Probing Military "Extremism"
July 11th, 2009 by Admin
According to the Associated Press, the Southern Poverty Law Center is asking Congress to look into extremism in the military. Sounds like a pretty good idea, right? We can't have extremists running around getting trained at the expense of Uncle Sam! The problem is that the SPLC doesn't really want Congress to look into extremism. It wants Congress to look into WHITE and RIGHTWING extremism.
As I was eating my kids' Count Chocula cereal today, I opened my newspaper to this article. The article stated that it identified a whopping 40 personal profiles "of people who list the military as their occupation" on the site "New Saxon." The website – which I won't link to – defines itself as:
New Saxon is a Social Networking site for people of European descent where users may enjoy many great features which will enable fun interaction among members. Hot topics of interest include defending the rights of white people, preservation of European culture and heritage, reform of illegal immigration policies, workers rights, withdrawal of our military from an illegal Middle Eastern occupation and promotion of white separation.
Now, barring those last two words, is this such a bad thing? Granted I disagree, but I don't see this as extremist. If that were the case then our President is an extremist. Remember, he belonged to a church for 20 years whose vision contained "a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA." For 20 years, Obama subscribed to the school of thought that "the highest level of achievement for any Black person must be a contribution of strength and continuity of the Black Community."
Black Entertainment Television (BET) defines itself as "the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture globally." Nothing in there about European Americans, Caucasions, Hispanic Americans, etc. Meanwhile, New Saxon describes itself as an "online community for whites by whites." Can someone please tell me how one is extremist and one is not?
Looking through the message boards on BET, I see black people referring to white people as "the Devil." There is a long dissertation of how the white man came to being on "the black man's planet." Yet another poster calls white people "a virus on the planet." However, nowhere in this article do I see Morris Dees (interestingly a white person) complaining about BET or BlackPlanet.com, another online community strictly for black people. Dees is probably wrapped in some unfounded guilt about being a white person and trying make reparations.
The military is not a breeding ground for racism. When we find it within the military, we quickly get rid of it. The military is the one place I've seen where whites, black, hispanics, etc co-exist peacefully and on equal footing. I don't see color in the military and I don't think most people do. Growing up in a military environment, people were people regardless of their skin color. Our members are free to have their own opinions on any wide range of topics. Some belong to all white sites and some belong to all black sites. There are black people who can't stand white people and white people who can't stand black people. Both types of people are wrong in their thoughts and behavior. Being a cross section of this country, it's bound to happen. Yet, those feeling projected outward are not welcome within our ranks.
LTC Les Melnyk, a Pentagon spokesman, spoke correctly when responding to Dees on this issue. The current policy is cut and dry and Congress does not need to meddle further in troop level policies.
"We believe the policy…is broad and inclusive in its definition of 'active participation,' and encourages commanders to pursue and weed out service members who actively participate in these types of groups," Melnyk said.
The problem, I think, is that "white-only" groups are being perceived as racist and extremist while "black-only" groups are not. Where is the equal opportunity in that?
Tags: Equal Opportunity, military extremism, racism
Posted in Political Perspective
I agree with you CJ, black racism is as bad as white racism. I've often thought of the same things about the BET and different organizations who include black only. If a white person does that, we are racists but the black community can do it without any call of racism.
I think that we as a white community are being penalized for slavery which happened many years before we were born but somehow we are to blame. I hate slavery and I abhor what our ancestors did to the black people but we can't be held responsible for something they did.
Donna, slavery was wrong and I'm glad that it was outlawed. I wouldn't say that I "abhor what our ancestors did" because many of them actually treated slaves better than their own children. That doesn't mean slavery was a good thing, I'm just saying that some slaves lived much better than poor whites and blacks who weren't slaves.
I do, however, abhor slavery in all its forms.
CJ,
I stand corrected about slavery. I am not a big history buff and didn't realize that some people treated their slaves better than their children.
Not sure I understand your dicotomy here. I abhore slavery and its practice in this country. The fact that some were treated better doesn't get around the fact that they were slaves at the end of the day. The fact that none of my ancestors practiced it or profited from it doesn't get me away from the fact that the nation I love practiced it. Slavery is only part of the context. many cities and towns still have "Sun Down" laws on their books, (not enforeced, but at one time they were).
Getting back to topic, I wouldn't expect objectivity from SPLC.
NY-David
If you look at the record Morris Dees has become a multi millionaire thru his SPLC. He is as much of a racist as anyone because if you do not follow his way of thinking you are labeled a racist.
From what I have heard Morris Dees is a big troublemaker and not always honest.
Hi CJ,
I think the overarching idea behind White Racism is the fact that Whites still hold a demographical majority. Liberals, progressives, Socialist, etc.. tend to believe minority groups can't be held to the same standard as majority groups because they don't have the same access to the power structure as majority groups. I disagree with this notion simply because you inculcate a sense of entitlement into the "protected" class, and when that class eventually rises to power it will exert an elitist policy toward other groups.
I do think we need to have a good look at all extremists in our ranks. Anyone who doesn't believe in upholding our Constitution and defending our state and the body politic need to be run out of service whether they belong to the Christian Identity movement, or to the Islamic Society of North America.
We took an oath to uphold our Constitution, and to fight enemies BOTH foreign and domestic. We should not be employing, nor training separitists, jihadists, or extremists… Whatever form they take.
V/R
Lance
Well, the state that I live in last year apologized publicly for any role it might have had in slavery. Interesting considering I live in the NORTH.
As for the military – I had to sit through 7 hours of briefings for my husbands deployment yesterday, and not once did I see people segregated by color! I don't think the military is harboring racist extremists!
You took the mission statement from the white "extremist" group, and then scrubbed the words that matterd, "White separatist." Then you proceeded to ask what was wrong with the mission statement? Well nothing, now. You removed the radical part.
That would be a bit like a KKK member saying "I love everybody but niggers." Then saying, "if you remove the last two words, really, what's wrtong with this statement? How is this guy any different than the Dalai Lama?
Nobody said the military promoted racism. If there was evidence that Black separatists were attracted to the military, received military training, and became militarized radicals in significant numbers, you bet your ass you'd be calling for that to be investigated. Sounds to me like the SPLC is on task, because this is precisely what they specialize in. Have evidence of a different organization – especially a government funded one – that is intentionally or otherwise facilitating militant extremism? Get your evidence and lobby the appropriate agencies to monitor them as well.
Racism against whites is growing. I don't know where people get off only labeling whites as racist, but they need to do a little google search to amend their wrong line of thinking. If people cannot be fair and honest, they have no room to speak…period!
And, I should add, consider some of the commentary coming from the likes of Rush Limbaugh re the Sotomayor. White racism is everywhere!
So, by Rush calling Sotomayor a racist for being racist, that makes Rush a racist? Pathetic, but expected from you I guess. And I deleted your previous comment. I won't allow you to attack my church.
I know LTC Melnyk and he is a good guy.
And yet I wonder…when are people going to give the same attention to, and abhor the white slave trade that is going on to this day? Everyone is always speaking about slavery from our countries early years. Why not do yourself a favor and google white slave trade, children in sex slave trade, and see what is going on right under our noses. THAT is what needs to be stopped, given attention, and talked about now. Black slavery ended, we need to end this one too.
Shannon,
I agree that white slavery is a terrible blight that must be stopped. I'm actually helping on a website to train medical providers to recognize syptoms of patients that are secretly in bondage.
The point about slavery that doesn't get around much is that slavery was widely practiced in Africa for hundreds of years. It wasn't that Americans showed up with nets and started capturing them. Slaves were won and lost during wars. They ended up in the Americas (usually South America) because traders offered a better deal then a neighboring country. There is an appropriate saying that goes "There is no one harder on the Africans then the Africans".
NY-David
NY-David
Wow…that sounds like a wonderful program, and much needed. Good for you!
I agree with your assessment. I guess people don't know enough of history to realize that they don't know the whole story. Racism is not one sided.
Perpetuating racist tension equals money and votes for the left. The sad part of the whole situation is that blacks (and other "minorities") in the USA aren't the ones who benefit from all the hype – the racebaiters do. Democrat politicians pull a bait-and-switch when they enact policies that perpetuate racism, then blame problems on racists (who are typically Republicans). When the Lefties offer up all kinds of "free" things to their black constituents, the effect is to increase the minority's dependence on the government which therefore decreases the likelihood they will rise from poverty. It keeps Lefties in office. There is no reason for the Left to truly eradicate race tension.
A prime example is Florida's 3rd Congressional district which was gerrymandered to make it majority black. For the last twelve years a black representative has been elected, yet the district has the third highest poverty rate in the State. Why hasn't their elected black representative done anything about the poverty? Makes you wonder. I'm sure it's the white man's fault though.