Tuesday, December 17, 2019 11:22:08 PM
Inside the U.S. military's battle with white supremacy and far-right extremism
The armed forces offers much to its members. But what happens when some in the ranks betray their oath?
Hiding in plain sight.Alicia Tatone / for NBC News
May 25, 2019, 10:32 PM AEST
By Jeff McCausland, retired U.S. Army colonel and former member of the National Security Council
Coast Guard Lieutenant Christopher Hasson spent five years in the Marine Corps and two years in the Army National Guard before entering the Coast Guard. During that time, at his enlistment ceremonies, promotions, and when commissioned as an officer he undoubtedly swore an oath to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” But Hasson violated that oath. On Feb. 15, 2019, he was arrested on drug and firearm charges while serving at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Soon it was discovered that unauthorized weapons were just the tip of the iceberg. Hasson was also a self-described white nationalist. He was an admirer of far-right terrorist Anders Breivik — just like Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist who has been charged with 50 counts of murder for his attack on a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. Both had carefully studied Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto, which he had used to justify two attacks that resulted in the death of over 70 Norwegian civilians in 2011.
To understand the current problem, it’s helpful to examine the history of the
relationship between the U.S. military and extremism — especially white supremacy.
Investigators discovered that over a two-year period Hasson conducted thousands of searches of neo-Nazi and neo-fascist websites on his work computer. He also authored his own manifesto that called for "focused violence" to "establish a white homeland" and created a list of “traitors” he intended to kill, including Democratic politicians, Supreme Court justices, media personalities and social media executives. Alarmed, Hasson’s arrest prompted a group of congressional lawmakers to ask the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security a very serious question: Does the U.S. military have a larger problem with white supremacists?
This is a critical question, and one that concerns both active duty military members and veterans. But to understand the current problem, it’s helpful to examine the history of the relationship between the U.S. military and extremism — especially white supremacy. Historically, the American military has not wanted extremists in its ranks, but it has failed to establish a comprehensive way to screen them out. And surveys show that soldiers themselves are noticing significant extremist thinking among their peers. Thus, this is not a new problem but rather a long-simmering one that now, for various reasons, may be starting to boil.
The stockpile of guns found by investigators owned by Christopher Hasson.
U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland
Radicalization of the kind displayed by Hasson often depends on several factors: background, beliefs, experiences and peer networks. In this regard, it is important to note that Army and Marine Corps recruits are disproportionately drawn from the southeast and northwest, regions that have experienced significant growth in extreme far-right groups. Furthermore, a 1998 Department of Defense study found that adult leaders of far-right extremist groups encouraged young men and women to enlist in the military to gain access to weapons, military training and other personnel prior to returning to civilian life.
With links and more - https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/inside-u-s-military-s-battle-white-supremacy-far-right-ncna1010221
See also:
Trump disavowal of white supremacists doesn't quiet concerns
F6 biggie - https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=126843315
Analysis: Trump Directly Cited As Motivation In 61 Murders And 5 Terrorist Plots
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=150318826
Judge links Roger Stone to foiled white supremacist terrorist in blistering courtroom dressing-down
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=147018849
The armed forces offers much to its members. But what happens when some in the ranks betray their oath?
Hiding in plain sight.Alicia Tatone / for NBC News
May 25, 2019, 10:32 PM AEST
By Jeff McCausland, retired U.S. Army colonel and former member of the National Security Council
Coast Guard Lieutenant Christopher Hasson spent five years in the Marine Corps and two years in the Army National Guard before entering the Coast Guard. During that time, at his enlistment ceremonies, promotions, and when commissioned as an officer he undoubtedly swore an oath to “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” But Hasson violated that oath. On Feb. 15, 2019, he was arrested on drug and firearm charges while serving at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Soon it was discovered that unauthorized weapons were just the tip of the iceberg. Hasson was also a self-described white nationalist. He was an admirer of far-right terrorist Anders Breivik — just like Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist who has been charged with 50 counts of murder for his attack on a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. Both had carefully studied Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto, which he had used to justify two attacks that resulted in the death of over 70 Norwegian civilians in 2011.
To understand the current problem, it’s helpful to examine the history of the
relationship between the U.S. military and extremism — especially white supremacy.
Investigators discovered that over a two-year period Hasson conducted thousands of searches of neo-Nazi and neo-fascist websites on his work computer. He also authored his own manifesto that called for "focused violence" to "establish a white homeland" and created a list of “traitors” he intended to kill, including Democratic politicians, Supreme Court justices, media personalities and social media executives. Alarmed, Hasson’s arrest prompted a group of congressional lawmakers to ask the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security a very serious question: Does the U.S. military have a larger problem with white supremacists?
This is a critical question, and one that concerns both active duty military members and veterans. But to understand the current problem, it’s helpful to examine the history of the relationship between the U.S. military and extremism — especially white supremacy. Historically, the American military has not wanted extremists in its ranks, but it has failed to establish a comprehensive way to screen them out. And surveys show that soldiers themselves are noticing significant extremist thinking among their peers. Thus, this is not a new problem but rather a long-simmering one that now, for various reasons, may be starting to boil.
The stockpile of guns found by investigators owned by Christopher Hasson.
U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland
Radicalization of the kind displayed by Hasson often depends on several factors: background, beliefs, experiences and peer networks. In this regard, it is important to note that Army and Marine Corps recruits are disproportionately drawn from the southeast and northwest, regions that have experienced significant growth in extreme far-right groups. Furthermore, a 1998 Department of Defense study found that adult leaders of far-right extremist groups encouraged young men and women to enlist in the military to gain access to weapons, military training and other personnel prior to returning to civilian life.
With links and more - https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/inside-u-s-military-s-battle-white-supremacy-far-right-ncna1010221
See also:
Trump disavowal of white supremacists doesn't quiet concerns
F6 biggie - https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=126843315
Analysis: Trump Directly Cited As Motivation In 61 Murders And 5 Terrorist Plots
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=150318826
Judge links Roger Stone to foiled white supremacist terrorist in blistering courtroom dressing-down
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=147018849
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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