Its a program for Indigenous liberation, life, and landan affirmation that colonialism and capitalism must be overturned for this planet to be habitable for human and other-than-human relatives to live dignified lives. At the end of this Convention, the GNDCC will be tasked with initiating a more direct working relationship between DSA and The Red Nation. He enlisted in the United States Army right out of high school. Share with Us. pic.twitter.com/PP5lvIR8Pp. 51 He got out on the other side thought and became an anti-war activist and asocialist. On Monday, the United States Military Academy welcomed more than 1,190 candidates for Reception Day. "He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community," recalled Altmire, a Democrat. The U.S. Military Academy strives to develop leaders who internalize the academys motto of Duty, Honor, Country, and who live the Army values. They compiled all the things Ive said, the subversive things Ive said about Trump and various elected officials like General Mattis, and essentially gave me anumber of options. Rapones social media was filled with up to hundreds of posts, messages and photos that were being circulated around the military and civilian communities. "Several years ago, I met Spenser Rapone when he was a high school student seeking an appointment to West Point," Altmire said. A recently retired CIA officer remarked to SOFREP that right now our counter-intelligence is so bad that we are only catching the dumb ones, the people stupid enough to out themselves on social media or who mail classified documents to news outlets, Mr. Murphy continued. Istill had this liberal idea that Icould affect change from the inside, so Iapplied and got accepted to West Point and thought, I wont fail my men, like leadership failedme. Spenser Rapone, a former second lieutenant whose Communism Will Win photo rocked the internet in 2017 after being featured by this publication, has received an Other Than Honorable discharge from the U.S. Army. Among other activities, Soldiers are encouraged to vote in elections and express their personal opinions on public issues. ;Z*A.,Gr+UYn>SYQel:2>pUpk'+0?@t %*-m,}'~3tWhWwOVM81&:OFGy]$F%xG7*8QjVy(q\-`m'ge(|bUWn`K.O;wu^+r>;Y?^Uba-g2Ia$qYXP}mjCGNq0sy5ElUAiWe -H/r| >a~SuPc;*}{Mf.B@I}\)T|] =Vj)G+1dv @(V(%4=}Xlp$*NIS[1#J G>2_#bS *GKACk{:XV%3,AKej QUI>0!v mR ", Rapone said his journey to communism grew out of his experiences as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before he was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy. The DSAs Veterans Working Group, of which Rapone is a member, also offered support to him in a statement. Many other military personnel also tweeted in favor of Kaepernick, although most were supporting free speech, not communism. After the initial photo was posted and achieved some measure of viralityand elicited quite a bit of outrage and confusionRapone laid any confusion to rest and further incited his far-right critics by posting another photo of himself wearing aChe Guevarat-shirt underneath his half-buttoned uniform. I love you: Chilling note found at murder scene after husband allegedly drives 500 miles to tell mom he shot and killed his wife, This was not a random act: Person of interest in custody after Detroit neurosurgeon found shot in head and wrapped in blanket, Following early morning 911 call, 87-year-old man found dead with pistol in bed after shooting 86-year-old woman: Cops, Preschool teacher reportedly arrested for murder during the childrens naptime, broke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017, An investigation into Rapones behavior quickly commenced, late Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leader, stressed this point to American Military News, Lori Vallow Daybell Trial: Live Updates from Day 14 of Shocking Testimony, Gruesome Evidence, 'Coward' whose co-workers joked he looked like serial killer on the news pleads guilty to 2017 murders, Arrest made in cold case murder of woman killed at home while her infant daughter was in the next room, Prosecutors seek death penalty against plastic surgeon accused of murdering missing lawyer who represented former employer in suit, 'Extremely mad' driver who chased car full of teens at 99 mph over 'ding dong ditch' prank convicted of triple murder, Gwyneth Paltrow no longer seeking attorneys fees from retired doctor who sued her over ski crash, Transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues Montana over removal from House floor, Im the only one who hasnt lied: Stormy Daniels wants to testify against Trump in New York criminal case, talks sex worker shooting verdict in interview, Washington mom vanishes moments after calling 911, White woman who made false accusation that led to lynching of Emmett Till, one of the most infamous acts of racial violence, dies at age 88. Rapone came under fire last year for his social media posts of socialist and communist content. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Ithink some people are more anti-Trump than they are anti-war. endobj "While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States," Rubio said Monday, adding "I'm glad to see that they have given him an 'other-than-honorable' discharge.". Rapone, a former enlisted Ranger who had completed the US Military Academy Prep School and graduated from West Point, was made famous by his own social media posts showing him regaling communism and wearing a Che . "I figured maybe I could change things from inside.". Occupation: Organizer: A Critical History of Community Organizing in America, Breaking the Impasse: Electoral Politics, Mass Action, and the New Socialist Movement in the United States, Bigger Than Bernie: How We Can Win Democratic Socialism in Our Time. Second Lieutenant Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army. I have not been in touch with him in the years since the appointment, and I was shocked and extremely disappointed in the recent reports of his indefensible actions., The behavior of 2nd Lieutenant Rapone is symbolic of a larger problem in our society the epidemic of incivility in our public discourse, Altmire continued. "During the interview, he expressed patriotism and looked just like a top-notch candidate. Those nominations usually come from senators or representatives. Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. For me, Icouldnt shake the fact that what we were doing was wrong and morallyreprehensible. He is also a teaching assistant, which gives him a platform to inflict his twisted worldview upon students who might think that if they don't go along, their grades could suffer. Follow him on Twitter: @punkproletarian. He added that it's possible the military academy could seek repayment of the cost of Rapone's education because he didn't serve the full five-year service obligation required upon graduation. Toward the end of his deployment, he learned West Point fulfills a certain quota of enlisted soldiers every year. Go to the main page of ISO Socialism Conference Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group, Democratic Socialists of America Wholesome Meme Stash, DL DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan Posted by Dsa on 08.22.17, https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSAWholesomeMemes/, https://keywiki.org/index.php?title=Spenser_Rapone&oldid=519567, GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 or later. From there, Ispent along time in limbo because Iwas under investigationthey were waiting for me to make another screw-up in their minds. The day after Iposted the pictures, my chain of command approached me, read me my rights, and told me Icould talk right now or wait for an attorney, so of course Iwaited for an attorney. They dont care about veterans outside of serving their politics for aparticular right-wing vision. Send tips tojonah@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Compared to the 294 women welcomed on Reception Day in 2018, West Point reported 285 female cadets were on campus as part of the newest class. Officials also confirmed that, following his commissioning, he had failed out of Ranger school before being assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. He didnt really partake in the social life when he was at the Ranger Battalion. We have one of the most technologically advanced militaries of all time and all we were doing is brutalizing and invading and terrorizing a population that had nothing to do with what the United States claimed was a threat.. Whatever happened to that communist lieutenant? One picture showed him in uniform, opening his shirt to show an of Che Guevara. But after being deployed to Afghanistan and seeing the violence his unit was helping to inflict, Rapone grew increasingly disillusioned with the military. Although Im not apacifist, Inever called for any explicit violence. So, Istarted reading theory. 1.78 m). Ifigured if he could put his skin in the game on anational stage, then Icould do my small part and it kind of took off fromthere. (Via Twitter). On March 23, 2014, Rapone posted about anti-corporatism and racism. Army Commie Cadet Gets Promoted to 1LT. At that point, again, Iwanted nothing to do with the military because Ifind their rule morally reprehensible and ethically unsound, so Isubmitted my resignation. New cadets hold and read booklets called 'Cadet Knowledge' during Reception Day at the United States Military Academy at West Point, June 27, 2016, in West Point, New York. Army." 2023 by the Institute for Public Affairs (EIN: 94-2889692). Its not illegal to be acommunist in the military, but since Iwas in uniform, and in their mind, making apolitical statement and posted on social media, they lumped it all together as this nebulous unbecoming conduct charge and said Iwas advocating forviolence. One of six children growing up in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Rapone said he applied to West Point, which is tuition-free, because he couldn't afford college. [from Resolution #34] Amplify the perspectives & insights of impacted communities through national media platforms. Officially, the Army said in a statement only that it conducted a full investigation and appropriate action was taken., An unrepentant Rapone summed up the fallout in yet another tweet Monday that showed him extending a middle finger at a sign at the entrance to Fort Drum, accompanied by the words, One final salute., I consider myself a revolutionary socialist, the 26-year-old Rapone told The Associated Press. Its my belief when he returned back from Afghanistan there was a notable difference in his political views, Richard L. Rapone said. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, West Point said in a statement released Tuesday. Its a call for action beyond the scope of the US colonial state. Click here for reprint permission. The letter begins to address many concerns about what has taken place at West Point in light of revelations about 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, who is an apparent socialist and communist spreading those doctrines; as well as a letter from a former West Point professor that alleges . Joe, but he wanted none of that. He tweeted the photo along with the words #VeteransForKaepernick a reference to football player Colin Kaepernick, the first player to kneel during the national anthem at a football game to protest racism. After amission, wed have adebrief and, if something particularly violent would happen, officers would say something like, That was kickass! They said if we didnt like it, we were in the wrong place. Less than a year after Rapone's images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the "commie cadet" is officially out of the U.S. Army with an other-than-honorable discharge. "I was still idealistic," he said. Idont want people saying that because they are volunteers, theres no room for resisting. He didnt want all these honorifics. Those inquires are finished, the Army said in a statement Tuesday but that is all they would say. The Navy, on the other hand, readily releases full investigations into rank-and-file sailors when their cases have become infamous. How Peter Mims spent a week hiding in a warships engine room, US report shows China taking steps toward space dominance, Biden to allow Afghans to stay longer in US, sources say, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.. Yeah. Amendment on the Red Deal and Rejecting a Green Military by Sofia Arias (NYC), Sydney Ghazarian (Los Angeles), Brian Ward (Madison), Rory Fanning (Chicago), Spenser Rapone (NYC), Joe Allen. Previously, he served as the director of Public Education for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. In the simplest of terms, Ifelt like we were the big bully and the purveyor of violence. Are there more restrictions against certain kinds of speech after 9/11? Rapones activities caught the attention of command authorities this week after he posted photos of himself in his West Point uniform while promoting communism on social media. The term communism itself seemed to engender acertain response from Rubio. Spenser Rapone, 26, quit on Monday with an other-than-honourable discharge over his "unbecoming" conduct at the famed military academy in New York state. In the middle of all of this, these right-wing sites were saying stuff about me and Iwas under investigation, so Icouldnt say anything because theyd use that as ammunition. Rapone had previously deployed to Afghanistan where he received a Combat Infantryman Badgemeaning he has fought in active ground combat. Rapone is scheduled to speak in July at a Socialism 2018 conference in Chicago, where he and fellow far-lefty Rory Fanning, an ex-Army ranger, will appear together in a "War Resister in the . The more important thing is that alot of other veterans and active duty personnel have had similar experiences to me and have come to similar conclusions, if not the same, and Ihope that by speaking out. Inspired by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who famously took aknee to protest police violence, Rapone wore aChe Guevara T-shirt to his West Point graduation in May 2016 and turned his cap over to reveal the hand-scrawled message, Communism willwin.. Officially, the Army said in a statement only that it conducted a full investigation and "appropriate action was taken. Template:TOCnestleft racist or sexually-oriented language. "We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth," Rapone said. The biggest thing about Pat Tillman was that he didnt want to be put in abox. Parents Allowed to Collect Sperm From Son Killed Skiing 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Discharged From U.S. Army West Point Marries First Active-Duty, Same-Sex Couple Compared to the 294 women. Spenser Rapone was accepted to West Point in 2012, graduated in 2016 and received an "other than honorable discharge" in June. Due to privacy act restrictions, we are limited in what information we can provide, Lt. Col. Nina Hill, an Army spokeswoman, told reporters. Rapones activism while in uniform appears to be much broader than those two photos. person will not be tolerated. While I strongly support the rights of American citizens to express their opinions, the actions of 2nd Lieutenant Rapone are abhorrent and appear to be in clear violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, in addition to being inconsistent with the values of the United States Military Academy. The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. vltD+u Greg Rinckey, an attorney specializing in military law, said it's rare for an officer out of West Point to receive an other-than-honorable discharge. Rainmixing with snow overnight. In October, he said that Iadvocated violence and was athreat to national security and Ishould have my commission revoked, my degree revoked. The two appear to have traveled together to the Taj Mahal in March 2014, according to pictures posted on his Facebook page. Im probably going to take some time to decompress and process all Ive been through. At West Point, Hosein had mentored Rapone. Then there was the move to an all-volunteer force and thats interesting because asubstantial number of Vietnam resisters were volunteers. Trump's latest attack addresses DeSantis' overseas trips to the U.K., Israel, Florida's Covid-19 record, and polling support for the 2024 Presidential race. In response, the Army has opened an investigation intoRapone for his social media comments. Seeing and learning about Pat Tillman and how he was able to never be fully assimilated into military culture, it was really inspiring to me and kind of gave me an example to follow in terms of resisting this indoctrination and dehumanization that the military puts youthrough. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. He said that we need to do something about this Rapone guy. Mr. Rapone retweeted the message. The former Democratic congressman who nominated communist 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone to West Point is now disavowing Rapones recent comments, which range from attacks on Secretary of Defense James Mattis to calls for political violence. Both the United States Military Academy and his current command, the 10th Mountain Division, launched investigations into his conduct. Prospective Students; Undergraduate Students; Graduate Studies No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism All republished articles must include our logo, our reporters byline and their DCNF affiliation. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Im amember of the DSA, so Iwant to get involved with socialist politics and affect some change. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.". In many ways, youre even moredisillusioned. Of course my military career is dead in the water. The Armys statement comes days after some media outlets reported that Rapone had received an other than honorable discharge from the Army. Spenser is my son and I love him dearly however I do not like nor condone his politics, his actions or behavior. Since the class of 2012, the percentage of women entering West Point increased by about 10 percent, according to data on class characteristics. Movies. To get into West Point, applicants must receive nominations, usually from U.S. politicians. Vice President Mike Pence called the class of 2019 the most diverse in West Point's history during the commencement address. But Iwas kind of stuck at that point because after your second year, you have to do whats called affirmation. If Idropped at that point, Iwould either be kicked back into the enlisted ranks or be forced to find away to pay for West Point. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. Due to the form of discharge received, Rapone may be ineligible for VA benefits or the GI Bill. [3], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group Closed Facebook Group, as of September 28, 2017, included Spenser Rapone under the name of Giuseppe Impastato.[4]. endobj Rapone has admitted being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and has even posted pictures showing his membership card alongside his military name patch. In Ehrenreich's new book, she comes out about mystical experiences in her teens. No matter what you did in these imperialist conflicts, theres arole you can play in ending them and try to help emancipate and liberate people. The Army confirmed that Rapone graduated from West Point in 2016 and is now serving as a second lieutenant with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, New York. Republicans apparently don't believe that Americans who work longer hours should get paid more. He then deployed to Afghanistan, where he earned a combat infantryman badge. Igraduated and went to officer training, but once Trump got elected, Ithought this was aparticular political moment when Iwas like, Ok, now more than ever, it would be inauthentic of me tocontinue.. Reception Day marks the first step in a 47-month journey toward becoming an officer in the United States Army. The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. As a reader-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit, In These Times does not oppose or endorse candidates for political office. The class of 2023 saw about a four percent increase in minority representation. My attorney told me they wanted to get apound of flesh from me, but Ididnt do anything illegal. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Toward the end of his deployment, he learned West Point fulfills a certain quota of enlisted soldiers every year. A Primer for Radicals ITS GOING DOWN. He also reposted a meme from a group called Anarchist People of Color criticizing white privilege., Rapone posted on several forums in support of Chelsea Manning, the Army soldier who went to jail for leaking classified intelligence to WikiLeaks. So theres thataspect. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. A review of Rapones Facebook page shows that over time, since 2014, his posts became increasingly anti-racism, anti-Israel, pro-Muslim, pro-Communist, anti-military, and anti-police. Spenser is being discharged from the military with an Other Than Honorable discharge this June, in part, because [Marco] Rubio penned a panic-stricken letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy demanding the branch nullify Rapones military commission after seeing this photo, he wrote. He is a man of above-average stature. His expulsion came after a viral tweet showing him clad in uniform, fist raised displaying a hat reading, "COMMUNISM WILL WIN." But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. stream Second Lieutenant Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army, it said. Rapone is listed as one of the speakers for Socialism 2018, which is slated for early July in Chicago. 7hVccY[2a/;#mD.RA$1Q2J&`"(P&UX IdYFajS0 Odu&3 ofc,bc1RJfb{w5!s/d J/dSDi(hED1+@Iw/[6[*A|lx=` = _s[}ec88vvW='H(}edW+],stTCbe_X^AjQ@&=62ccl/vo`S!ds^"Mc!dfFfYZmg;Xyx@n#|1_P ~io Ux!ZZ{g+vN=;+t~:!Q]xIBUp^f+m`3T-(X'3wpdE]2 ^ n@]fn`7|E He was nominated out of high school by. Aside from his recent West Point graduation, Rapone was an infantry officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Upon completion of Cadet Basic Training, scheduled for August 17, they'll be accepted into the Corps of Cadets. Rapone has also tweeted a number of provocative statements, including calling Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the most vile, evil f*ck in the current administration on June 7 from Columbus, Georgia. Uz\`QT2#!dkscS. They represent our nation's promise for the future," Deborah McDonald, director of admissions, said in a statement. During the interview, he expressed patriotism and looked just like a top-notch candidate. Spenser Rapone was like a character who stepped out of a Bruce Springsteen song. Spenser Rapone, a former second lieutenant whose "Communism Will Win" photo rocked the internet in 2017 after being featured by this publication, has received an "Other Than Honorable" discharge from the U.S. Army. Then American society and political culture influences you because we are constantly slapped with patriotism and respecting the troops. What does that even mean? Later, he served as an Army Ranger and was deployed to Afghanistan on special mission. Or, Icould submit an unconditional resignation and they can give me whatever discharge they want. That's taxpayer money on a first-class education well spent. The appropriate Command authorities are reviewing the situation, an Army spokesman said. West Point graduate and now former Army infantry officer Spenser Rapone has been processed out of the U.S. Army and received an other than honorable discharge from the military after a photo he posted with his West Point cap and the words Communism will win went viral. As a caption to that photo, Rapone tweeted, In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre, a popular left-wing slogan oft-attributed to thelate Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leaderwho was ultimately killed and captured by the U.S. CIA. Even the army chaplain would give us these kinds of speeches. I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action.. "These young men and women are coming here to devote themselves to becoming guardians of Duty, Honor, Country the West Point motto and our United States Constitution. or anything. 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone at his graduation from the Military Academy (via Twitter) West Point knew that they had an anti-American "commie cadet" on . As a Sustainer, you'll never have to worry about renewal notices, or fundraising appeals. The Saga of the Commie Lieutenant Comes to an End. [6], Members of Democratic Socialists of America's Socialist Punk Caucus closed Facebook group, accessed November 24, 2017, included Spenser Rapone.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker Token Of The Dryad, Explain 5 Characteristics Of A Buoyant Economy, Boater Exam Quizlet, Strongsville Baseball Fields, Articles S