-tying training event for our people and they were counseled.
PHILLIPS: Well, you bring up a very interesting point, too, and this was new to me. I had no idea that the Coast Guard had a civil rights director. I had no idea that you had civil rights officers.
Tell me about Terri Dickerson. I understand she’s your director of civil rights. She’s going with you to the academy. She’s a black female.
Why do you have this position, and why does she direct — report directly to you?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, we’ve had a director of civil rights in the Coast Guard for many years. We have a headquarters staff of 21 and we have 27 permanently assigned people in the field to assist our commanding officers in dealing with human relations complaints and provide them advice.
Terri Dickeron is a senior executive in government, reports directly to me, one of only a handful of people in headquarters that does that. And again, this underscores our commitment to make sure that we have workplaces free of a hostile environment.
PHILLIPS: And talk to me about the serious nature of these incidents, how it’s impacted your men and women, your men and women of color, and how it’s impacted your organization.
ALLEN: Well, this is a demoralizing event to the entire service, and especially to people of color. They need to be able to work in an environment that’s free of hostility and be able to work as a team in the Coast Guard.
PHILLIPS: When you find — and notice I say “when you find” — the person or persons responsible for these actions, how will they be held accountable? And if they are found guilty of a hate crime, could that take it to an entirely different level?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, when cadets enter the Coast Guard Academy, they take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, like all our people in the Coast Guard do, and they are held to the same standard of conduct that active duty Coast Guard officers are held to.
And quite frankly, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, this is conduct unbecoming an officer.
PHILLIPS: Is this something that could get an individual or individuals kicked out of the U.S. Coast Guard?
ALLEN: Well, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is a separate justice system that applies to military members, it actually exerts a higher standard of conduct for those who serve the country.
There’s a range of options from administrative measures at the local level, clear up including a court-martial.
PHILLIPS: A court-martial, so it can go that far.
Let me ask you this, too, Admiral. For blacks, Hispanics, American-Indians, anyone of color who is thinking about joining the Coast Guard or they are in the Coast Guard right now, should they fear for their safety?
ALLEN: I don’t think this is a matter of physical safety, Kyra. This is a matter of a hostile work environment that we have to get rid of.
PHILLIPS: Why is diversity important to you? Why is this a personal mission for you, not just a professional one?
ALLEN: Well, anybody who serves this country serves one of the most diverse countries in the world. The people we serve need to see a Coast Guard that looks like them and we need to understand the cultural differences and be sensitive to the fact that the people we’re saving out there come from very different walks of life.
PHILLIPS: Final question. You and your director of civil rights, Terri Dickerson, headed to the academy right now to speak to cadets. How will the two of you address them? Your mission, what you’re going to say, and her mission.
ALLEN: Well, we’re going to find out how this happened, and we have a very detailed investigation ongoing, but we need to figure out moving forward how to prevent this in the future and how to create the right work environment for all of our people. Everybody needs to have the promise that when you enter the Coast Guard you’ll be treated equally, fairly, and so we will treat you the same way as the people that we save out there.
^ Apparently you spend too much time watching FNC and their replays of The View to know any better. Btw, who ya gonna hire to replace Clarissa Ward? I hear she defected to ABC! :>
Comment by Terance — October 4, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
You just fell into a trap.Let’s see you get out of this one.(Great) Didn’t mention Fox news you did. So Fox News is the only News network that has happy Soldier Stories?Check Mate!You loose again Terance.This is TOOOOOOO EASY!
Comment by SHANE — October 4, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
You just fell into a trap.Let’s see you get out of this one.
Are you twelve?
Comment by Arthur — October 4, 2007 @ 9:39 pm
You know what Cnn’s major problem is? They portray every single case of racial injustice as part of some sort of nationwide epidemic. Instead of treating it as a case of someone doing a very bad thing to another human being, they present these cases as a part of some widespread conspiracy by “big bad whitey”, and as a result, have people walking around all day thinking about white and black, etc., etc. Maybe if we concentrated less on color and more on the human soul it would go a long way in helping race relations. This constant “was this racist, was that racist” crap is getting old. Cnn needs to find some new material.
Comment by california dreamin — October 4, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
What’s wrong arthur. Terance can’t speak for himself.Don’t change the subject.You can attack me all you want Arthur but is Fox News the only news network with Happy Soldier stories? Great didn’t mention Fox News Terance did.
Comment by SHANE — October 4, 2007 @ 10:08 pm
Is Fox News a cuss word around here?
Comment by SHANE — October 4, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
Shane, I’m only pointing out that if you chose a less juvenile mode of communicating your points, people might be more inclined to engage in debate with you. But since you choose to sound like a middle-schooler (or perhaps ARE one), most of us aren’t going to bother.
Comment by Arthur — October 4, 2007 @ 11:14 pm
Poor little leftist what’s wrong can’t stand the facts.You little leftists need to loosen up.The days of the leftist running the american news media is over!I love the first amendment.And we all know Fox news is #1 Again! You still didn’t answer my question Arthur.Have a nice day.
Comment by SHANE — October 5, 2007 @ 4:01 am
Greatlyappreciateit, I could care less about Whoopie or Nancy Pelosi. But, I’d be interested in footage of the 3 way! Oh, and you don’t have to sell me on FBN.. I’ve be anticipating the launch for a long time. What does concern me though is, will YOU actually get the channel?
Comment by Terance — October 5, 2007 @ 7:21 am
Clarissa Ward defection was the best thing.
Let the others deal with her.
I always thought she was not much in substance.
She needs some nutrients in her body and brains not just diet water.
Comment by scardo — October 5, 2007 @ 7:57 am
OH yes yes most of us in office land have CNN fatigue
Comment by scardo — October 5, 2007 @ 7:59 am
In Minnesota just a week ago they arrested a man that claimed he was the victim of a cross burning on his lawn for doing it himself……..
Comment by mary — October 5, 2007 @ 11:16 am
Am i the only one on ICN that was in the servise and find this just one more hit job on our people in uniform?
Comment by mike — October 5, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
service …typo sorry
Comment by mike — October 5, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Terance: Gee, Clarissa Ward is the first FNC defection to ABC since ….. Heather Neuart.
Whatever happened to her? :)
Comment by Ira — October 5, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
Ira, Heather returned and still can’t read the teleprompter very well. Maybe she’ll spend some quality time with Alexis to “brush up” on her skills. Btw, can we get the “skinny” on why Clarissa left? I mean, won’t there be any leaked .pdf’s? Or maybe a old-fashioned smear campaign?
Comment by Terance — October 5, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Mike, no you are not the only one who thinks that. It is clear that the MSM has a real issue with our military. It is rare, if ever, you hear a good story out of Iraq or any where else for that matter. It seems as if most of them look for stories that make our men and women out to be terrorizors (sp?), rapists, and murderers.
It amazes me they can sleep so well at night enjoying the freedom that those same men and women provided.
Comment by jerziegrl — October 5, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
It is clear that the MSM has a real issue with our military.
So you’re saying you’re cool with racist displays in the service academies?
Comment by Arthur — October 5, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
The Coast Guard has 38,000 Active -Duty men and woman ..8,000 Reservist..35,000 Auxiliary Members and thay found Two(2) Nooses and you call it a racist display .It could have been nothing more the knots seaman use everyday.
Comment by mike — October 5, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
BTY-I was in the Navy from 1960 -1968 i served on a Destroyer and the carrier USS America CVA66 and i know about Knots ,so don’t even try to BS me Arther.
Comment by mike — October 5, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
Terance: It looks like Ward got a better assignment at ABC. In Moscow, assuming Putin behaves himself, she is now out of harms way!
Comment by Ira — October 5, 2007 @ 3:48 pm
Look… there are jack-asses in every job. Should we take a look at where you work, pick out one or two jerks, and then say they represent the whole company? That’s ridiculous… one or two dumb-asses don’t necessarily represent the whole.
Comment by ImNotBlue — October 5, 2007 @ 4:41 pm
Did I say I was OK with it? I don’t believe so.
Blue said it best when he said that one bad egg doesn’t spoil the whole bunch. The military isn’t perfect, and neither are every man and woman serving in it. However, the vast majority of them are men and women of honor and integrity. My issue is that the MSM doesn’t ever focus on that. Their main concern is how they can make them look like evil personified.
Comment by jerziegrl — October 5, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
I would draw your attention to the Coast Guards Civil Rights Programs in general. Are they up to standards? Do they compare with other Military Branches? Both Admiral Allen and Ms. Dickerson seem to have gone full force and even criminalized the noose incident before even having the facts, but do they treat all instances of Civil Rights violations the same. There is no question but that the noose incident may in fact either be a really bad prank, or possibly an actual hate crime. An investigaion of the facts is needed. TJC thinks the Coast Guard has a long way to go in joing the other services and ensuring Civil Rights are Equal for all, not just a few. As we follow the case of a white senior manager within the Coast Guard who not only had his Civil Rights violated, but waited months for the Coast Guard to even recognize his complaint. We wonder why Terri Dickerson’s office was unable to resolve this issue without forwarding the case outside the Coast Guard to DHS Headquarters for resolution.
Comment by Thomas Jackson — November 28, 2007 @ 10:49 am
I read an article on the blog coastguardreport.org that indicates the Coast Guard’s Civil Rights Director as some issues with her bio.
Comment by Thom Roddy — March 10, 2008 @ 6:22 am