July 10, 2009 5:11 PM

Group Warns of Neo-Nazis in Military

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
In The News
(AP)
The Southern Poverty Law Center today sent a letter (PDF) to members of Congress asking for an investigation into "the threat posed by racial extremists who may be serving in the military to ensure that our armed forces are not inadvertently training future domestic terrorists."

The SPLC says it has found "dozens of personal profiles of individuals listing 'military' as their occupation on a neo-Nazi, Facebook-type website." (The site is called New Saxon, and it bills itself as "A Social Networking Site for People of European Descent" and an "online community for whites by whites.") The group complains that the Pentagon has failed to take "forceful action" against extremists in the military despite acknowledging in a 2008 report that the problem has gotten worse.
"While the military has discharged more than 12,500 service members because of their alleged homosexuality since 1994, it has refused to adopt a true 'zero tolerance' policy when it comes to extremists in the military," the group wrote in a letter to supporters.

The group writes that extremists in the military are a threat not just to Americans but to fellow troops.

"The fundamental problem is that Department of Defense regulations prohibiting 'active participation' in extremist groups are inadequate because they can be — and apparently are being — interpreted to allow members of the armed forces to be 'mere members' of hate groups or to engage in unaffiliated extremist activities, such as posting racist and anti-Semitic messages to social networking websites and email lists or maintaining online profiles filled with racist materials," said the SPLC in its letter to Congress.

Stars and Stripes calls the Web site where SPLC found the profiles "Facebook for the fascist set."

"Mein Kampf" is listed as a favorite book on the site, while "white woman" pops up as an interest. For favorite movie, "Triumph of the Will," the Nazi propaganda film, shows up.

On the site, "many participants list their branch of service, base location and hometown on colorful pages festooned with Nazi art and Confederate battle flags," reports Stars and Stripes. "Some say they have served or will soon be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Several include pictures of themselves in camouflage combat uniforms."

The SPLC acknowledges that it cannot verify the information on the Web site because it cannot access military personnel records, which it says is part of the reason an investigation is necessary.

New Saxon is run by the National Socialist Movement. Jeff Schoep, leader of the group, told Stars and Stripes that the report is "an extreme left-wing scare tactic."

"I think the SPLC is trying to pressure the military to throw these people out, and there is no basis for it," he said. "I think its un-American. I think it's seditious." Schoep says the site removes violent comments when it finds them.

The Marine Corps has blocked access to the site as well as stormfront.org, a white supremacist site, citing "racism and hate."

Add a Comment See all 42 Comments
by KeithDrippingSprings March 4, 2010 10:28 PM EST
These guys are as dangerous as any right winger. I am just as scared of them as the others. The SPLC doesn't protect anyone and Mark Potok finds something to be afraid of behind every corner. This kind of rhetoric causes violence, it doesn't stop it. If I was one of the military folks mentioned I might be hunting for the people responsible for this article.
Reply to this comment
by hvla August 2, 2009 5:06 AM EDT
Ex USMC runs a hate website called www.itgrunt.com

check it and see an ex marine proudly claim his racist pride
Reply to this comment
by LEAH234 July 15, 2009 11:38 AM EDT
*your ignorance
Reply to this comment
by 6591Hou July 11, 2009 4:51 PM EDT
The SPLC says it has found "dozens of personal profiles of individuals listing 'military' as their occupation on a neo-Nazi, Facebook-type website."
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Dozens of profiles hardly makes up much of a threat in a military that numbers over a million.
Now every european country has these groups (including Russia of all places), and they are alive and well in the U.S. protected by the First Amendment. Ruling on a suit filed by the ACLU on behalf of the USPA (a neo-nazi group) the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the use of the swastika is a symbolic form of free speech entitled to First Amendment protections and determined that the swastika itself did not constitute "fighting words." this ruling was upheld by the USSC.
In order to ban people from belonging to these groups, you have to ban the group, to ban the group you have to get past the ACLU.
Reply to this comment
by grumpas July 11, 2009 9:03 AM EDT
Another major problem are right wing wackos like Spinning Liberal and gunownerdan. People who listen to the hate rhetoric of the right wing news media that jokingly passes for news and keep spouting it day in day out without any proof but some right wing pundits imagination. These people have become pawns of people who have tried to steer this country right for years. In to many cases they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams (we have some real nut jobs coming out of the right). The sad part they aren't bright enough to find out what the truth really is and stop allowing themselves to be used by unscrupulous people.
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by nextgenman09 July 11, 2009 9:01 AM EDT
Oh look! They have a picture of people saluting the Republican Party. How patriotic! Brings a tear to my eye....
Reply to this comment
by harpoot July 11, 2009 8:35 AM EDT
LMAO All this time I thought you had to be a neo-Nazi to qualify for the military.
Reply to this comment
by wyodutch July 11, 2009 8:32 AM EDT
The SPLC wants you to believe there's a white hood behind every tree. Their *report* focuses on white supremacists in the military and conveniently ignores the bigger picture.
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Take a look at the military recruiting advertisements on television. You ever see a banker or surgeon on those ads... encouraging *their* kids to enlist? Of course not. The recruiters go after the youth with dead-end jobs and bleak futures.
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According to a recently released FBI report, Gang-related activity in the US military is increasing and poses a threat to law enforcement officials and national security.
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The 2007 report, Gang Activity in the U.S. Armed Forces Increasing, states that members of nearly every major street gang have been identified on both domestic and international military installations. Members of nearly every major street gang, including the Bloods, Crips, Black Disciples, Gangster Disciples, Hells Angels, Latin Kings, The 18th Street Gang, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Mexican Mafia, Nortenos, Surenos, Vice Lords, and various white supremacist groups, have been documented on military installations.

Yes... the "volunteer" military certainly is working.
Reply to this comment
by mnbrant July 11, 2009 8:58 AM EDT
ENLISTMENT BONUS


ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTMENT BONUS


Qualified Active Duty recruits may be eligible for a combination of bonuses up to $40,000.

ARMY RESERVE ENLISTMENT BONUSES


Qualified Army Reserve recruits may be eligible for a combination of bonuses up to $20,000.

EDUCATION BONUSES


Active Duty and Army Reserve applicants may be rewarded for their civilian educational experience.

ACTIVE DUTY EDUCATION BONUSES


Qualified applicants who enlist for two or more years in any Army Military Occupational Specialty may receive one of the following bonuses for civilian education:

Associates, Bachelor's or higher degree?$5,000
High school graduates with 60 or more college semester hours?$4,000
High school graduates with 30 to 59 college semester hours?$3,000
CIVILIAN SKILLS BONUS


Qualified applicants who possess civilian skills that the Army needs?such as proficiency in certain foreign languages, X-Ray certification or specialties in animal care?may be eligible for a $5,000 bonus.

Qualified Army Reserve applicants who already have civilian skills that the Army Reserve needs and enlist for six years in a critical skill specialty may be eligible for a $20,000 bonus.

BASIC PAY FOR ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS*
Chart reflects Basic Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits. Learn about total Army compensation.
Rank Years of Army Experience
<2 Years 4 Years 6 Years
Private (E1) $16,794** ? ?
Private (E2) $18,824 ? ?
Private First Class (E3) $19,796
Specialist or Corporal (E4) $21,931
Sergeant (E5) $23,922
Staff Sergeant (E6) $26,107

Heh when I heard I could get a 45k bonus I tried to reenlist but I am too old psychotic fat and gay to get in. Proud to serve my ass.
by gunownerdan July 11, 2009 8:02 AM EDT
According to the S P L C basically everyone is a potential terrorist. If they had their way the first and second amendments would be banned and we would be locking up Americans in prison camps!
Reply to this comment
by gunownerdan July 11, 2009 8:02 AM EDT
According to the S P L C basically everyone is a potential terrorist. If they had their way the first and second amendments would be banned and we would be locking up Americans in prison camps!
Reply to this comment
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