House panel to debate banning extremism in the military

[Donkees]

GOP expected to push back on Democratic amendment at NDAA markup

September 1, 2021

Excerpt:

House Democrats want the new National Defense Authorization Act to make plain that armed services personnel and recruits are not allowed to advocate or take part in extremist activities or belong to extremist groups.

But the debate over what extremism means and how such a prohibition would be enforced is expected to be fierce — starting at Wednesday’s House Armed Services Committee markup of the fiscal 2022 bill.

Maryland Democrat Anthony G. Brown plans to file an amendment at the markup that would make explicit a military commander’s authority to bar or expel people who espouse or act on extremist beliefs or are members of such groups. The amendment also says that the military can use social media posts as evidence of extremist views that could lead to so-called separation from service.

“An individual who engages in extremist activities or is a member of an extremist organization may not serve as a member of the armed forces,” states a draft of the amendment.

Brown would leave it to the secretary of Defense to define extremist activities. A Pentagon Countering Extremism Working Group is reportedly already at work on that question.

https://www.rollcall.com/2021/09/01/house-armed-services-debate-banning-extremism-in-the-military/

[Chainfire]

1. They will have a hard time recruiting if they ban Republicans.

[empedocles]

2. Good ban

[C_U_L8R]

3. Start by turning off Faux on every base

[Bev54]

4. They need to further define it, too broad and will most certainly be

misused by some future dickhead.