The cancel culture has gotten another job, as Boeing’s communications chief resigned after someone complained over a 33-year-old article he wrote against women in combat:
REUTERS – Boeing Co’s communications chief Niel Golightly abruptly resigned on Thursday, following an employee’s complaint over an article the former U.S. military pilot wrote 33 years ago arguing women should not serve in combat.
His exit leaves Boeing trying to fill the crucial role for the fourth time in less than three years, just as it is battling to shore up its brand after the prolonged safety grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX jetliner.
The job has become the industry’s biggest hot seat as Boeing fends off criticism for its handling of the 737 MAX crisis.
“My article was a 29-year-old Cold War navy pilot’s misguided contribution to a debate that was live at the time,” Golightly said in a statement included in Boeing’s announcement.
“My argument was embarrassingly wrong and offensive. The article is not a reflection of who I am; but nonetheless I have decided that in the interest of the company I will step down,” Golightly said.
“No Right to Fight”
According to an excerpt on the U.S. Naval Institute website, the December 1987 article titled “No Right to Fight” said: “At issue is not whether women can fire M-60s, dogfight MiGs, or drive tanks. Introducing women into combat would destroy the exclusively male intangibles of war fighting and the feminine images of what men fight for – peace, home, family.”
Golightly told staff in an email seen by Reuters on Thursday that the exclusion of women at the time was “government policy and broadly supported in society. It was also wrong.”
Golightly declined to comment beyond Boeing’s statement and his email.
“Little patience for a potentially damaging new distraction”
Golightly’s departure after just six months on the job, during which he was said to be introducing sweeping changes, followed the board’s review of an internal anonymous ethics complaint that flagged his article.
He decided to step down after discussions with Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun and others, Golightly said in his email.
Golightly acted after Boeing board members, already feeling pressure from the 15-month-old MAX crisis, had expressed little patience for a potentially damaging new distraction, people familiar with the matter said.
This news garnered some passionate responses on Twitter:
This is ridiculous! Just stop. Stop the pointless firings, cancellation of school admissions, and holier-than thou targeting of so-called enemies. Human beings err, learn, evolve and move on. Show some maturity and grace. https://t.co/6CNhuBvLd1
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) July 3, 2020
EVERYONE IS CANCELED, OR IS ABOUT TO BE!
Thanks libs! You guys are the best! Shit – I just said “guys” now I’m canceled too. https://t.co/vUiVzz7wqS— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) July 3, 2020
Absolutely ridiculous, unjust, and pathetic. https://t.co/Q6iLfddoPP
— Rebeccah Heinrichs (@RLHeinrichs) July 3, 2020
He was right about women in combat. But he deserves to lose his job because he caved like a coward and disavowed his obviously correct position. I’m not going to bother defending people who are too chickenshit to defend themselves. https://t.co/bcwOLEYX3A
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) July 3, 2020