Hate Groups Are Infiltrating the Military

[blackheart]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/07/w...4e2aac8d3&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

Hate Groups Are Infiltrating the Military, Group Asserts

By JOHN KIFNER
Published: July 7, 2006

A decade after the Pentagon declared a zero-tolerance policy for racist hate groups, recruiting shortfalls caused by the war in Iraq have allowed "large numbers of neo-Nazis and skinhead extremists" to infiltrate the military, according to a watchdog organization.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks racist and right-wing militia groups, estimated that the numbers could run into the thousands, citing interviews with Defense Department investigators and reports and postings on racist Web sites and magazines.

"We've got Aryan Nations graffiti in Baghdad," the group quoted a Defense Department investigator as saying in a report to be posted today on its Web site, www.splcenter.org. "That's a problem."

A Defense Department spokeswoman said officials there could not comment on the report because they had not yet seen it.

The center called on Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to appoint a task force to study the problem, declare a new zero tolerance policy and strictly enforce it.

The report said that neo-Nazi groups like the National Alliance, whose founder, William Pierce, wrote "The Turner Diaries," the novel that was the inspiration and blueprint for Timothy J. McVeigh's bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, sought to enroll followers in the Army to get training for a race war.

The groups are being abetted, the report said, by pressure on recruiters, particularly for the Army, to meet quotas that are more difficult to reach because of the growing unpopularity of the war in Iraq.

The report quotes Scott Barfield, a Defense Department investigator, saying, "Recruiters are knowingly allowing neo-Nazis and white supremacists to join the armed forces, and commanders don't remove them from the military even after we positively identify them as extremists or gang members."

Mr. Barfield said Army recruiters struggled last year to meet goals. "They don't want to make a big deal again about neo-Nazis in the military," he said, "because then parents who are already worried about their kids signing up and dying in Iraq are going to be even more reluctant about their kids enlisting if they feel they'll be exposed to gangs and white supremacists."

The 1996 crackdown on extremists came after revelations that Mr. McVeigh had espoused far-right ideas when he was in the Army and recruited two fellow soldiers to aid his bomb plot. Those revelations were followed by a furor that developed when three white paratroopers were convicted of the random slaying of a black couple in order to win tattoos and 19 others were discharged for participating in neo-Nazi activities.

The defense secretary at the time, William Perry, said the rules were meant to leave no room for racist and extremist activities within the military. But the report said Mr. Barfield, who is based at Fort Lewis, Wash., had said that he had provided evidence on 320 extremists there in the past year, but that only two had been discharged. He also said there was an online network of neo-Nazis.

"They're communicating with each other about weapons, about recruiting, about keeping their identities secret, about organizing within the military," he said. "Several of these individuals have since been deployed to combat missions in Iraq."

The report cited accounts by neo-Nazis of their infiltration of the military, including a discussion on the white supremacist Web site Stormfront. "There are others among you in the forces," one participant wrote. "You are never alone."

An article in the National Alliance magazine Resistance urged skinheads to join the Army and insist on being assigned to light infantry units.

The Southern Poverty Law Center identified the author as Steven Barry, who it said was a former Special Forces officer who was the alliance's "military unit coordinator."

"Light infantry is your branch of choice because the coming race war and the ethnic cleansing to follow will be very much an infantryman's war," he wrote. "It will be house-to-house, neighborhood-by-neighborhood until your town or city is cleared and the alien races are driven into the countryside where they can be hunted down and 'cleansed.' "

He concluded: "As a professional soldier, my goal is to fill the ranks of the United States Army with skinheads. As street brawlers, you will be useless in the coming race war. As trained infantrymen, you will join the ranks of the Aryan warrior brotherhood."

Laxing standards?

 

[MobBoss]

What do you mean laxing standards? How exactly do you discriminate this sort of thing? About the only real way is either police records or gang affliated tatoos....and you cant get in with either to my knowledge.

This isnt anything new to be honest. The military has been dealing with this for years. But if a young man is qualified to enlist he is qualified to enlist. Period. We watch out for gang associated activity, tatoos and other behavior, but without mind-reading devices there is only so much that we can do.

But its not an issue of laxing standards in my opinon.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

there are hate groups in the military. ive seen them. i knew of a open rascist who kept a confederate flag that covered an entire wall of his 2nd floor barracks room and was visible from the ground outside the barracks

 

[MobBoss]

there are hate groups in the military. ive seen them. i knew of a open rascist who kept a confederate flag that covered an entire wall of his 2nd floor barracks room and was visible from the ground outside the barracks

While the guy may or may not have been a racist, I would humbly submit that simply displaying the confederate flag does not automatically make one a racist.

Nor is displying the confederate flag reason enough to not let someone enlist in the military.

 

[CaptainF]

While the guy may or may not have been a racist, I would humbly submit that simply displaying the confederate flag does not automatically make one a racist.

Nor is displying the confederate flag reason enough to not let someone enlist in the military.

Its the classic adage pattern:

"Not everyone that flies confederate flags is a racist, but a lot of racists fly confederate flags."

 

[GarretSidzaka]

i said "known racist" as he walked around calling black dudes "n" word and asians the "c" word... as i am too repulsed to even repeat them. and i have never in my life met someone who displayed that flag and wasnt, moboss, to sterotype a little myself

 

[Stylesjl]

Well what are ya gonna do? Its not a crime to belong to a hate group, but commiting hate crimes in a hate group and you have a new kettle of fish

 

[puglover]

Well what are ya gonna do? Its not a crime to belong to a hate group, but commiting hate crimes in a hate group and you have a new kettle of fish

Exactly. You can't keep someone out of a government-run organization based on their beliefs. It's discrimination.

 

[malclave]

i said "known racist" as he walked around calling black dudes "n" word and asians the "c" word

When was this? I'm kind of surprised the C.O. and Top put up with it (at least in relatively recent years).

As far as excluding members of gangs, etc., from military service, I'm not sure what would be required. I kind of suspect that it would have to come from Congress as a change to the UCMJ.

 

[MobBoss]

Well what are ya gonna do? Its not a crime to belong to a hate group, but commiting hate crimes in a hate group and you have a new kettle of fish

Actually, being found to be affiliated with a hate group is cause for adminstrative dismissal from the military.

 

[Stylesjl]

Actually, being found to be affiliated with a hate group is cause for adminstrative dismissal from the military.

It is? You sure it wouldn't have been ruled unconstitutional or something?

Edit: I just read the article again, your right

 

[Simon Darkshade]

If they commit any offences against the UCMJ, then that is a problem.
If it stops them from doing their job with honour and professionalism, then that is a problem.
Otherwise, soldiers should be allowed to have their own beliefs.

 

[MobBoss]

It is? You sure it wouldn't have been ruled unconstitutional or something?

Edit: I just read the article again, your right

Of course I am...remember I am a Chief Paralegal in the Army. I help kick dudes like this out on a daily basis.

 

[Tulkas12]

Yea, he's right, the military has totally differnet standards and no the constitution doesn't apply in the same snse. I had freind that tried to sign up and they wouldn't let him because of a tatoo on his forearm. It's the location and content of the tatoo that matters. If they know you are in a gang/hate group, they aren't supposed to let you in. Many lie to get in, its been a problem for at least 15 years regarding gangs.. . Anyone remember the convenience store robbery where the assailant started fireing on the police with his m14? I do, he was using military tactics too, thats why they join, an they certainly are not honest about their backround.

In short, I wouldn't call this laxing standards as much as infiltration.

 

[warpus]

Otherwise, soldiers should be allowed to have their own beliefs.

I wouldn't want racists representing my country overseas.

 

[Simon Darkshade]

We don't get to pick and choose those who serve to suit our every peccadilo and whim. If they do something wrong, fair enough. If all they do is think 'wrong', then that is their own business.

 

[Tulkas12]

We don't get to pick and choose those who serve to suit our every peccadilo and whim. If they do something wrong, fair enough. If all they do is think 'wrong', then that is their own business.

Are you advocating letting hate groups in? I know all of us are a lttle racist (passively at least), but do we want actual racists in the military if we can avoid it? We can discriminate in the military, so is it not wise to do so?

 

[Simon Darkshade]

The way I see it, membership in some groups does violate the previous two points put up, and reinforced by Mob Boss' perspective.
If a man is a very good soldier but has thoughts in his heart that he keeps to himself and do not violate military codes, then let him serve. Look at things on a case by case basis.

Rahowa is not on the agenda any time soon last time I checked.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

No, I wouldn't be surprised if the military was incubating next decade's McVeighs now.

 

[MobBoss]

No, I wouldn't be surprised if the military was incubating next decade's McVeighs now.

Such wise words. Do you have any suggestions on how to detect such types? Or are you just going to blame the military for guys like McVeigh?