Posted on May 4, 2016
Do you believe that these West Point first classman are violating the UCMJ by making a political statement while in uniform?
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DOD directive 1344.10 states:
-A member of the Armed Forces on active duty may:
4.1.1.3. Join a partisan or nonpartisan political club and attend its meetings when NOT in uniform, subject to the restrictions of subparagraph 4.1.2.4. (See DoD Instruction 1334.1 (Reference (c).)
From the article "Racism Within West Point"
http://www.inthearenafitness.com/index.php/racism-within-west-point
-A member of the Armed Forces on active duty may:
4.1.1.3. Join a partisan or nonpartisan political club and attend its meetings when NOT in uniform, subject to the restrictions of subparagraph 4.1.2.4. (See DoD Instruction 1334.1 (Reference (c).)
From the article "Racism Within West Point"
http://www.inthearenafitness.com/index.php/racism-within-west-point
Posted in these groups: 
United States Military Academy (USMA West Point)
Black Lives Matter
PoliticsUSCC
UCMJ
United States Military Academy (USMA West Point) Black Lives Matter PoliticsUSCC UCMJ
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 237
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Jane Fonda's leftist salute. Its a different context but the fist makes one or them look bad. Jane Fonda is a Socialist that wishes the USA was communist back in 1972. It does not help the BLM movement since perception is reality.
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Wow , everyone is avoiding this like the plague . Call it what it is " black lives matter supporters " in uniform . You can support what ever you want but not in uniform. All lives matter and that's what people fail to realize. I bet if it was a different ethnic group it would be fround upon .
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Give them the UCMJ, they know what they're doing. Clearly they don't care about their careers, why should we?!
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If this is acceptable, then doesn't it allow a bunch of white cadets the right to do a Nazi salute.
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I don't see how that's any better than throwin up gang signs. If whites were in a picture giving a KKK sign, all hell would break loose, so why is the BLM hate group allowed to do so? I'd hope that they get repercussions for this, and if not, they just set a whole new army standard loophole. Sickening that group of "LTs" are going to lead one day. Just wait until a soldier finds them in this pic at a unit.
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People saying that these are kids and kids dumb stuff. yes, but these are supposed to be different kids after four years at the academy. This is someone's new PL who just a few months prior was flashing this stuff. What if their PSG is white, will they get a fair shake? Maybe, maybe not.
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According to the dictionary, this is the meaning of racism (racism).
The belief that some races are inherently superior (physically, intellectually, or culturally) to others and therefore have a right to dominate them. In the United States, racism, particularly by whites against blacks, has created profound racial tension and conflict in virtually all aspects of American society. Until the breakthroughs achieved by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, white domination over blacks was institutionalized and supported in all branches and levels of government, by denying blacks their civil rights and opportunities to participate in political, economic, and social communities (p.1). I believe we have tried to down play racism and dilute what racism really is to fit people's on perspective of racism. Racism can't be diluted, we will call it what it is, and leave it at that. The cadets are not displaying racism point, blank, and period. To equate symbolism of the clinched fist with the Neo Nazi or KKK is mind boggling and quite a long reach. A long reach, probably the distance from the sun to the earth, which is 92.95 million miles. That's a very far reach to equate these cadets to other hate groups. To conclude, I would refer back to the definition of racism and let's just keep it at that. The cadet's are not displaying racism at all, because the clearly do not have a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
Reference
racism. (n.d.). The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Retrieved May 08, 2016 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism
The belief that some races are inherently superior (physically, intellectually, or culturally) to others and therefore have a right to dominate them. In the United States, racism, particularly by whites against blacks, has created profound racial tension and conflict in virtually all aspects of American society. Until the breakthroughs achieved by the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, white domination over blacks was institutionalized and supported in all branches and levels of government, by denying blacks their civil rights and opportunities to participate in political, economic, and social communities (p.1). I believe we have tried to down play racism and dilute what racism really is to fit people's on perspective of racism. Racism can't be diluted, we will call it what it is, and leave it at that. The cadets are not displaying racism point, blank, and period. To equate symbolism of the clinched fist with the Neo Nazi or KKK is mind boggling and quite a long reach. A long reach, probably the distance from the sun to the earth, which is 92.95 million miles. That's a very far reach to equate these cadets to other hate groups. To conclude, I would refer back to the definition of racism and let's just keep it at that. The cadet's are not displaying racism at all, because the clearly do not have a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
Reference
racism. (n.d.). The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Retrieved May 08, 2016 from Dictionary.com website http://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism
Racism definition, a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others. See more.
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Until they are commissioned chew their a$$es out and take appropriate action per the school. Do not ruin a career over college foolishness...
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Sir, I don't know the exact language of the UCMJ statutes that govern political activity in uniform, but I just always went by the dictum, "Don't do it." The raised black fist certainly carries a political connotation, but a couple hundred years of white supremacy (to include a segregated Army) was also inherently political. If, today in 2016, the "black power salute" is associated w/ Black Lives Matter, then--again--the gesture is inherently political.
But the next question is . . . what to do about it? For some context, let's remember A) these cadets are kids. Kids with far more responsibility and expectations placed upon them, but still college kids nonetheless. College kids get wrapped up in emotion and passion--and that's part of the university experience. B) More importantly, how many snide comments or outright blatant political statements/displays were made by folks in uniform & at work about Presidents Clinton? And not by just 22 year olds, but career field grade officers and senior NCOs!
The military is political, inherently--war is politics by other means, right? But it cannot be partisan. Leadership has to instill this in every service-member from cadet to E-1 to O-6 (one would hope our generals understand this, though MacArthur apparently did not).
If it were up to me, I would give these ladies an unofficial talk-to (a counseling, I suppose you could call it) that just reminds them of all the above. After all, they may encounter a Private Snuffy (or LT Snuffy, for all that matter when they're CPTs and MAJs) who is making political statements in uniform and on duty. They are going to have to step up and call him out on it.
Anyway, my 2 cents. I was never a JAG.
But the next question is . . . what to do about it? For some context, let's remember A) these cadets are kids. Kids with far more responsibility and expectations placed upon them, but still college kids nonetheless. College kids get wrapped up in emotion and passion--and that's part of the university experience. B) More importantly, how many snide comments or outright blatant political statements/displays were made by folks in uniform & at work about Presidents Clinton? And not by just 22 year olds, but career field grade officers and senior NCOs!
The military is political, inherently--war is politics by other means, right? But it cannot be partisan. Leadership has to instill this in every service-member from cadet to E-1 to O-6 (one would hope our generals understand this, though MacArthur apparently did not).
If it were up to me, I would give these ladies an unofficial talk-to (a counseling, I suppose you could call it) that just reminds them of all the above. After all, they may encounter a Private Snuffy (or LT Snuffy, for all that matter when they're CPTs and MAJs) who is making political statements in uniform and on duty. They are going to have to step up and call him out on it.
Anyway, my 2 cents. I was never a JAG.
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