Do you believe that these West Point first classman are violating the UCMJ by making a political statement while in uniform?

can anyone prove, other than the yellow scandal loving press, that these cadets really intended to make a political statement?
can anyone brush off 4 years of hard studies and training and living under our most precios value "Duty Honor Country"?
whoever is promoting this photo as a political statement must be shamed in his/her attempt to damage and embarrass this senior cadets and soon to be officers of the United States Army.

Great question COL Russell. Because belief systems are diverse and tend to induce parochial historiographies and symbolisms (i.e., Operational Intelligence (OPINT) and Imagery Intelligence IMINT) of discord, I'll delay offering my beliefs until the end and start by framing my response with the aphorism, "One man's civil rights is another man's human rights."

In the following link please find OPINT and IMINT addressing a similar protest incident that occurred with American Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos; and Australian Olympian Peter Norman during the 1968 Olympics at Mexico City. It provides a prescient warning that this OPREP-3 Incident/Event will probably uncover findings of UMCJ violations, if history repeats itself. http://www.josephclan.com/tjblog/?p=1522.

Although I believe the "Black Power" and "Black Lives Matter" dialectics used in tandem with the historic fist-raising imagery is divisive, my earliest memory of its use is during the 1970's by a group of disenfranchised American revolutionaries, namely "Black Panthers," who were politicizing their struggle for "Human Rights.” However, due to Rockefeller-indoctrinated leadership and social systems leveraged by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and forces not so explicable, the disenfranchised were outmaneuver into into settling for “Civil Rights,” which according to activist lawyer Michelle Alexander (2010) has proven to be a new caste system that offers advantages only the few that "toe the line" in sustaining the civil-right psychological operation (PSYOP). These West Point first classmen fail to realize that they've given up human rights given by God or natural law in place of civil rights provided by the state or the republic that is educating them for military service. https://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/2189

I also believe that these West Point first classmen are the new freedom fighters, who, armed with the right public relations (PR) spin or Information Operation (IO) support, represent solidarity for global human rights, creating a "win-win" situation for both America and West Point. Unfortunately, although they've demonstrate the leadership will, without the appropriate IO support they forfeit the psychological wealth and weaponry to achieve their objective—and all three tools are necessary for real changes in progressive human rights. In the meantime UCMJ is designed to sustain the American civil-rights PSYSOP, not political statements of sixteen West Point first classmen. This is the wrong attire and wrong forum. http://web.calstatela.edu/faculty/cendy/glossary.pdf

Perception is everything.... It doesn't bother me but everything has to be equal. I could open a can of worms but it wouldn't change anything.

I don't see the problem with it!

Weather you like what they are doing or not is immaterial. We as Soldiers, and especially West Point Cadets must honor the commitment that they raised their right hand for. Everyone has an opinion on whatever the topic is, but at the end of the day we are all still soldiers. you have to trust your leaders, and the leaders trust the troops to have their back when we go into a hostile situation. To me "All Lives Matter" I do not care what color you are, ethnic background, political affiliation, or anything that doesn't pertain to the mission. I have had leaders who were different ethnic background, and I would have followed them to the gates of hell if they wanted to go their. You want to voice your opinion go ahead, but do it out of uniform and on your own time. Not in uniform and so obviously expressing and political and racial opinion.

Edgy, yes; not sure it crosses the line. Clearly, it's in uniform and you could make a strong argument that they are violating the spirit, if not the letter of the regulation. On the other hand - when are USMA Cadets EVER out of uniform? If the problem is real, and it's about behavior manifesting inside their ranks or inside the walls at USMA, then maybe this was their only recourse, short of resignation. If I were the Commandant of Cadets or the IG up there, those in the picture might warrant a reprimand yes, and some re-training on Army Values and the statues involved here. And then I'd be thinking long and hard about whether there's a bigger issue at here. Maybe they're off-base, and MAYBE...they aren't; and nobody's been listening. The article says there were many sessions with senior leaders about the issue before this happened. Were they taken seriously?

That is divisive! IMHO

Yes and I am positive that the appropriate disciplinary action is being taken, or has already. Remeber these are college students, it will likely not be there last mistake. I am sure that they will go on to become stellar officers in their chosen field.

Allow me to be frank, the candy assing around the facts here is disgusting. They are in clear violation of UCMJ. If those stairs were covered with blonde haired, blue eyed, white women throwing up their right arm in a heil salute this would be on every news channel and every newspaper in the world. They should all be suspended from the academy and disqualified from service in the military. These "future leaders" have publicly demonstrated racial bias while in uniform.

So I may be out of line saying this ...but This should be corrected and adjusted. After seeing all the images of the people holding the same stance and stepping upon our flag in the past couple of years makes the average person would question ones agenda doing the same stance while in uniform and being under oath for said country that flies this flag. Sorry if this may sound questionable but my brain does not function well today as it did 20+ years ago. (Not a dead head just mentally drained from chronic pain).

They are in direct violation of UCMJ, this is conduct unbecoming to say the very least. These "future leaders" have placed their inability to see through color on full display for the entire world to see and they should be discharged and disqualified from service the same as a white Cadet would be for participating in a Neo-Nazi rally. These kids have disrespected every woman who has fought for their right to wear the uniform. Could you imagine the outrage if those women were blonde haired, blue eyed white girls with their arms and fingers extended at a 45-degree angle? The sex/race card is out of control.

The reality is this photo was a bad idea, and may come back to haunt these cadets if they choose to make the military a career. While I don't think they acted in good judgment it will be hard to bring for disciplinary action under the UCMJ.
Another point of note is I find it funny the amount of people "offended" by this photo. I wonder what reactions these same people had to the events that were the actual catalyst to the BLM group. I am more offended by unarmed citizens being murdered by law enforcement, than a photo of some 22 year olds raising their fists. Maybe my priorities are different.

Laws, rules, and regulations are in place for a reason and we all know it. Violations need to be corrected. The problem today is the USA is so politically correct that our Leaders everywhere are too scared to enforce them for certain people.

While it will be explained away and forgotten fairly soon, Sir it is my belief it was a very stupid thing to do at that Institution given the time and effort put forth to get to their current level. Regardless of the PC movement it shows a lack of critical thinking and understanding 2nd and 3rd order effects. Considering the path our military is taking these days this will not be the exception but the norm very soon.

Think this is a clear yes.

only if a person is white are they wrong.

As I look over these comments- very much mostly white men- I am startled that everyone is so intensely-focused on the fists and the "sourpuss" looks on their faces. Aren't MOST formal military photographs taken in "straight face"? Mine was not (even though I intended to look tough) because the photographer said something funny about PDA right before she snapped the picture. I got a talking to (at high volume so everyone could enjoy it) from the TI about maintaining my military bearing!!

In any regard- I must admit that the photo worried me a little, too. Are those young cadets propping SWORDS upon their necks? Gracious! What kind of safety plan is THAT? I wish they would put those down before they get a shave they'll never forget!!! I'll bet their mothers had a FIT when they saw that.

Yep- no holding swords on your neck. That should be incorporated into the UCMJ if it is not there already. This way all you white men would have something to whine about, and those naughty cadets could loose their handsome swords, and walk those hours you mentioned below!

No.
How is this photograph any different than a sorority or other organization photo?
A hand held high in victory would seem appropriate for those who slogged through four years of West Point, don't you think?

Cadets do dumb stuff, mostly trying to be funny. Some of my classmates (1982) decided it would be funny to dress in KKK outfits one night during the summer training at Camp Buckner. The pictures were later leaked to the press, and a scandal resulted. I give the above cadets the benefit of the doubt.

They should be demoted