SOME OF THOSE THAT WORK FORCES RIGHT-WING E X TREMISM IS IS FESTERING FESTERING IN IN THE THE MILITARY MILITARY AND AND LAW LAW ENFORCEMENT ENFORCEMENT JUSTIN CORY JUSTIN CORY This is not going to be a fun ride. Much like the Thisthree is notyears going be a fun ride. Much like the last ofto global COVID-19 pandemic last three years global COVID-19 upheaval—or theoffour years of Donaldpandemic Trump’s upheaval—orand thedomination four years of ofthe Donald Trump’s molestation 24-hour news molestation and domination of the 24-hour media spectacle—there is a darkness lurkingnews just media below spectacle—there darkness just barely the surfaceis ofasome of thelurking most powbarely below the surface some of the most powerful institutions in thisofcountry. Two of those erful institutions in thisand country. Twowield of those institutions, the military the police, uninstitutions, the military and the police, wieldhave unparalleled power, and right-wing extremists paralleled power, and right-wing have been successfully recruiting andextremists growing their been and growing their ranks successfully within both ofrecruiting these institutions. The situaranks within bothbe of more these horrifying. institutions. The situation could hardly tion could hardlyhas be more New attention beenhorrifying. given to the severity of New attention has been given to the severity of right-wing infiltration in the armed services and right-wing infiltration the armed and law enforcement in theinwake of the services Jan. 6, 2021 law enforcement the wake of the 6, 2021 assault on the U.S.in Capitol. Dozens of Jan. current and assault on the U.S. Capitol. Dozens ofparticipants current and former service members were active former service members wereas active participants in the now infamous breach, reported by The in theYork nowTimes’ infamous breach, as reported by FBI The New Jennifer Steinhauer. The NewDepartment York Times’ofJennifer Steinhauer. FBI and Justice have releasedThe several and Department of Justice released several statements and reports onhave the rise of domestic statements and on their the rise of necessardomestic extremism in thereports U.S., and focus extremism U.S., and their focus ily includes in itsthe metastasizing within lawnecessarenforceily includes itsmilitary. metastasizing within law enforcement and the ment and theamilitary. Of course, law enforcement agency being in Of course, a law enforcement agency being in charge of investigating itself or other law enforcechargeagencies of investigating other ment leaves aitself bad or taste in law theenforcemouths ment agencies leaves a bad in thethat mouths of many. Especially when wetaste consider they of many. Especially when consider thatrightthey have a long track record of we largely ignoring have long track record largely ignoringbringrightwing aextremism whileofsimultaneously wingdown extremism whilelevers simultaneously bringing the heaviest of state repression ingleft-wing down themovements—remember heaviest levers of state repression on when they on left-wing movements—remember when they colluded in the assasination of the Black Panther colluded in the assasination of the Black Panther
Chairman Fred Hampton? Chairman How canFred the Hampton? FBI, military or Department of How can the FBI, military or Department of Justice transparently investigate themselves, Justice investigate themselves, and whattransparently underlying motives would they jeoparand what underlying motives dize in doing so? We now have would formerthey FBIjeoparagents, dize retired in doingSpecial so? We Agent now have FBIcoming agents, like Ericformer Jackson, like retired Special Agent Eric Jackson, coming out and warning about the Oath Keepers—which, out and warning the Oath Keepers—which, according to theabout Southern Poverty Law Center according to the Southern Poverty Center (SPLC), claim “tens of thousands of Law present and (SPLC), law claim “tens of thousands present and former enforcement officialsofand military former law enforcement and military veterans as members, and isofficials one of the largest farveterans as members, and is one of the largest farright antigovernment groups in the U.S. today.” right antigovernment inKeepers’ the U.S. today.” Only a few days ago,groups the Oath founder Only aRhodes few daysand ago,10the Oath Keepers’were founder Stewart other associates arStewartand Rhodes and 10 other associates were arrested charged with seditious conspiracy rested and charged seditious conspiracy relating to the Jan. 6with attack. According to PBS relating to the Jan. is6 aattack. According PBS NewsHour, Rhodes former U.S. ArmytoparaNewsHour, is aSchool former U.S. Army paratrooper andRhodes a Yale Law graduate. trooper and a Yale The military hasLaw alsoSchool gone ongraduate. record admitting The military also goneenlisted, on recordactive-duty admitting that they knewhas that some that they knew thatofsome enlisted, active-duty members are part the Atomwaffen Division members are part the described Atomwaffen (AWD), a group the of SPLC as “aDivision terror(AWD), a grouporganization.” the SPLC described as “a terroristic neo-Nazi Military.com jouristic neo-Nazi organization.” journalist Gina Harkins detailed Military.com the acquisition of Gina report Harkins acquisition of analist Pentagon todetailed Congressthe which noted the agroup Pentagon report toconcern. Congress which noted the is of particular group is of particular “Military membersconcern. are highly prized by these “Military members are highly prized these groups as they bring legitimacy to theirbycauses groups as theytheir bring legitimacy to out theirattacks,” causes and enhance ability to carry and enhance their“[Groups] ability tothat carry out attacks,” the report stated. advocate white the report stated. “[Groups] that advocate white supremacy or nationalistic ideologies…want to supremacy or nationalistic to recruit military personnel orideologies…want infiltrate the ranks recruit military personnel the ranks themselves ‘for the purposeorofinfiltrate acquiring combat themselves ‘for the purpose of acquiring combat
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 11, 2022 • psuvanguard.com PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 11, 19, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
and tactical experience.’” and tactical experience.’” This sentiment is absolutely chilling. This sentiment chilling. Considering that the is U.S. absolutely institution of policConsidering that in the institution of policing has its origins theU.S. slave patrols of the early ing has its origins in the slave of the early U.S. colonies, the question is, patrols once again, should U.S. colonies, the question again, we trust the upper brass ofis, theonce military orshould of law we trust the upper brass of the military or of law enforcement—among the largest purveyors of enforcement—among largest of violence in the United the States, oftenpurveyors with impuviolence investigate in the United States, often with impunity—to and curtail right-wing exnity—to and curtail right-wing extremism investigate in their ranks? tremism theireven ranks? Do theyinreally want to? Do they even want to?Bureau’s own local We havereally the Portland Police We have Portland Police Bureau’s own publocal example inthe Officer Mark Kruger who built example Markthe Kruger built public shrinesintoOfficer Nazis from Thirdwho Reich, dressed lic shrines to Nazisand from theabout Thirdhis Reich, dressed up in Nazi regalia joked violence toup in Nazi regalia and joked his violence towards female protestors. Heabout was never fired and wardshad female protestors. He was without never fired even his measly suspension payand reeven had his measly withoutPortland pay reversed when he andsuspension the union—the versed Association—sued when he and thethe union—the Portland Police city. He was even Police Association—sued the city. Hehe was even awarded an achievement medal before retired. awarded an achievement medal before hesuperviretired. It is noteworthy that his colleagues and It is noteworthy thatall hisalong colleagues andAsupervisors supported him the way. known sors supported him along themeant way. Atoknown Nazi-sympathizer inall their ranks police Nazi-sympathizer their ranks meant to police the communities ofinPortland. theEstablished communities of Portland. historical and present connections and present connections of Established the FBI and historical law enforcement across the nation of the FBIsupremacy—the and law enforcement across the to white antecedent of nation rightto white supremacy—thetoantecedent rightwing extremism—extend the militaryof through wing dehumanization extremism—extend to the combatants. military through their of enemy their dehumanization enemy combatants.conFrom the genocidalofand longest-lasting From the longest-lasting conflicts—like thegenocidal so-calledand American Indian Wars— flicts—like so-called Indian wars Wars— through tothe Vietnam andAmerican the most recent in through to Vietnam andthe theracist mostcaricature recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Afghanistan and Iraq, the racist caricature and
WHITNEY GRIFFITH WHITNEY GRIFFITH
dehumanization of the other has been a prodehumanization of force. the other has been a profoundly motivating We won’t print the infoundly motivating force.they’ve We won’t print the infamous racial epithets used here—but famous racial epithets they’ve used here—but you get the picture. you get theprogressive picture. Recent moves—such as allowing Recent progressive as the allowing transgender soldiers tomoves—such serve openly or laudtransgender soldiers servefor openly or the lauding of the late Colin to Powell having been the ing ofBlack the late Colin having been the first person to Powell serve asforSecretary of State first Chairman Black person to serve Secretary State and of the Jointas Chiefs beforeofthat— and Chairman of athe JointofChiefs beforehuman that— might try to paint picture an inclusive might try to paint amilitary picturewhen of an inclusive rights-respecting the truthhuman is anyrights-respecting military when the truth is anything but. thing but. back to holding themselves accountComing Coming to holding themselves accountable, recentback reporting by The New York Times’ able, recent reporting by The Newthe Yorkmilitary Times’ Dave Philipps has embarrassed Dave data Philipps has embarrassed the military with that shows that its own reporting on with data that shows own ISIS reporting on civilian deaths in the that war its against in Syria civilian deaths in the war against ISISmanaged in Syria was grossly under-reported, and was was grossly under-reported, was managed with little-to-no oversight byand Delta-Force opwith little-to-no oversight Delta-Force erators—who have shown aby consistent bias optoerators—who have shown a consistent bias towards action and airstrikes. wards action airstrikes. Clearly, weand cannot rely on these institutions wethemselves. cannot relyThey on these institutions toClearly, report on will not rout out to report on themselves. will will not rout out their bigoted colleagues. They Nothing be done their bigoted colleagues. Nothing will civilians be done about lethal airstrikes against innocent about lethal airstrikes againstlies innocent civilians when the only accountability in the hands of when accountable. the only accountability lies in the hands of those those accountable. Likewise, with all of the facts on the ground Likewise, with all picture, of the facts on the painting such a dire we must findground a way painting such ainstitutions dire picture, we must find a way to hold these accountable—and we to hold these institutions accountable—and we must fend for ourselves when we come into their must fend for ourselves weyou come into their crosshairs doing so. Iwhen warned this was gocrosshairs for doing ing to be a dark ride. so. I warned you this was going to be a dark ride.
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