{"id":41467,"date":"2020-10-10T10:00:06","date_gmt":"2020-10-10T17:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=41467"},"modified":"2020-10-09T16:34:58","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T23:34:58","slug":"everyday-erinyes-235","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2020\/10\/10\/everyday-erinyes-235\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyday Erinyes #235"},"content":{"rendered":"

Experts in autocracies have pointed out that it is, unfortunately, easy to slip into normalizing the tyrant, hence it is important to hang on to outrage. These incidents which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them will, I hope, help with that. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto<\/span><\/strong>, Megaera<\/span><\/strong>, and Tisiphone<\/span><\/strong>. These roughly translate as “unceasing,” “grudging,” and “vengeful destruction.”<\/p>\n

I served in the military from 1966-1976, and it never crossed my mind there was white nationalism there. Racism, yes, bigotry, yes. misogyny, OMG yes. But on personal levels. The thought of white supremacy as a political philosophy … well, maybe we were still too close then to having fought and defeated Nazis to consider it. And then, I was never in combat. In other words, my experience doesn’t mean it wasn’t there then – and it certainly doesn’t mean it isn’t there now.
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Americans aren’t worried about white nationalism in the military \u2013 because they don’t know it’s there<\/h1>\n
There is a long history of links between white nationalist movements and the U.S. military.
\nBo Zaunders\/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jennifer Spindel<\/a>, University of New Hampshire<\/a><\/em>; Matt Motta<\/a>, Oklahoma State University<\/a><\/em>, and Robert Ralston<\/a>, University of Minnesota<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

White nationalist groups, who make up some of the most serious terror threats<\/a> in the country, find new members<\/a> and support<\/a> in the U.S. military<\/a>. These groups believe that white people are under attack<\/a> in America.<\/p>\n

In their effort to create an all-white country where nonwhites do not have civil rights protections, these groups often instigate violent confrontations that target racial and religious minorities. Since 2018, white supremacists have conducted more lethal attacks<\/a> in the United States than any other domestic extremist movement.<\/p>\n

The Proud Boys<\/a> group, for example, whom President Donald Trump addressed in the first presidential debate of 2020, includes veterans and active duty service members<\/a>. The group\u2019s members, who are required to engage in physical violence<\/a> before joining, celebrated Trump\u2019s statement<\/a> to \u201cstand back and stand by<\/a>,\u201d considering his call an endorsement of their extremist ideology.<\/p>\n

While many Americans were appalled<\/a> at the president\u2019s statement<\/a>, our research shows that most Americans remain unaware of the connections these groups have to the military.<\/p>\n

The links between<\/a> the U.S. military<\/a> and white nationalists date back to the 1990s<\/a>, with many believers seeing military service as an opportunity to hone their fighting skills and recruit others<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our research has found that most Americans don\u2019t know much about the level of white nationalism<\/a> in the military \u2013 though when they find out, they\u2019re worried about it.<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/a>
Two members of the Proud Boys wear military-like gear at a rally in Oregon in September 2020.<\/span>
\nJohn Rudoff\/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

White nationalists active in the military<\/h2>\n

Researchers do not have reliable data on how many active duty or veteran service members belong to white nationalist groups. But current military members are increasingly aware of the influence of far-right groups<\/a> in the ranks.<\/p>\n

In the most recent poll by Military Times, an independent media organization covering the military, about one-fifth of service members<\/a> have reported seeing signs of white nationalism or racist ideology in the military community. Those include the casual use of racial slurs and anti-Semitic language, and even explosives deliberately arranged in the shape of a swastika<\/a>.<\/p>\n

More than one-third of service members<\/a> surveyed in 2018 said white nationalism is a significant threat to the country \u2013 which is more than were seriously concerned about threats from Syria, Afghanistan or immigration.<\/p>\n

White nationalists with military experience have committed acts of violence, usually after leaving the service \u2013 like the 1994 Oklahoma City bombing<\/a> and the 2012 mass shooting at a Wisconsin Sikh temple<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But active duty personnel<\/a> have also been involved in white nationalist activity. In July 2018, a white nationalist was dismissed from the Marine Corps<\/a> for his involvement in hate groups, including attending the 2017 \u201cUnite the Right\u201d protest in Charlottesville, Virginia.<\/p>\n

In February 2019, a Coast Guard officer stationed at the agency\u2019s headquarters was arrested and accused of stockpiling weapons<\/a> as part of a plan to start a race war<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In April 2019, a Huffington Post investigation revealed that at least 11 members of various military branches<\/a> were under investigation for involvement in a white nationalist group.<\/p>\n

In September 2019, an Army soldier who had expressed support for right-wing extremism was arrested after sharing bomb-making instructions<\/a> with undercover agents. That same month, an Air Force master sergeant who had been involved with a white supremacist group was demoted but allowed to continue serving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In June 2020, an Army private was charged with terrorism offenses<\/a> after he leaked sensitive information<\/a> about his unit to two white supremacist groups, including one that promotes rape and murder<\/a> as part of its quest for a race war.<\/p>\n

Congressional concern<\/h2>\n

Lawmakers have been paying attention to the problem. In 2019, the House of Representatives approved a requirement to screen potential military enlistees for signs of white nationalism, as part of the Pentagon\u2019s annual budget allocation. But the Senate removed that provision<\/a> before sending the bill to the White House for the president\u2019s signature.<\/p>\n

Military and academic experts agree that violent ideologies in the ranks<\/a> make it harder for soldiers to form the bonds of trust<\/a> with one another that they rely on in combat.<\/p>\n

If Congress did ban white nationalists from serving in the military, members of white nationalist groups would have a harder time receiving military training<\/a>. They would also be cut off from an important recruitment<\/a> network<\/a>.<\/p>\n