Do you believe that these West Point first classman are violating the UCMJ by making a political statement while in uniform?
-A member of the Armed Forces on active duty may:
4.1.1.3. Join a partisan or nonpartisan political club and attend its meetings when NOT in uniform, subject to the restrictions of subparagraph 4.1.2.4. (See DoD Instruction 1334.1 (Reference (c).)
From the article "Racism Within West Point"
http://www.inthearenafitness.com/index.php/racism-within-west-point
Ahhh- my darling captain!
The joys of learning languages has escaped you. If they have not escaped you, then you surely know that I stupidly put "decline verbs" when I really meant conjugate verbs! I am a dork, and it has been a very long time!
And here I shall demonstrate by conjugating the English verb "run":
I run
She runs
He runs
They run
It runs
Past tense of "run"
I ran
He ran
She ran
They ran
It ran
I could go all day, but I have been up and RUNNING all night!
Latin verb "currere" (to run)
Present tense
curro
curris
currit
currimus
curritis
currunt
While there are blue cords for the infantry, I am an intel guy (98C, 35N nowadays) - SIGINTer, so the cord is "oriental" blue. Earned my silver spurs as an old 1SG; it was a fun/not fun experience. But you never quit and you lead from the front. Strykehorse 5-14 CAV now the 2-14 in Hawaii.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/mary-tobin/this-is-not-about-a-fist/ [login to see] 340936
COL Jean (John) F. Burleson Capt Tom Brown A1C Melissa Jackson MSG (Join to see) CPT Aaron Kletzing SFC David Pratt LTC Raymond Millen PVT John Williams MSgt Rena Schmidt SSgt Jim Gilmore SPC Thea Davis PO2 Brian Harrington GySgt Steven Robeson PVT Tim Wayne SFC (Join to see) SGT Bryon Sergent
MSG Donald Johnson LTC (Join to see) COL (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
I was born with a congenital birth defect which made my right foot smaller and deformed (I don't have toes like everyone else) and my right leg lacks developed musculature and was shorter at birth. I grew up in a time where there was no PC-ness and I endured years of verbal abuse and ridicule. But I didn't let it get to me. I had surgery to correct my leg length, then waited 17 years for the opportunity to apply for a waiver to enlist. That finally came and I have just passed 9 years in the Army.
My physical deformities do indeed have a lot to do with who I am. However, they do NOT allow me to do what I want when I want how I want. I still have to purchase and wear approved footwear (two pairs at a time) and operate within the regulations. In fact, as a NCO, I have to live, demonstrate, and enforce the standard. I don't get to use my physical abnormalities in order to act outside the regulations nor standard. Have I been through a lot? Yes. Has footwear been a hassle and an expense for me? Yes. Does it give me the right to wear what I want? No, absolutely not. Why? Because I made a conscious decision, a CHOICE to join the Army and live by its rules and regulations. If I didn't want to do that, I wouldn't have joined. It really is that simple.
Did they break any UCMJ articles? That I don't know. I'm not interviewing them, and as you stated, we lack context. That being said, they probably shouldn't have taken the photo in the first place. At the least, they are likely guilty of poor judgment.
This picture does not convey intention. I think people should be allowed to take a picture and raise their arms in the air wearing a uniform. I am sure if all white males stood there doing that same fist pump it would not be offensive. That is the true test of acceptability today. If a white male can do it and nobody gets offended, then it must not be grounds for investigation. More funding should be directed toward the ideal ratio for demographics in pictures and giving massages to monkeys. ITS THE ONLY WAY.
If it is in fact a statement linked to Black Power from the 60s or the BLM of today, I would question the education they are receiving.
Can you source any of this. You can even include a rightwing source if you'd like. Also you should have clicked on the link, the author is clearly biased, you would have agreed with his opinion.
Sir,
This is a response to your post here and in the SPC's thread.
Read this link if you have a moment: http://lelav.blogspot.com/2016/05/having-black-unity-and-pride-as-black.html That was not an erroneous connection.
Bottom line, it is not my skin color that sends black people to jail, its their crimes. There is a demand problem for racism in America today. Meaning, there is not enough racism to fit the national narrative of systemic oppression ( at least in my lifetime. ) I acknowledge history is full of racism. White America did not invent it, but white America did end it. There is pride in that for me whose ancestors fought in every war this country engaged in, including the civil war in the iron brigade. To use that history as an excuse represents a lack of personal responsibility and belittles decades of hard work by this country including heroes like Martin Luther King. Please don't forget my history of the story though. It was not a history of my people oppressing yours, it was a history of my people fighting for the betterment of black America and keeping the country together.
The fact is that the problems protested by BLM are cultural problems, and does nothing to solve the reality of the black community's problems. In fact, it propagates the problems and allows race pandering by an entire segment of mainstream politics that promises more free stuff rather than a real solution to drag the culture into mainstream productive society. Obviously these are averages and there are exceptions. That does not negate the problem or the solution. There are plenty of poor, criminal white people as well. They also tend to vote a certain way.
When BLM protests the decay of the black family home, high rates of criminals, high black on white and black on black murder, and low rates of high school drop grads, then I will listen. Why is a black on white murder never a hate crime, even when it happens 10x more than the opposite? For now, they have no more substance behind the movement than the KKK or any other terrorist organization. There is never any talk about Asian privilege. Or why the white and Asian populations have to score 30% better on tests for the same college or advanced schooling. Asians fit the criteria of white male privilege even more so that whites. They make more money, they go to jail less ect... BLM directs its hate at the biggest target.
There is a study that says you have to do four things and you will not be poor in America. It's simple. 1) graduate high school. 2) don't have children before marriage 3) stay married 4) get a job out of high school, even a minimum wage job to start, and keep working at job after job until you retire. If those 4 things happen, you WILL NOT be poor in America. If that happens for 2 generations, the family an be millionaires.
I do not believe in subsidizing denial. Don't tell me I can't comment or understand because of my skin color. That is a racist argument based in your own bubble of hate. It seems that the group doing the protesting doesn't even understand the true cause of their "oppression." But go ahead, keep blaming my skin color like a RACIST, I will continue to work hard every day and succeed because for me that is the only option.

Fierce and Fabulous: Having BLACK UNITY and PRIDE as a black woman at WEST POINT and in...
Sweet. Mother. I don't even know where to start. There's my white privilege giving people the benefit of the doubt. Now If only the pesky band aids could be darker to make people feel accepted by society. 1)My favorite line is that they are above rebuke by anyone who does not believe in what they are doing, effectively dismissing all criticism. Must be nice to live in that subsidized bubble of ignorance. I guess I am not allowed to interpret...
If you want to protest, TAKE OFF YOUR UNIFORM, find a job as a community organizer, and then go protest the Mayor of Chicago to put a stop to Black on Black crime before you crucify a cop that is trying to keep the peace.
"...but when violence and threats to police officers occurred I knew that it had been corrupted."
BLM was never "corrupted." The peaceful equality was a sham. They were POS thugs from the beginning.
2. According to the article they are making "behind closed doors statements". What statements are they making? Is it counter productive to good order and discipline?
3. And the big question is. Once they graduate/commission, and move out to units then what? Will there still be behind closed doors statements? And will it effect their duties and responsibilities as Commissioned Officers?
My understanding is that we (currently serving) Military are "supposed" to be as politically neutral while representing our respective branches, and the uniform that we wear. Am I mistaken?
No idea on the behind closed door statement other than it's construed as a "Black Power" statement. Maybe they mean to say their own personal wherewithal their internal black power and fortitude pushed them through the experience?
After they graduate hopefully they will take their experiences and move on to become great officers in the military. I'm sure they'll always have a soft spot for those who are trying to better themselves and persevering.
As far as a claim that this is an old corps photo, the only things old corps about it is the location in front of one of the older buildings and the crossed sabers which are not included in this version of the picture.
The raised fists were something associated with the black power movement of the 1960s and then became more radicalized when the Black panthers adopted that pose. The full dress gray uniform was modified by 1976 when I entered the US Military Academy as part of the class of 1980 which was the first to include women - so uniforms had to be modified.
There has been a lot of discussion about this picture among my classmates with some jokingly indicating it honors Michael Jackson.
USMA cadets like others in military uniform are prohibited from making political statements in the uniform of the US military or attending political events in uniform unless on official duty such as MPs, SPs, etc. Prohibited statements include what we do while in uniform. The Nazi salute is an example of something which brings discredit upon the military if somebody performs it in public.
In the end it is only an attempt to justify the actions of others. I don't give a damn what color you are, what God you worship, who you sleep with, how you spend your money or anything else. The only thing(s) that matter are that you adhere to the established honor code as that represents your integrity. Without that, anything else is meaningless. You must perform to your utmost best. I don't care you are not a straight A student (I know I wasn't). As long as you gave it your all is what I look for in a cadet (Leader).
Your job as the new wave of officers is to learn your job, perform your job, be a leader. You are not there to voice your opposition to what you think is wrong (You can fight that through channels like everyone else). As one of America's next generation of leaders, you need to lead, not make excuses for someone else. There is no room for that. Like the old adage, Lead, Follow or get the hell out of the way.
If you wish to tackle anything you perceive as an injustice, do so on your own time and stop detracting from the reason you were allowed the opportunity to attend one of the most prestigious establishments of higher education and military leadership.
You can put lipstick on a pig but it doesn't change the fact it's still a pig. Suck it up cupcake, you can do this.
BUT, if it can be proven that it was a planned photo to show support to BLM, or and other political movement/figure, they would be violation of the "Hatch Act."
The other side is the connection to Black Panthers. They are young and might not even be aware of the militant organization. They might associate that gesture with BLM. I am not up to speed whether they are using that as their gesture or not. Can't comment there.
The question here is of perception. What would the perception be if this were the Latino population at West Point throwing out a West Side symbol.
I think symbolism, gestures, whatever you want to call it, have no place at West Point, nor a need. Same goes for the Army as a whole. You are already part of a small family and group of like-minded individuals. The largest Fraternity in the country.
I suppose they were exactly what they are. Kids being kids. They will grow up soon, and fast.
1) USMA must have a population that is statistically identical to the larger US population. For instance there were concentrated efforts to increase female candidates while I was there - its up to 25 ish% now I think. They earned their rings, plenty of others would have taken them. Agreed. I also was in the same platoon as one of the girls and know she is awesome. I think you can tell which way I lead on a national policy of affirmative action. That argument in the case of USMA is not sound, same with other places. Nothing is universally applicable.
2)That was a good article. It is hard to tell if someone is just crying racism today or if it actually occurred. That sounds like she went through some stuff. Wish I could have been there to stop that. I would not stand for some of those experiences she had, neither would my classmates. Woah.
Thanks for the post, best one for my thinking so far!
Reasons for a movement like Black Lives Matter*
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12253244
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/black-kids-get-less-pain-medication-white-kids-er-n427056
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/airbnbwhileblack-exposes-racial-prejudice-against-black-renters-in-sharing-economy/
*not exhaustive

Study Points to Emergency Room Bias Against Blacks
A new study from Harvard suggests that racial bias affects the treatment that many African-American patients receive in hospital emergency rooms. Two authors of the study discuss the research and its implications.
1) NOT been breaking the law
2) Complied with the instruction of Law Enforcement Officers
3) Shut the **** up and do what the cop tells you to do.
Chris Rock did a skit once "How to NOT get your ass beat by the Police" Number One was "OBEY THE LAW"
What part of Obey The Law is too hard to understand?