Ridding the military of extremist isn't "hard"

[maxrandb]

I have seen stories about how, even after making it a "priority" and "trying", the military is still having trouble with extremism.

With 28.5 years serving my country in the United States Navy, my experience was the ONLY missions, or goals that were truly too hard to accomplish, were the ones where we lacked the equipment, training, manpower, or resolve and commitment to accomplish them.

My background was Surface Warfare. Theirs a reason our motto was "Can Do".

Since we clearly have the funding, equipment, training and people to exterminate racism, fascism and sedition, it appears the only thing missing is the resolve and commitment.

And let's not kid ourselves. When we are talking about extremism, we are talking about right-wing Retrumplican extremism of racism, fascism, misogyny and sedition.

We didn't give in to the "it's too hard" argument when we ended segregation in the military.

We didn't give in to the "it's too hard" argument when we opened combat jobs to women.

In comparison to just those two changes, getting rid of extremism is NOT HARD.

Hard is landing 200,000 troops on a beach under heavy enemy fire.

Hard is fighting a Class DELTA fire on the Flight Deck.

Hard is taking a fortified hill.

Hard is landing a 80" wingspan E2 Hawkeye without clipping the island on an aircraft carrier.

I joined the Navy in 1983 as an E1. I retired in 2012 as an O5.

There were assholes in my commands in the 80s and 90s, but there was a perceptible change in the 2000s and 2010s.

This does not need to be "hard".

We didn't give up ALL of our Rights as Americans when we joined the military, but we were governed by something civilians were not, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). There are many Articles of the UCMJ that can be used to clear this "extremism" out of the military.

If we were resolved to stamp out extremism on the military, the very first thing to do is too RECALL MIKE FLYNN to Active Duty to face a Courts Martial for sedition.

But that is just a start.

There needs to be Courts Martial for ANY and ALL Active Duty, or Retired military that participated in the attack on our nation's Capitol. Nothing sends a message to the troops like some Dishonorable and "Big Chicken Dinner" Discharges and confinement in Federal Prison. This alone will send a message that WE ARE NOT FUCKING AROUND! This should have been done the second that an Active Duty or Retired member was identified as storming the Capitol.

But we can do more than that.

We already have standards that must be met for entry into the military. You already are rejected for service for association, or membership with white supremacist and other hate groups or gangs.

Just as you have to be subjected to a physical to be approved for entry, that screening must now also extend to a review of Social Media activity. You can refuse that, but just as if you refuse a physical, you will be rejected for service.

But again, that's not hard.

Which brings me to what is the real problem

Extreme views are NOT the problem. The problem is what we have allowed to become "normal".

Requiring a woman to carry her rapists baby to term used to be "extreme". Now it's Retrumplican Party policy.

Gerrymandering minorities into Picassoest districts to limit their rights and freedom used to be racist and extreme. Now it's Retrumplican Party policy.

Demanding the Birth Certificate of the nation's first African American President used to be racist and extreme. Now it's Retrumplican Party policy.

Storming the nation's Capitol at the behest of an authoritarian dipshit used to be extreme. Now it's Retrumplican Party policy.

This didn't happen in a vacuum. It didn't happen overnight.

For the first 20 years of my Navy service, our shipboard entertainment was pretty sparse. On my first ship, we had Movie Night on the Mess Deck with a reel-to-reel projector. We eventually got two channels of CCTV with 3 movies a night on each channel to choose from.

It's funny, but as the amount and type of entertainment expanded, a strange thing happened in my Navy.

I walked into a gym in Lemoore, CA that had 5 TVs. All tuned to Fox News.

I don't remember any "hard" discussions about the gym manager deciding that's what he wanted.

I don't remember any "hard" discussions when the CO, Master Chief or Leading Chief Petty Officer made sure that the Wardroom, Chief's Mess, or Workshop TV was continuously tuned to Fox News.

I don't recall any "hard" decisions when Armed Forces Radio was mandated to broadcast the likes of Rush and Hannity.

I don't recall any "hard" discussions on the impact to African American troops "good order and discipline" when they had to hear the "Barack the Magic Negro" song courtesy of Rush, or hear Hannity describe Obama as a "Kenyan born terrorist".

Yes, there has been an increase of extremism in the military. It's cause is the same thing that has increased extremism throughout America.

Ridding it from the military is going to be easy in comparison

[h2ebits]

1. Thanks! We all need to read this. . . .

[everyonematters]

2. I was active duty In the Marines for 12 years.

In my second tour overseas, I remember hearing Limbuagh on Armed Services Radio and Thinking, "Why am I getting political indoctrination. " I got out in 1987.

I think the military has become ill with some of the same problems as the general population. There are different degrees to racism. If someone is fearful or uncomfortable because America is becoming less white. that is racism. It needs to be called out.

[stopdiggin]

3. I agree with about 98% of this

There is still the problem of attempting to disbar people on the basis of what they think .... (even when unconventional or unpopular). If we can see the glaring problem of allowing the Air academy to 'push' Christianity for years - it's not hard to see the problem in requiring or demanding any other sort of 'orthodoxy' in belief.

In total agreement that by far the largest part of this 'problem' - is that the services have allowed 'winger' attitudes (and behavior) to become completely normalized (both in command, and in the ranks).

And I do think it's going to be a long slog .... Sincerely hope they have the will power to accomplish the mission.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

4. Good points.

It will be very difficult because the propaganda and brainwashing of RW thinking people is hard to overcome. It infects a significant portion of our population both inside and outside of the military.

Getting a handle on broadcasting/cable and the internet will help expedite the process. I think after taking care of fixing voting rights, taking care of media/news/internet should be the next most important task. I'm not sure how they can do it but it sure needs to be addressed.

[Hoyt]

5. Think extremism had a rebirth when killing Muslims became popular among white wing.